Lead Data Scientist

Allianz are looking for a Lead Data Scientist to join our Customer Analytics team in Guildford or London on a hybrid basis. This senior leadership role sits within a multidisciplinary analytics team, driving the design, delivery, and deployment of advanced analytics and machine learning solutions to support decision‑making, improve performance, and enhance customer outcomes. You will lead across the full analytics lifecycle—from data exploration and modelling through to production—while providing technical leadership, coaching, and strong governance across data science delivery.

At Allianz, we champion a collaborative, inclusive, and agile culture where every voice matters. Our flexible working arrangements support work life balance, alongside strong investment in professional development and career growth within a world‑class analytics community.

About You

• Lead high-impact analytics delivery: Own the design and implementation of predictive models and advanced analytics, ensuring outputs are robust, production‑ready, and deliver measurable business value.
• Provide technical leadership: Set standards for modelling, experimentation, and deployment while acting as a senior authority and mentor to data scientists.
• Translate business needs into solutions: Partner with stakeholders to turn strategic objectives into clear analytical approaches, balancing performance, explainability, and practicality.
• Drive insight through data & experimentation: Lead exploratory analysis, prototype development, and evaluation of modelling approaches, communicating findings to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Ensure governance, quality & compliance: Maintain high standards across code, documentation, validation, and model risk management, ensuring all solutions meet regulatory and internal requirements.
• Enable team growth & collaboration: Coach and mentor team members, foster continuous improvement, and work closely with engineering and MLOps teams to operationalise scalable analytics solutions.

Essential Skills

• Strong academic or equivalent experience: MSc/PhD in a quantitative discipline (e.g. Statistics, Computer Science, Applied Maths)
• Advanced technical skills: Deep proficiency in Python and SQL, with experience using modern data tools and cloud platforms such as AzureML.
• Proven delivery experience: Track record of building and deploying predictive models and advanced analytics solutions in production environments.
• End-to-end analytics expertise: Strong understanding of the full data science lifecycle, from data preparation and modelling to deployment and monitoring.
• Data & problem‑solving capability: Skilled at working with complex, multi‑source datasets and overcoming data quality challenges.
• Collaborative and communicative approach: Excellent communicator able to explain complex concepts clearly, with experience in agile teams and a strong commitment to governance and responsible data use.

Desirable Skills

• Experience in general insurance, particularly commercial lines.
• Exposure to regulated or controlled environments requiring model governance and explainability.
• Practical experience applying Responsible AI principles.

What We Will Offer You

• Flexible buy/sell holiday options
• Hybrid working
• Annual performance‑related bonus
• Contributory pension scheme
• Development days
• A discount up to 50% on a range of insurance products including car, home and pet
• Retail discounts
• Volunteering days

Our Ways of Working

Do you need flexibility with the hours you work? Let us know as part of your application and if it’s right for our customers, our business and for you, then we’ll do everything we can to make it happen. Here at Allianz, we are signatories of the ABIs flexible working charter. We believe in supporting hybrid work patterns, which balance the needs of our customers, with your personal circumstances and our business requirements. Our aim with this is to help innovation, creativity, and you to thrive – Your work life balance is important to us.

Integrity, Fairness, Inclusion & Trust

At Allianz, we believe in fostering an inclusive workforce and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Our commitment to equal opportunities, gender equity, and balanced gender representation is demonstrated by our numerous accreditations: EDGE certified for gender inclusion, Women in Finance Charter members, Disability Confident employer, Stonewall Diversity Champion, Business in the Community’s Race at Work Charter signatories, and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard employer. We welcome neurodiversity and invite applications from neurodivergent and disabled candidates, offering tailored adjustments to ensure your success. We encourage our employees to advocate for their needs, whether it’s assistive technology, ergonomic equipment, mentoring, coaching, or flexible work arrangements.