Forecasting Analytics Manager

Location: Boston, MA

Who we are: Forecasting Algorithms is a team of problem solvers and innovators that creates global inventory forecasts for over 3 million items each month. It’s mission is to produce data artifacts, decision frameworks and analytical tools that drive efficient trade-offs between product availability, delivery speed and operating cost across Wayfair globally, using best-in-class machine learning, economics and statistics based approaches. In 2020 we rapidly adapted to the impact of Covid-19 and designed new ways to model demand in the face of a highly complex macro environment, and supported new models with in depth analytics for hundreds of downstream users to consume. We continue innovating every day by fostering a collaborative environment and an ownership culture. 

Job Overview: Forecasting Algorithms is seeking a leader to own the development and evolution of our forecasting model’s global business strategy layer called “Bizcast”, as well as associated analytics dashboards that enable users to interpret forecasts. The “Bizcast” layer of our forecasting model stack sits on top of core machine learning models, and contains quick to market solutions to reflect evolving business strategies and solve for gaps in the core machine learning models. Forecast interpretability is crucial to the success of forecast adoption within the Wayfair supply chain, and our analytics dashboards are the main portal for users to analyze forecasts and generate insights. Forecasts can be confusing for the average user given the massive amount of data being generated each month, and so a successful product will utilize clever analytical approaches to convert complex data sets into user friendly and simple to understand views. 

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Develop an analytical framework for breaking down the black box machine learning forecast into key business drivers that can be understood by non-technical users. Implement views in Google Data Studio and design robust data backend.
• Use analytical and quantitative skills to work with large and complex datasets, analyze ill-defined questions and develop recommendations to guide business decisions
• Partner with internal customers like Wayfair’s operations team to scope emerging business needs and define toolkits development roadmap.
• Partner closely with internal forecasting Data Science team to recommend model enhancement themes when analytics toolkits reveal forecast opportunity areas. 
• Directly manage analysts and co-ops; provide guidance on analytical approaches, automation methods, dashboard design, etc; provide reports with high roi workstreams to advance the development of interpretability toolkits. 
• Oversee development of the business logic layer within the forecast generation process. Partner with business stakeholders to understand how emerging business strategies will affect demand, and design logic to reflect strategies in the forecast. Automate process and reflect metrics in forecasting dashboards where needed. Recommend new solutions where appropriate.
• Identify gaps in core machine learning models and build quick to market heuristic solutions that solve these gaps while longer term solutions are being developed by data science. 

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or other concentrations with heavy quantitative focus and strong academic record
• 5+ years of post bachelor’s work experience in a quantitative field (e.g. business analytics, technology, startup, and/or other roles with heavy analytical emphasis
• Experience leading a team of technical analysts  
• Strong SQL skills; Proficiency in Python or R
• Proficiency in building visualizations via Tableau / Looker / Google Data Studio, etc.