Senior Expert Network Optimization & Development (m/f/d)

The Network Operations department within DHL eCommerce acts as a Head Office function responsible for the data-driven development of strategic and tactical network topics across national and international parcel networks. The objective is to develop scalable, cost-efficient and service-oriented target networks and to provide robust decision-making material for infrastructure, investments, growth and operational optimization.

Senior Expert Network Optimization & Development

Senior Expert (m/w/d) COpN-09 / AT nltd Level 2

Main Tasks:

Strategic Network Optimization & Development Specialist (m/w/d)

Development, evaluation and implementation of strategic and tactical network optimization initiatives for DHL eCommerce to support growth, investment decisions, service improvement and sustainable cost optimization; as a Head Office function, the key responsibility lies in analysis, model logic, scenarios, quality of results and management-ready decision support

• Develop strategic network target pictures considering infrastructure, location logic, capacities, peak and growth scenarios, investments, service promise, unit cost and operational feasibility
• Analyze and model hub, depot, gateway, consolidation and linehaul structures while ensuring robust and transparent model logic
• Evaluate network alternatives, business cases, capex/opex impacts, sensitivities, unit-cost effects, cost/service trade-offs and decision options for management and country organizations based on validated data and assumptions
• Conduct tactical network optimization to improve linehaul structures, transit times, service quality, transport costs, sorting logic, capacity utilization, unit cost and operational performance
• Identify optimization potential and derive concrete measures to improve cost, service, capacity and network stability
• Simulate and compare alternative network approaches as well as peak, volume and growth scenarios, e.g. direct injections, regional consolidation, national hubs or hybrid models
• Create country-specific phase plans for network expansion and development, from baseline analysis through target picture and business case to the final implementation recommendation aligned with country organizations
• Structure roadmaps into phases, milestones, dependencies, investment steps and operational transition solutions
• Develop a standardized approach for country analyses, from baseline through scenarios and target picture to roadmap, decision paper and measure tracking
• Involve country organizations to provide and validate data, confirm operational assumptions and align final results; support additional interfaces where required
• Use and further develop optimization, simulation, analytics and visualization tools to enable data-based decision support
• Prepare, validate and connect relevant volume, cost, transit-time, capacity, location, customer and transport data; country organizations provide the required data and validate operational assumptions
• Apply tools such as SQL, Python and PowerBI as well as optimization software such as Gurobi, CPLEX, AIMMS or comparable solutions
• Prepare senior management decisions through clear visualization of complex network scenarios, business-case impacts, cost/service trade-offs, risks, decision options and concrete recommendations in dashboards, decision papers and management materials
• Enable and train country organizations in basic analytics, visualization and optimization logic so they can independently handle standardized questions after implementation where appropriate

Required Professional Qualifications:

• University degree in logistics, supply chain management, operations research, industrial engineering, data science or a comparable qualification
• Several years of experience in network planning, network optimization, transport management, strategic logistics or infrastructure planning, preferably in the CEP or eCommerce environment
• Strong understanding of parcel networks, hub/depot structures, linehaul, sorting capacities, transit-time logic and cost/service trade-offs
• Experience in infrastructure planning, investment evaluation, scenario analysis, business cases, unit-cost optimization and management decision support
• Excellent analytical skills and experience in data preparation, modelling, validation and visualization with tools such as SQL, Python, PowerBI or comparable applications
• Knowledge of optimization and simulation tools such as Gurobi, CPLEX, AIMMS, AnyLogic, Llamasoft or comparable solutions is an advantage
• Fluent written and spoken English; German language skills are desirable

Personal Requirements:

• Strong analytical and conceptual skills with the ability to present complex topics in a concise and management-ready way
• Strategic mindset combined with operational understanding, pragmatism and confidence in handling trade-off decisions
• Very good communication and stakeholder management skills in an international and cross-functional environment
• High level of initiative, result orientation, resilience, assertiveness and ability to work with uncertainty and scenarios
• Willingness to travel of minimum 50%