At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and grow a dynamic data science team to deliver impactful solutions.
- Company: Join Optima Partners, a fast-growing consultancy transforming customer engagement.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, hybrid working, and extensive employee perks.
- Other info: Be part of a people-first culture focused on innovation and growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of data science while working with major global clients.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in data science with strong machine learning expertise.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Optima Partners is a fast‑growing professional services firm helping leading organisations transform customer engagement at the intersection of marketing, technology and data. As we scale from 100 to 300 people, we’re growing our Advanced Data Practice team through the appointment of a Head of Data Science to drive both client impact and team growth.
In this role you will shape and deliver the data science agenda ensuring machine learning and analytics solutions are not only technically robust but deliver real measurable business outcomes for clients. You will sit at the intersection of strategy delivery and leadership building a high performing team while helping clients unlock value from advanced data and decisioning.
What you will be doing:
- Lead and grow a multi-disciplinary data science team including data scientists and analysts.
- Define and embed a best practice operating model for scalable and commercially viable data science solutions.
- Provide technical oversight and delivery assurance across client projects.
- Support business development by shaping solutions contributing to proposals and engaging with clients.
- Partner with delivery teams and engagement managers to establish consistent ways of working and repeatable approaches.
- Drive adoption of machine learning solutions ensuring sustained client value.
- Build strong relationships with partners such as Databricks, Pega and Adobe and contribute to client account growth.
- Line manage team members supporting performance development and wellbeing.
- Contribute to recruitment strategy and scaling the data science capability.
What we are looking for:
- Proven experience leading data science teams ideally within a consulting or client facing environment.
- Strong expertise in machine learning, advanced analytics and statistical modelling.
- Experience delivering data science solutions in commercial environments with measurable impact.
- Ability to translate complex business problems into data modelling and decisioning solutions.
- Strong understanding of modern data science tooling and ecosystems such as Python, R, SQL, MLOps and Databricks.
- Commercial awareness with the ability to identify and shape high value use cases.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement skills including working with senior and C suite clients.
About you:
- Strategic outcome focused and commercially minded.
- A natural leader, coach and mentor who enjoys developing others.
- Collaborative and comfortable working across multi-disciplinary teams.
- Pragmatic with a focus on delivery, adoption and impact over theory.
- A strong communicator able to bridge technical and business stakeholders.
- Passionate about building a high performing people first data science culture.
Why join Optima:
At Optima Partners we combine customer strategy, design and advanced data science to help leading brands unlock real business value. You will play a key role in shaping our data science capability and growth working with major UK and global clients across financial services, telecoms, energy and life sciences. This is an opportunity to join a fast growing consultancy, influence our leadership team and build a data science function that sets the standard for delivery and innovation.
What we offer:
- Competitive salary plus 15% discretionary bonus.
- Hybrid working with regular office presence.
- Private medical insurance, life and income protection.
- Pension scheme.
- Access to a wide range of employee perks.
- Continuous learning, training and career development.
- Opportunity to shape and grow a high impact data science practice.
Head of Data Science employer: Optima Partners
Optima Partners is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and collaborative work culture, where innovation meets professional growth. As a Head of Data Science, you will not only lead a talented team but also have the opportunity to shape cutting-edge data solutions for prestigious clients across various sectors. With competitive salaries, hybrid working options, and a strong emphasis on continuous learning and employee wellbeing, Optima Partners is committed to creating a rewarding environment for its employees.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Data Science
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the data science field. Attend meetups, webinars, or industry events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly to hiring managers.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your data science projects. Whether it's machine learning models or analytics dashboards, having tangible examples of your work can really impress potential employers and set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to data science. Think about how you can demonstrate your leadership and technical expertise. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals to join our team. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with our mission at Optima Partners, and let’s shape the future of data science together!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Data Science
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 delivering impactful solutions. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about data science and how you can drive client impact. Be sure to mention any relevant partnerships or tools you've worked with, like Databricks or Python.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:As a natural leader, we want to see examples of how you've developed others in your previous roles. Share specific instances where you've built high-performing teams or mentored team members to success.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother 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 Optima Partners
✨Know Your Data Science Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your machine learning, advanced analytics, and statistical modelling skills. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've delivered measurable business outcomes, as this will show your practical experience in a commercial environment.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a potential Head of Data Science, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to lead and grow a team. Prepare examples of how you've mentored others, built high-performing teams, and contributed to a positive data science culture in previous roles.
✨Understand the Business Side
Be prepared to translate complex data problems into business solutions. Think about how you've identified high-value use cases in past projects and be ready to discuss your commercial awareness and stakeholder engagement skills, especially with senior clients.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Tools and Ecosystems
Get comfortable discussing modern data science tools like Python, R, SQL, and MLOps. Knowing how these tools fit into scalable and commercially viable data science solutions will impress your interviewers and show that you're up-to-date with industry standards.
