The solutions you're looking for are to increase your movement, your stealth, or your ability to impact of battle without using an action.
Stealth will allow you to get in position for a fight prior to the fight beginning. I know that a dwarf and heavy armor with a low dexterity doesn't seem like the type of PC that can be stealthy, but there are options available to you if you take some precautions and work with the party.
You heard various suggestions about how to increase your movement comma and nobody is mentioned picking up a few levels of a spell Caster class so that you can cast Misty step when necessary to close that Gap. Also, nobody has really spent time talking about what allies can do to help you get closer to the front lines in the first round of combat. It is often beneficial for the party to make sure that the fighter is in the right spot in combat before the enemy goes.
Finally, if you need to use both your action and move to get into position, you may want to consider what used to be productive using your bonus action to be effective. There are a lot of little things you can do with a bonus action and interact with object that I can have a significant impact on the battle even if you're not dealing damage.