Head of Data Science

Data Idols; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A high-growth tech company is seeking a Head of Data Science in Manchester. In this role, you will lead a team of data scientists, set the technical direction, and drive the transition to machine learning engineering. The ideal candidate has strong leadership experience and technical expertise in deploying ML models. This position offers a salary range of 110K - 120K plus a bonus.

Benefits

Bonus opportunity

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in data science or machine learning.
• Strong background in building and deploying ML models at scale.
• Ability to lead embedded data science teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead a growing team of 6+ data scientists.
• Set technical direction and align with company OKRs.
• Drive transition to machine learning engineering.

Skills

Leadership experience in data science

Building and deploying ML models

Strong communication with stakeholders

Hands-on with Databricks, Python, Spark

Engineering mindset for ML best practices

Tools

Databricks

Python

Spark

GCP/BigQuery

Job description

Overview

Head of Data Science

Salary: 110K - 120K + bonus

Location: Manchester 2-4 days a month

The Opportunity

We\'re working with a high-growth business that is scaling its data function to the next level. Data scientists here have traditionally combined reporting with predictive modelling, but the business is now creating a dedicated leadership role to bring focus, structure and engineering rigour to the discipline.

As Head of Data Science, you\'ll lead a growing team of 6+ scientists embedded across product and functional teams, while also setting the technical direction and ensuring alignment with company-wide OKRs. You\'ll drive the transition towards machine learning engineering, championing end-to-end model ownership from research through to deployment in production. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape the data science strategy, support the career growth of talented scientists, and deliver measurable impact in areas such as search, pricing, personalisation, vouchers, marketing, operations and finance.

Responsibilities

• Lead a growing team of 6+ data scientists embedded across product and functional teams.
• Set the technical direction and ensure alignment with company-wide OKRs.
• Drive the transition towards machine learning engineering and end-to-end model ownership from research through deployment.
• Shape the data science strategy and support the career growth of scientists.
• Deliver measurable impact in areas such as search, pricing, personalisation, vouchers, marketing, operations and finance.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in data science or machine learning, ideally within product-led or consumer-facing organisations
• Strong background in building and deploying ML models at scale in production environments
• Ability to structure and lead embedded data science teams, partnering effectively with senior stakeholders across multiple domains
• Hands-on technical expertise with tools such as Databricks, Python, Spark, and GCP/BigQuery
• Engineering mindset, with experience moving teams toward machine learning engineering best practice
• Credibility to lead long-tenured individual contributors while providing direction, mentorship and career development

If you are looking for a new challenge, then please submit your CV for initial screening and more details.