Bol.com, the leading online retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium, was facing a challenge in their logistics chain. They needed an expert in operations research and applied mathematics to help guide their two data scientists in asking the right questions and to serve as a sparring partner. The company wanted to apply applied mathematics to their logistics chain, especially in their daily operations.
The logistics chain presented a unique problem: while Bol.com could predict which products would be in high demand three-quarters of the way in advance, they were unable to predict demand a month in advance. The unpredictability made it difficult to make decisions about which products to stock and how to fulfill orders in a timely manner. Moreover, any actions they took would have a ripple effect on the entire logistics chain.
To tackle this challenge, the company assembled a team of seven, including three software engineers, an ML engineer, and two data scientists with a great deal of experience at Bol.com. However, the team needed guidance in navigating this complex problem.
They were seeking an experienced professional with a background in supply chain management, preferably with experience at scale with data. The ideal candidate would have experience in forecasting and be able to bring the existing model from 20 to 60 processes with a small time switch forecasting. They needed someone who could guide junior and medior team members and explain the model to them in a clear and concise way. Additionally, the company wanted someone who could delegate daily operations and had experience in designing and building control systems.
The team was working with Python and the candidate did not need to be an expert in coding. They could work with Azure, AWS, or GCP. Oracle and SPS6 were considered too limited. The position required a strong emphasis on process management and the ability to organize and delegate tasks related to the logistics chain. The company was looking for someone who had previously worked at large-scale logistics companies such as PostNL, KLM, or Rhenus Logistics.
Overall, Bol.com needed someone who could provide guidance and direction in managing their logistics chain and help them make informed decisions about inventory, shipping, and delivery times. The candidate would be responsible for organizing the logistics chain and making decisions about which suppliers to use, which warehouses to ship from, and how to adjust delivery times on the website to meet the company’s delivery promises. They needed someone who could design and build control systems and provide training to the team to use them.
We where happy to assist in finding a freelance expert for them!