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- Tasks: Lead a dynamic data science team to drive impactful decisions in fintech.
- Company: Join a profitable, high-growth UK fintech at the forefront of innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus/equity options, and a hybrid working model.
- Why this job: Shape the future of data science in lending and commercial strategy.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in data science with strong technical expertise.
- Other info: Exciting opportunity for career growth in a collaborative environment.
The predicted salary is between 160000 - 200000 £ per year.
Do you want to lead a large data science function at the heart of a leading profitable fintech? Have you scaled standards, teams and decision-making across complex ML environments? Are you ready to shape how data science influences real commercial and lending decisions?
A high-growth UK fintech is looking for a Head of Data Science to lead and mature a multi-team DS function that underpins lending, product, risk and commercial strategy. The business has been operating for over a decade, is profitable, and has deployed data science at the core of its automated decision-making engine since its early days.
This is a senior leadership role focused on setting direction, improving consistency, and ensuring analytical work is trusted, interpretable and used across the business. You will not be expected to be hands-on day-to-day, but you must have the technical depth and judgement to evaluate complex modelling work in production.
Role summaryYou will lead a ~25-person data science organisation spanning credit, product and operations, with further growth planned. The remit is to raise standards, align DS effort to commercial value, and enable teams to operate effectively at scale in a probabilistic, production-grade environment.
Key responsibilities- Lead and scale a multi-team data science function (managers and ICs)
- Set clear standards for modelling quality, review, and communication
- Ensure models are deployed, monitored and governed in production
- Translate analytical insight into decisions for senior stakeholders
- Partner closely with Engineering, Product, Risk and Commercial leaders
- Own hiring, development and progression frameworks across DS
- Salary: £160–£200k
- Bonus / equity: Available (private company)
- Working model: Hybrid, Central London
- Tech focus: Probabilistic / statistical ML, production decision systems
Please note: this role cannot sponsor.
Interested? Please apply below.
Head of Data Science - Fintech in City of London employer: Harnham
Contact Detail:
Harnham Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Data Science - Fintech in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to connections in the fintech space, especially those in data science. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even referrals that could give you an edge.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! Prepare a portfolio of your past projects and achievements in data science. When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, share how your work has driven commercial success and improved decision-making.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like us at StudySmarter, and express your interest in leading data science initiatives. You never know what opportunities might arise!
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by understanding the company’s data strategy. Research their products and how they use data science. This will help you articulate how you can contribute to their goals and lead a successful data science function.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Data Science - Fintech in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Head of Data Science. Highlight your experience in leading data science teams and any specific achievements in scaling standards or improving decision-making processes.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share your vision for how you would lead our data science function and how your past experiences align with our goals in the fintech space.
Showcase Your Technical Depth: Even though this is a leadership role, we want to see that you have a solid understanding of complex modelling work. Mention specific projects or technologies you've worked with that demonstrate your technical judgement and ability to evaluate models.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Harnham
✨Know Your Data Science Fundamentals
Make sure you brush up on your data science fundamentals, especially in probabilistic and statistical ML. Be prepared to discuss how you've scaled teams and set standards in previous roles, as this will be crucial for the Head of Data Science position.
✨Showcase Leadership Experience
This role is all about leadership, so come ready to share specific examples of how you've led a data science function before. Highlight your experience in managing teams, aligning efforts with commercial value, and ensuring quality in modelling work.
✨Prepare for Technical Depth Questions
Even though you won't be hands-on daily, you need to demonstrate your technical depth. Be ready to evaluate complex modelling work and discuss how you've ensured models are deployed and monitored effectively in production environments.
✨Understand the Business Context
Familiarise yourself with the fintech landscape and how data science influences lending and commercial decisions. Showing that you understand the business context will help you translate analytical insights into actionable decisions for senior stakeholders.
