RBS Sr Data Scientist

Pet Nutrition (PN) is the most vibrant category in the FMCG sector. As we work to transform this exciting category, a new program, Digital First, has been mobilized by the Mars Pet Nutrition (PN) leadership team. Digital First places pet parents at the center of all we do, while digitalizing a wide range of business process areas, and creating future‑fit capabilities to achieve ambitious targets in top‑line growth, earnings, and user centricity. Digitizing at scale across Demand & Supply is one of the key focus areas for Digital First.

The agenda requires you to demonstrate significant thought leadership, quality decision making, deep technical know‑how, and an ability to navigate complex business challenges while building and leading a team of world‑class data and analytics leaders. Within the framework of Digital First, a new position has been established to develop and scale Data & Analytics (D&A) products to unlock RBS/dCom potential in Mars: RBS Sr Data Scientist. Reporting to the RBS D&A, Global Director, PN Growth, the person in this role will also be accountable to the Global RBS Product Owner and will be responsible for ensuring successful delivery of RBS data science models across markets in PN. This role operates on a global scale and collaborates closely with PN business team members across all departments.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Turn Product briefs to Data Science briefs – evaluating and managing resources, timelines, budgets and ongoing costs in the process.
• Delivery of Analytics Products to predefined timeline and ability to manage ongoing products to predefined costs.
• Management of multiple projects.
• Management of Data Science quality of products over the product lifecycle – developing and deploying associated monitoring and enhancements.
• Managing business through analytic change from historic models to new deployments.
• Ability to engage and lead a strong data science team – providing leadership and support, technical and career development for data scientists and broader DT associates.
• Ability to innovate Data Science in Mars, bringing outside in perspective to drive best practice.
• A DS thought leader, developing the right mix of internal and external tooling to drive DS transformation.
• Ability to lead hybrid internal and external data teams for common goals.
• Ability to flex across technical and business functions to develop ideas and solutions to business problems.
• Able to innovate quickly and cheaply as well as lead innovation to scalable solutions (from MVP to stable product).

What are we looking for?

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or other numerate discipline; nice to have – PhD with computing, scientific, statistical, or mathematical component.
• 10+ years varied technical experience in delivering statistical analytics, data science and insight on large‑scale consumer data sets across multiple sectors, including packaged goods and retail.
• Demonstrable experience using data science and advanced analytics to generate business value and change.
• Extensive usage of Python (numpy, pandas, etc) is required; familiarity with PySpark is also desirable.
• Strong communication skills to interact effectively with all levels of technical internal business stakeholders and partners, as well as engagement and product leads, to take them on the Insight journey.
• Superior planning, project management and organizational orchestration skills and a strong attention to detail.
• 3+ years experience writing production‑level code – ability to write reusable code, experience writing and running unit tests, experience writing code documentation.
• Experience with embedding Data Science tools (e.g. Data Robot) for DS efficiency.
• LLM experience preferred.

Key Functional / Technical Competencies

• Python libraries, (Py)Spark, Scala.
• Machine Learning.
• SQL, Hive.
• Microsoft Azure.
• AGILE Software Development.