Operations Manager – Capacity Planning

Who is QLS?

Europe’s fastest-growing e-commerce fulfilment provider. A family business born from a single DHL depot in Dordrecht in 1990, now shipping 30 million+ orders a year for 3,000+ webshops. We built our own WMS (my.QLS), operate a 110,000-bin AutoStore, and run sites in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK. Over 1,000 colleagues. We’re growing fast — and now we’re looking for someone to build the planning function that matches that pace.

The Role

QLS is growing quickly. Volumes are rising, the client portfolio is expanding, and new sites are coming online. What doesn’t exist yet: a mature capacity planning model that can reliably absorb that growth. You’re going to build it.

As Operations Manager – Capacity Planning, you are the architect of how QLS plans its people and capacity. You work closely with our data analyst to develop the right datasets and forecasts — and you translate that data into concrete plans the operation can execute. This is not a management role. This is a builder role.

You work closely with the Operations Managers and Supervisors to ensure capacity and process improvement reinforce each other.

There is no ready-made model to take over. You build it. From methodology to dashboard, from forecast to floor plan.

Now VS. what you’ll build

What you’ll do

Build the capacity planning model

• Set up a structured capacity planning model from scratch: methodology, data sources, planning horizon, and quality standards.
• Work with the data analyst to define the right datasets: historical volumes, seasonal patterns, client growth forecasts, and WMS data.
• Build weekly and daily capacity plans that translate volume forecasts into concrete staffing and throughput targets.
• Plan for peaks — Black Friday, promotional campaigns, new client onboardings — with the right mix of permanent and flex workforce.

Work with data & analytics

• Steer the data analyst on building forecast models that connect to operational reality.
• Ask the right questions of a dataset: what does this forecast say about tomorrow’s staffing? What are we still missing?
• Be strong enough in data to understand, validate, and challenge models — not a passive recipient of output.
• Develop KPI dashboards and reports that give the Head of Operations and MT reliable planning intelligence.

Workforce management & floor

• Translate rosters and staffing plans into concrete shift deployment for supervisors.
• Adjust in real time when volumes deviate from forecast — fast decision-making with the operational team.
• Steer supervisors on productivity targets that flow from the capacity plan.
• Understand the operation from the inside: regularly walk the floor to see where the real needs are.
• Continuously improve the planning model based on what you learn from the operation.

What you bring

Must-haves

• You have built something that didn’t exist yet — a planning model, a forecast methodology, a reporting structure — and you’re proud of it.
• Strong data skills: confident with advanced Excel/Sheets and BI tooling (Power BI, Tableau, or similar).
• Experience working with data analysts: you know what you need, you can specify it, and you can evaluate the output.
• Background in capacity planning, workforce management, or operations planning in a logistics or fulfilment environment.
• Start-up mentality: you don’t wait for a perfect system — you build with what you have and improve as you go.
• Strong communication skills in English; Dutch is a plus.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with WMS data (my.QLS or comparable) as input for planning models.
• Experience in a fast-growing or scale-up environment.

What QLS offers

• The opportunity to build something that doesn’t exist yet — with full management backing.
• A family culture at scale: short lines, no politics, colleagues who genuinely put their shoulders into it.
• Room to grow in a business expanding fast across three countries.
• 25 days leave + public holidays, travel allowance, pension.

Ready for the next step?

Apply now!