At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead data strategy and engineering to shape Travelport's data platform and AI capabilities.
- Company: Join Travelport, a key player in the travel tech industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, hybrid working, and comprehensive health benefits.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on travel technology and innovate with data-driven solutions.
- Qualifications: Experience in data strategy, cloud platforms, and leading multidisciplinary teams.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 120000 £ per year.
Travel obsessed? Big tech fan? Hey, you’re in good company. If you want to be part of the industry that makes the world go round, then look no further. Travelport is the brains behind lots of your travel bookings - plane, car or hotel. Our technology is used to book that magical holiday, infamous bachelorette party or long overdue school reunion. While we can’t solve mosquito bites or lost luggage, we can simplify a lot of the technical parts of travel, and we’re looking for the best thinkers to help us do it.
How you’ll make an impact:
- We’re hiring a Senior Director, Data Strategy to lead the next stage of our data platform, data science and data product work. This role needs someone who can connect deep data architecture, applied AI, product thinking and commercial value.
- You’ll set the direction for how Travelport uses data as a strategic asset. That means improving the foundations, shaping the new cloud data platform, helping data science move from prototype to production, and working with Product and Commercial teams to create data and AI products customers will value.
- The first job is to bring shape and pace. You’ll help prioritise demand, focus the team on the right problems, and build a clearer route from idea to production. You’ll also help define what data strategy means for Travelport as we build AI capability at real travel industry scale.
Your role in action:
- Define and lead Travelport’s data strategy across AI, machine learning, analytics, data products and platform modernisation.
- Lead a multidisciplinary data capability across data science, data engineering, analytics and partner-delivered data products.
- Create a clear path from data science proof of concept to production product, including prioritisation, governance, quality and operating model.
- Partner with Product and Commercial teams to shape data products that are valuable, differentiated and commercially viable.
- Work with Cloud Engineering and Architecture to build a cost-aware AWS data platform that can support high-volume travel data, streaming use cases and production AI workloads.
- Champion Infrastructure as Code, automated deployment, CI/CD, secure-by-design engineering, FinOps discipline, and platform reliability practices.
- Help define how Travelport scales AI safely and economically across complex, high-volume transaction environments.
- Lead vendor and partner relationships where they support data platform delivery, data products or managed delivery capability.
- Bring technical judgement to senior conversations about what we should build, what we should stop doing, and what needs to change in the platform.
Could this be you?
- You’ve led data strategy, data architecture, data engineering or applied AI/ML teams in a complex technology business.
- You have recent experience building or modernising cloud data platforms that support machine learning, advanced analytics or data products.
- You understand the full path from data quality and governance through to pipelines, model development, MLOps and production adoption.
- You can work credibly with senior product, commercial and engineering leaders.
- You’re comfortable making trade-offs across architecture, cost, delivery pace and business value.
- You have strong AWS experience, or equivalent cloud experience with the ability to adapt quickly.
- You understand how AI products depend on strong data foundations, clear ownership, operational discipline and good judgement.
- You can challenge assumptions without slowing the organisation down.
Discover why our teams love working here:
Our benefits package includes: 25 days annual leave per annum, hybrid working model, pension contribution, private medical, life assurance and personal travel insurance.
Your journey at Travelport starts here - apply now!
We are an equal opportunities employer and will consider all qualified applicants purely on their skills and abilities. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation, if needed.
Senior Director, Data Strategy & Engineering in Reading employer: Travelport
At Travelport, we pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking employer that values innovation and collaboration. Our dynamic work culture fosters creativity and growth, offering employees the chance to lead impactful projects in the travel technology sector while enjoying a comprehensive benefits package, including hybrid working options and generous leave. Join us in Langley, where your expertise in data strategy and engineering will not only shape our future but also enhance your professional journey in a supportive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Director, Data Strategy & Engineering in Reading
✨Get Involved in Data Science Meetups
Tap into local data science meetups or workshops to connect with fellow enthusiasts and professionals. These events are goldmines for networking, and sometimes even lead directly to job openings at companies like Travelport!
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Join professional bodies related to data science, like the Data Science Society or similar organisations. Getting involved can lead to mentorship opportunities and insider knowledge about full-time positions at companies like Travelport.
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Director, Data Strategy & Engineering in Reading
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 Travelport, 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 Travelport. 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 Travelport
✨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 Travelport!
✨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.
