At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead Co-op's Data Science and AI strategy to drive impactful business outcomes.
- Company: Join Co-op, a member-owned organisation focused on community and purpose.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private healthcare, company car, and generous holiday allowance.
- Other info: Flexible working arrangements and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping the future of data and AI at scale.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading data science teams and delivering measurable results.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 125000 £ per year.
Head of Data Science & AI £100,000 - £125,000 plus private healthcare, company car or car allowance and more great benefits (Work Level 4) In this role you’ll split your time between working at home and our Manchester office, being in the office for 1 to 3 days each fortnight working with our teams (find out more about our hybrid working policy at
Please be aware Co-op does not offer visa sponsorship for this opportunity We’re open to applications from people who may require flexible working arrangements.
There’ll be an opportunity to discuss your flexible working requirements during the interview process, and at offer stage.
We have redesigned our Digital, Technology and Data function for the future, creating new career opportunities, strengthened our capabilities and are improving our processes so we can deliver even better services for our Co-op, our colleagues, members and customers.
We're looking for a Head of Data Science & AI to join our group Data & AI team and help us unlock even greater value from our Databricks group data lake, covering all our Co-op businesses and giving you access to world leading capabilities at scale.
You'll lead our data science and AI practice, identifying new opportunities to use Data Science and AI to better serve our customers and members, improve efficiency, solve complex business challenges and deliver meaningful commercial outcomes.
Working closely with senior leaders across Co-op, you will shape our future strategy, direction and ensure we're making the most of the transformational opportunities that data and AI can create.
Why this role matters We've invested heavily in our data capability, platforms and processes ensuring we have a huge breadth of high-quality data and a talented, collaborative team to work with.
We have many Data Science and AI products already live in production across our 2,400 stores and with our 24 million customers each year.
So rather than building from scratch, you'll focus on what comes next, helping shape the second generation of our AI strategy, blending role and process specific agents in with structured data science and context sensitive alerts.
You will help educate and influence senior leaders to embed data within decisions and consider the right places to use AI and agentic support to improve service outcomes and empower our colleagues.
If you're excited by combining technical credibility with strategic leadership, this is a chance to make a genuine impact at scale.
- What you’ll do
- Lead and evolve Co-op's Data Science and AI strategy, ensuring it aligns to our wider business goals
- Work with senior leaders across the business to identify where data science and AI can deliver the greatest value
- Shape and prioritise a pipeline of opportunities that improve colleague and member experiences and drive commercial outcomes
- Lead, coach and develop a team of talented Data Scientists, creating an environment where people can thrive and do their best work
- Build understanding and excitement around data science, AI and agents, helping colleagues and leaders understand what's possible
- Oversee the delivery of data science and AI products, ensuring they are effective, scalable and aligned to business needs
- Reinforce and uphold our governance, ethical standards and ways of working for the responsible use of AI as it scales
- Work closely with our business facing Data Domain Leads, technology teams and business stakeholders to turn great ideas into measurable outcomes in production
- Monitor and demonstrate the value delivered through data science and AI initiatives, ensuring investment is focused on the areas of greatest impact What you’ll bring We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria.
To thrive here, you’ll need to bring
- Significant experience leading high-performing data science, machine learning or AI teams in a large and complex organisation
- A strong data science background, with the technical credibility to lead and support specialist teams
- A track record of turning data science, machine learning or AI capabilities into measurable business outcomes
- Experience influencing senior stakeholders and helping leaders understand how data and AI can solve business challenges
- Experience with cloud-based data and AI platforms.
While we work with Databricks at Co-op, we welcome candidates who bring experience from similar platforms such as Snowflake or Microsoft Azure.
- A clear understanding of the ethical, security, governance and risk considerations involved in the use of AI
- Excellent leadership, communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to inspire teams and bring people together around a shared vision We know some people may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet every requirement.
At Co-op, we’re committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we still encourage you to apply.
Why Co-op?
At Co-op, we’re owned by our members.
And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you.
So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement.
We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose.
- We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:
- An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
- 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
- A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
- A company car or £6,000 car allowance
- Private healthcare
- Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
- 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
- Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
- Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
- 24/7 colleague support service
- Training and support for your development and career progression
- Cycle-to-work scheme A place you’ll belong We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve.
We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.
We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job.
If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.
Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs. coop. co. uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs. coop. co. uk/diversity-inclusion
Head of Data Science & AI in Manchester employer: Co-op
Co-op is an excellent employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, particularly for the Senior Power Platform & Automation Engineer role. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have opportunities to mentor colleagues and lead digital transformation initiatives while enjoying the flexibility of a hybrid working model in Manchester. The company values your contributions and offers a supportive environment where you can thrive and make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Data Science & AI in Manchester
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We think you need these skills to ace Head of Data Science & AI in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Projects:In the world of data science, your projects can speak volumes about your skills. Make sure to showcase a few key projects in your CV or portfolio, especially those that highlight your ability to work with data sets, build models, or use relevant tools like Python, R, or SQL. Don’t forget to include links to any GitHub repositories if applicable!
Quantify Your Achievements:Employers love numbers! When drafting your CV, highlight your achievements with quantifiable results. For instance, mention how your data analysis led to a certain percentage increase in efficiency or revenue at a previous job or project. These details can really make your application pop!
Craft a Tailored Cover Letter:For a full-time role at Co-op, your cover letter should reflect your passion for data science and your excitement about the specific projects or values of the company. Dive into why you’re a good fit, how your skills align with their needs, and any unique perspectives you can bring to the team.
Stand Out with Relevant Courses and Certifications:Although experience talks, relevant courses or certifications can be your ticket to impressing hiring managers at Co-op. Mention any standout courses you've completed that equipped you with essential skills, such as machine learning certifications or data visualisation courses. This shows your commitment to continuously developing your skills in the field!
How to prepare for a job interview at Co-op
✨Brush Up on Your Statistics
For a data science role, we need to seriously sharpen our statistics skills. Get ready to tackle technical questions on probability distributions, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. These are often the bread and butter of data science interviews, so don't just skim over them!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Prepare a killer portfolio showcasing your data science projects. We should include details about the datasets used, the tools and techniques applied, and the impact of your findings. If we can walk them through a particularly challenging project or a cool visualisation that had real-world implications, it’ll really make us stand out!
✨Get Comfortable with Python and R
Most data science positions require us to be proficient in programming languages like Python and R. We should practice common libraries like pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn, and be ready for live coding exercises or algorithm questions. Showing off our coding chops can really impress the interviewers at Co-op!
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to encounter real-world case studies during the interview. We might be asked how we’d approach a data problem or analyse a dataset to extract insights. It's essential to think out loud and demonstrate our problem-solving process so that the interviewer can see our logical thinking in action.
