Lead Operations Research Analyst

Job Summary

The Lead Operations Research (OR) Analyst develops advanced optimization tools to increase UPS efficiency by researching, designing, and developing tools and planning systems. He/She researches state-of-the-art techniques in operations research and algorithms and analyzes current processes for UPS operations. This position ensures the success and relevance of OR projects by directing or managing supervisors and managers. He/She coordinates with work groups to obtain necessary data and parameter settings.

The Lead Operations Research (OR) Analyst evaluates data to ensure accuracy and appropriate format. This position interprets results to ensure proper understanding of what the model produced. He/She fields questions from users to facilitate the use of optimization tools and determines if model changes are necessary to make the tool produce desired results. This position confers with others to identify issues and analyzes information received from group meetings to further define the problem statement and determine the risk associated with the new methods. The Lead Operations Research position also designs and tests algorithms to ensure the optimization results are satisfying the problem statement.

­Other Duties

• Stays abreast of technology trends to ensure UPS is utilizing state-of-the-art tools.
• Participates in meetings and conferences on OR and management science to ensure awareness of newest methodologies.
• Delivers presentations at conferences to provide peers knowledge on UPS’s techniques and tools utilized in OR.
• Participates in university seminars and panels to address and evaluate research activities.
• Manages resources and people processes (e.g., Quality Performance Review [QPR], Career Development, Training, Staffing, etc.) to ensure the day-to-day administration of processes and formal procedures.
• Identifies individual and team skill gaps and developmental opportunities (e.g., training, special assignments, conferences, projects, etc.) to facilitate individual and team development.
• Ensures that direct and indirect reports have documented career goals and detailed plans for achieving these goals to develop them personally and professionally.
• Conducts frequent performance evaluations in a consistent, fair, and objective manner to facilitate open communication and encourage continuous performance improvement.
• Holds others accountable to established performance levels to achieve individual and group goals.
• Resolves individual and group performance issues in accordance with UPS’s policies and procedures in a timely manner to motivate and foster teamwork.

Preferred Competencies

• Conducts Research: Designs standard research studies (i.e., descriptive) that collect information on the immediate business problem and related problems; identifies appropriate research methodology to use during research; develops standard research tools and materials designed to gather data (e.g., interviews, focus groups, etc.); integrates, interprets, and summarizes information from various sources; identifies relationships within the data; draws conclusions based on multiple, relevant data sources.
• Designs/Develops Integrated Solutions to Business Problems: Demonstrates a broad understanding of business requirements or critical elements of a problem; identifies the impact of a problem on multiple areas of the business; recommends improvements to existing processes or programs.
• Project Management: Demonstrates understanding of implementation objectives, project plan, and one's role within a project; participates in the implementation of a project; provides timely, thorough and concise updates for area of responsibility; identifies areas of risk and properly communicates them to the project manager.
• Risk Management: Demonstrates a basic knowledge of risk management fundamentals.
• Package Operations Knowledge: Demonstrates a detailed understanding of processes, procedures, and methods within small package operations; demonstrates a broad knowledge of tools, equipment, and technology used in small package operations; identifies root causes of recurring issues; describes the general structure of small package operations.
• Technology Knowledge: Leverages technological knowledge to achieve business objectives; resolves technological issues impeding work; adapts technological information, facts, or data to varying situations or groups; recommends changes to technological approach based upon knowledge of trends and best practices.

Minimum Qualifiers

• Master's Degree - Operations Research - Preferred
• PHD Degree - Operations Research - Preferred