At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and shape the data/ML team in London, driving impactful projects.
- Company: Join Almedia, Europe's #3 fastest-growing company, aiming for unicorn status.
- Benefits: Competitive compensation, equity options, and a clear growth path.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with a focus on innovation and diversity.
- Why this job: Be part of building a team from scratch and see your work make a real difference.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in data/ML with a passion for hands-on leadership.
The predicted salary is between 85500 - 104500 £ per year.
This isn’t your regular job. Almedia is a place where those who want to push harder can accelerate their careers faster than anywhere else. We’re aiming to become Germany’s second bootstrapped unicorn. Almedia is already Europe’s #3 fastest-growing company in 2025 (FT1000). We are building the future of marketing by rewarding our community of over 70 million users for engaging with our advertisers’ products.
Almedia runs Freecash, a rewards platform with ~80 million users, profitable since day one, and currently the #3 fastest-growing company in Europe. We're building out our first dedicated data/ML presence in London, and this is the seat that gets to shape it from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity to build a team and technical culture from first principles, with real autonomy over how it grows and a direct line between your decisions and the company's results.
The Role
- You'll lead our London data/ML function, currently a single hire, growing to roughly 5-10 over the next year.
- You'll stay hands-on throughout: reviewing code, joining model reviews, and remaining a genuine technical contributor as you build out the team.
- Your impact will be measured the way ours is, in the results you help drive, not in headcount or process for its own sake.
- You'll report directly into our Chief Science Officer and work closely with our CTO.
What You'll Do
- Own the London data/ML team's roadmap, translating business priorities (reward/payout optimisation, real-time personalisation, offer ranking) into a team structure and technical plan.
- Stay close to the work, reviewing designs and code alongside your team, not just signing off on them.
- Hire, coach, and grow a small, high-ownership team; shape the technical bar and interview process as you scale.
- Partner directly with senior leadership to connect London's work to company-level outcomes.
- Help establish London as a core part of Almedia's technical foundation from day one.
What We're Looking For
- Strong individual-contributor credentials at a senior/staff/principal level; you've built significant things yourself, and want to keep building alongside your team as you lead.
- Deep experience owning a domain end-to-end, such as recommendation systems, marketplaces, adtech, pricing/uplift, or a comparably rigorous applied-ML domain.
- Comfort with ambiguity and a flat structure; you enjoy defining how something should work, not just running a playbook that already exists.
- A track record of connecting technical work directly to business outcomes you can point to.
What Excites You
- You're drawn to the idea of shaping a team's culture and technical direction from the very beginning, rather than optimising a structure that already exists.
- You like staying close to the code even as you take on more leadership, and you're motivated by seeing your work translate directly into business impact.
Compensation and equity for this role are bespoke, reflecting the seniority and scope of what we're building. We believe in fostering talent, evaluating all skill levels during the hiring process, and providing a clear path for growth. Almedia is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace and celebrate diversity, and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.
Site Lead Data & ML employer: Almedia
At Almedia, we offer an exceptional work environment where innovation and growth are at the forefront. As a Site Lead for Data & ML in London, you'll have the unique opportunity to shape a new team and technical culture from the ground up, with real autonomy and a direct impact on our success. Our commitment to employee development, coupled with a dynamic and diverse workplace, makes Almedia an outstanding employer for those looking to make a meaningful contribution in a fast-paced, rewarding setting.
