Amazon - Senior Product Manager - Forecasting

Note: You should apply only if you enjoy number crunching and getting insights from large amount of data or already have some experience in data science/machine learning/analytics space or have keen interest in learning about this area.

Retail is essentially 'buying' and 'selling'. Our team owns the buying strategy and product management for Amazon India Retail partners. The problems that we solve have a huge topline and bottom-line business impact on billions of dollars- worth of yearly buying. The problems require a mix of business sense and data science/analytics acumen - imagine predicting 52-weeks sales of millions of products, deciding how much to buy, at what cost to buy etc and doing so considering hundreds of factors.

We are looking for a Product Leader, who will work on the problem that lies at the heart of the effective buying - forecasting. If we predict right how much each of the millions of products will sell week on week, the out-of-stock will reduce to practically zero, we will be able to buy just enough to leverage the working capital much better and the day-to-day stock and supply chain planning will be a smooth ride. But as obvious as it sounds, it is the most complicated problem of all - just imagine an astrologer predicting lifespan of each of the billion people on this planet. Sounds impossible? How about doing so, with millions of terabytes of data on these people - like their lifestyle, genetics information, place of stay etc? Still difficult, but that's where it becomes interesting.

There are literally hundreds of variables that our forecasting models consider to predict sales of millions of ASINs (products in amazon parlance) that we sell. By the way, these models have been developed by PhD holders in data science supported by dozens of data scientists and engineers. But lot of these models don't exist in India and we don't even know whether they will work in India, if launched. Many of these models haven't worked in India in past, and require significant customizations. India has its own set of unique variables, that have not been relevant or important for other amazon marketplaces, and no model currently exists worldwide for this purpose. We need a product leader with high analytical capabilities to bring clarity on this problem statement and tell us what we should do, how we should do it, and get it done.

This role will need to work across the globe with the global SCOT (Supply Chain Optimization Technology) organization based out of Seattle/New York to drive these projects. The role would also require regular communication with senior management with India Retail Partners organizations regarding day-to-day operations and progress of projects, representing the team in weekly/monthly/quarterly business.

A successful candidate will be highly analytical, resourceful, customer-focused, team oriented, and will have an ability to work independently under time constraints to meet deadlines. The Senior Product Manager will have a proven track record in taking on end-to-end ownership and successfully delivering results in a fast-paced and dynamic business environment.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

- Love for numbers and exceptional ability to make sense of large amount of data is must-have

- Bachelor's degree in Business, Science, Engineering or Technology

- 6+ years in Analytics, Product management or Consulting background

- Strong oral and written communication skills, as well as ability to think clearly, analyze quantitatively, problem-solve, support scope of requirements and prioritize

- Sound business judgment, proven ability to influence others, and strong analytical thinking skills are critical to success in this position

- Proven track record of delivering projects within scope, time, budget and quality

- An entrepreneurial mindset, with the tenacity to develop ideas independently and thrive in fast-paced environment is crucial

- Ability to prioritize in an ambiguous environment.

- Demonstrated ability to formulate data-driven decisions that lead to results.

- Ability to navigate through a complex and unstructured cross-functional environment.

- Analytical horsepower to break down complex problems, and a strong will to get stuff done and deliver results no matter the obstacles.

- Some travel required within and outside India

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- MBA

- Demonstrated ability to understand and discuss technical concepts, manage tradeoffs and evaluate opportunistic new ideas with internal and external partners.