Sam Crawford
Southam,Warwickshire
Summary
Accomplished professional with extensive expertise in account and relationship management, adept at managing high-value customer and partner relationships within performance-driven environments. Proven track record in service delivery, issue resolution, and maintaining long-term, trust-based relationships through clear communication and consistent performance. Demonstrates strong commercial performance by managing multi-million-pound operational budgets, ensuring service quality, cost control, and long-term value. Skilled in coordinating cross-functional stakeholders to support contract mobilisation, change management, and performance improvement. Committed to quality standards with a keen eye for detail and a structured approach to problem-solving in high-pressure situations. Exceptional communicator with a professional approach to work and relationship management, focused on building trust and credibility for long-term partnership success.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Regional Planning Manager
Great Bear Distribution
Minworth, Warwickshire
2025.04 - 2025.12
- Regional responsibility for service performance and planning activity across multiple customer contracts within national 3PL environment
- Working closely with customers and internal stakeholders to ensure service levels, KPIs and contractual expectations were consistently met
- Acting as senior escalation point for service issues, performance risks and improvement initiatives
- Driving consistency, best practice, and continuous improvement across multiple operational teams
- Supporting commercial performance through improved utilisation, cost control and data-led decision making
Transport Manager
Great Bear Distribution
Lutterworth, Leicestershire
2022.04 - 2025.04
- Primary point of contact for customers on day-to-day service delivery, performance management and issue resolution
- Ownership of service KPIs, contractual performance and continuous improvement initiatives across large, time-critical customer operations
- Full accountability for £15m annual operational budget, balancing service quality, cost control and efficiency
- Successfully led mobilisation and start-up of £5m customer contract, coordinating multiple stakeholders to deliver stable and successful go-live
- Built strong, trust-based relationships with customers through transparent communication and consistent performance delivery
- Led cross-functional teams to improve service reliability, utilisation, and overall customer satisfaction
- Organised weekly team meetings fostering better communication among staff members.
- Implemented system to track vehicles real-time, improving reliability of deliveries.
Transport Operation Manager
Great Bear Distribution
Lutterworth, Leicestershire
2021.08 - 2022.04
- Supported customer-facing service delivery across fast-paced distribution operations
- Worked closely with internal teams to ensure customer requirements, delivery schedules and performance standards were achieved
- Managed service issues, escalations, and short-term performance risks
- Contributed to performance reporting, improvement planning and operational stability
- Established effective communication channels; facilitated seamless information exchange.
Transport Contract Manager
Great Bear Distribution
Lutterworth
2021.03 - 2021.08
- Direct responsibility for managing transport service delivery against contractual KPIs and SLAs
- Acted as key liaison between customers, internal operational teams, and planning functions
- Monitored performance metrics and supported improvement initiatives to protect service quality and commercial outcomes
- Helped build long-term customer relationships through consistent delivery and responsive communication
Transport Planner and Operator
Maxi Haulage
Warwick, Warwickshire
2017.09 - 2021.02
- Supported customer delivery performance through effective planning and coordination of daily operations
- Worked directly with customers and drivers to resolve issues and maintain service levels
- Gained strong experience in customer communication, problem solving and performance-driven operations
- Developed solid foundation in operational delivery and customer-focused work
Education
Level 3 Certificate of Professional Competence - Transport Managers (Road Haulage)
City & Guilds
GCSEs -
Myton School
Warwickshire 2006.01 - 2011.01
Skills
- Account & Relationship Management
- Proven experience managing high-value customer and partner relationships within performance-driven environments
- Acting as primary point of contact for clients, owning service delivery, issue resolution and ongoing relationship health
- Building long-term, trust-based relationships through clear communication, transparency, and consistent performance
- Confident managing challenging conversations, performance reviews and expectations in professional, solutions-focused manner
- Ownership of service performance against agreed KPIs, SLAs and contractual expectations
- Strong understanding of commercial accountability, balancing service quality, cost control and long-term value
- Experienced in performance reporting, analysis, and continuous improvement planning
- Managing multi-million-pound operational budgets with clear focus on value, efficiency, and sustainability
- Working closely with internal teams and external partners to align objectives and deliver consistent outcomes
- Strong focus on quality, accuracy and consistency in service delivery and performance management
- Personal interest in collectible grading and standards, reinforcing strong appreciation for condition, consistency and quality-driven decision making
- Calm, structured approach to problem solving in time-critical and high-pressure environment
- Using data, feedback, and performance insight to drive better outcomes for customers and partners
- Clear, confident communicator with ability to adapt style to customers, partners, and internal stakeholders
- People-focused mindset with strong emphasis on trust, credibility, and long-term partnership success
Certification
Full UK driving Licence
Timeline
Regional Planning Manager
Great Bear Distribution
2025.04 - 2025.12
Transport Manager
Great Bear Distribution
2022.04 - 2025.04
Transport Operation Manager
Great Bear Distribution
2021.08 - 2022.04
Transport Contract Manager
Great Bear Distribution
2021.03 - 2021.08
Transport Planner and Operator
Maxi Haulage
2017.09 - 2021.02
GCSEs -
Myton School
2006.01 - 2011.01
Level 3 Certificate of Professional Competence - Transport Managers (Road Haulage)
City & Guilds