At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead our data team and drive AI strategy for innovative projects.
- Company: Join Wild, a fast-growing personal care brand backed by Unilever.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, hybrid working, and wellness support.
- Other info: Diverse workplace committed to innovation and creativity.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI while making a positive impact.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in data roles with strong leadership and technical skills.
The predicted salary is between 74250 - 90750 £ per year.
About us
Hi there! We're Wild. We set out to remove single-use plastic from the bathroom and ended up building one of the fastest-growing personal care brands in Europe. Our refillable, natural deodorant is now in millions of hands, our cases are collected like accessories, and our collaborations - from Disney to seasonal scent drops - keep the brand fresh, playful and impossible to ignore. Now part of the Unilever family, we have the backing to go global while keeping the pace, ambition and mischief of a start-up.
The Role
We’re looking for a hands-on, commercially minded Data & AI Lead to run our data stack and lead the team that builds on it. The data team are moving up the stack and looking for someone to guide us through this journey from a data function that produces answers to builds systems. AI is the way we create a fully self-service data function. You’ll lead our in-house data team of analytics engineers and AI and automation engineers. You’ll be the go-to person for technical knowledge and for how our data works. Plus, you’ll own the full stack and be the decision maker on tooling. This is an exciting and fast-paced role which reports into our Chief Finance & Operations Officer.
What you’ll do
- Data tooling and pipeline
- Own our modern data stack (Fivetran, Snowflake, dbt Cloud, ThoughtSpot, GCP) and keep it reliable and cost effective.
- Own tooling decisions end to end: select the right tools for what we’re doing, manage contracts and vendors, and keep platform costs in check.
- Create frameworks for validations and tests so problems are caught in the pipeline, not in the board pack.
- Be the person everyone goes to with data questions, and know our data inside out.
- Keep up with new features across the stack and bring in the ones that matter.
- AI and governance
- Drive our data and AI strategy.
- Make sure AI runs in a safe, governed environment, with our data in the best possible shape (access, privacy and responsible use).
- Own the semantic layer as the single place we define our metrics, used by our BI tool, Claude and every agent we build.
- Build in evals, checks and validations so we know when answers drift from what we expect.
- Commercial
- Work closely with Finance on our P&L and understand what moves our margin in a D2C and retail business.
- Bring a commercial mindset to every decision, and push back when the data doesn’t support the story.
- Team Leadership
- Lead and develop a team with different skills and different jobs, including analytics engineers, AI and automation engineers and offshore colleagues.
- Make sure projects get delivered, with clear priorities and good judgement on what comes first.
- Lead by example, review code and approve PRs, and coach the team to do their best work.
What we’re looking for
- Essential:
- 5+ years experience in a Data role.
- Deep, hands-on experience with Snowflake, dbt (good experience with GCP).
- Strong knowledge of data governance.
- Experience designing data architecture (choosing data tooling and managing contracts).
- Experience leading and developing a team, with a track record of getting projects delivered.
- Experience putting tests, evals and validations around data and AI to keep it safe and accurate.
- A commercial mindset, with a clear understanding of margin in a D2C and retail business.
- The ability to work at pace and juggle a lot at once.
- A genuine drive to be at the forefront of AI, and to bring the team with you.
- Desirable:
- Experience with a range of BI and visualisation tools (we’re not tied to one).
- DTC, subscription or consumer goods experience.
- Retail data such as EPOS or panel data.
- Experience building on AI and LLM tools with company data.
What you’ll get from us:
- 25 days holidays + bank holidays + 9 extra remote working days.
- Hybrid working, 3 days a week in our shiny new London office.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity & parental leave.
- 4% Company Pension.
- Mental well-being support through Spill.
- Private healthcare through Vitality.
- Weekly early finishes and social events.
- Annual L&D budget.
- Free breakfast.
- Free & discounted Wild products.
- 2 x team volunteering days and 2 x personal volunteering days.
- Access to cycle to work & cycle saver scheme.
Ready to become a Wild thing?! At Wild, we know that diversity drives innovation and creativity. We are committed to creating and maintaining a workplace where all employees feel valued and empowered to bring their most authentic selves to work. We recognise that diversity goes beyond visible differences such as race, gender, age, and ethnicity, and encompasses a broad spectrum of backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and abilities. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply. If we can make any adjustments to help you to perform your best in the process, please let us know!
Data & AI Lead employer: Wild
Wild, as part of the Unilever family, is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture in London. With a strong focus on sustainability and personal growth, employees benefit from hands-on experience in ecommerce while collaborating with diverse teams, ensuring ample opportunities for professional development and innovation in a fast-paced environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Data & AI Lead
✨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 Wild!
✨Show Off Your Projects
Start building a public portfolio showcasing your data science projects on platforms like GitHub or personal websites. Highlight unique analyses or models you've developed. This not only demonstrates your skills but also gets your name out there for roles like Data & AI Lead at Wild.
✨Leverage Professional Networks
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 Wild.
✨Apply Directly through Our Website
When you find a suitable opening like Data & AI Lead at Wild, make sure to apply directly through our website. It gives you an edge and shows you're keen to join our team. Plus, who doesn’t love a direct application? It’s easier than navigating through job boards!
We think you need these skills to ace Data & AI Lead
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 Wild, 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 Wild. 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 Wild
✨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 Wild!
✨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.
