Head of Data & AI

Trade Nation; England; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Annual leave above minimum entitlement

Up to 3 weeks allowance to work in any

Active Lifestyle allowance

Discretionary annual bonus

Job summary

Trade Nation seeks an experienced Head of Data & AI to lead our data and AI strategy across the organisation. Reporting to the COO, this role combines enabling self-service access to data and embedding AI into everyday operations.

As a regulated CFD broker with entities globally, you will scale initiatives, simplify processes and drive measurable business impact through AI. The role is ~60% AI and ~40% Data, leading a Data Analysts team.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership within Data/Analytics/AI functions.
• Track record delivering AI initiatives with measurable impact.
• Hands-on experience from concept to production and adoption.
• Experience with data warehouse architecture and semantic modelling.
• Experience with cloud data platforms like Redshift/Snowflake/BigQuery.
• Background in financial services, trading, brokerage or capital markets.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive AI strategy from opportunity identification through deployment and value realisation.
• Redesign business workflows around AI focusing on practical outcomes.
• Build AI capability through training, templates and AI champions.
• Measure AI adoption, success metrics and lessons learned.
• Own the business-facing gold layer of the data warehouse with metrics and definitions.
• Develop the semantic data model for trusted access to data.
• Champion data self-service for teams to answer questions efficiently.
• Establish analytics engineering best practices including testing and code reviews.
• Simplify and improve the data estate quality.
• Deliver proactive insights to senior leadership.

Skills

Leadership

SQL

Data modelling

Analytics engineering

AI strategy

Stakeholder management

Communication

Tools

dbt

Redshift

Snowflake

BigQuery

Job description

Trade Nation is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Head of Data & AI to lead our data and artificial intelligence strategy across the organisation. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this role combines two interconnected mandates: enabling self-service access to data across the business and embedding AI into everyday operations.

As a multi-jurisdictional CFD and spread betting broker with regulated entities across the UK, Australia, the EU, the Bahamas and Seychelles, we are looking for a leader who can build on our existing data foundations, scale successful initiatives, simplify organically grown processes and drive measurable business impact through AI.

The role is weighted approximately 60% towards AI and 40% towards Data, leading a team of Data Analysts while partnering closely with Data Engineering, Compliance and senior business stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and drive Trade Nation's AI strategy from opportunity identification through to deployment, adoption and value realisation
• Redesign business workflows around AI, focusing on practical outcomes rather than tool adoption.
• Build AI capability through training, prompt libraries, templates and a network of AI champions.
• Measure and report AI adoption, success metrics and lessons learned.
• Own the business-facing gold layer of the data warehouse, including metrics, definitions and quality standards.
• Develop and extend the semantic data model to ensure consistent, trusted access to business data.
• Champion data self-service, empowering teams to answer their own questions efficiently.
• Establish and maintain best practices for analytics engineering, including testing, version control, documentation and code reviews.
• Simplify and improve the quality of the data estate.
• Deliver proactive insights and recommendations to senior leadership.

Essential Experience

• Proven leadership experience within Data, Analytics or AI functions.
• Demonstrable success implementing AI solutions that have transformed business workflows and delivered measurable impact.
• Strong track record of delivering projects from concept through to production and adoption.
• Hands-on expertise in SQL, data modelling and analytics engineering.
• Experience with dbt or similar version-controlled transformation frameworks.
• Strong understanding of data warehouse architecture and semantic modelling.
• Experience working with Redshift, Snowflake, BigQuery or similar cloud data platforms.
• Background in financial services, trading, brokerage or capital markets.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing analytics teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with CFD, spread betting or brokerage platforms.
• Knowledge of trading systems and back-office financial services data structures.
• Experience in multi-entity, multi-regulator environments.
• Exposure to regulatory reporting frameworks such as MiFID II, MiFIR or ASIC requirements.
• Experience implementing AI solutions within regulated financial services environments.

Personal Attributes

• Curious about how businesses operate and eager to understand commercial processes before recommending solutions.
• Strategic thinker with a practical, delivery-focused mindset.
• Self-starter who proactively identifies opportunities and drives change.
• Comfortable challenging the status quo and being challenged in return.
• Passionate about enabling others through data and technology.

• Competitive salary, and discretionary annual bonus.

• Private healthcare.
• Active Lifestyle allowance.
• Annual leave above minimum entitlement.
• Up to 3 weeks allowance to work in any location.