Director Data Scientist

00001 Ameriprise Financial Inc; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 206,000; Full time

Job summary

Ameriprise Financial Inc. seeks a Director of Client Analytics to lead a team delivering data science and AI-driven client insights. You will translate complex models into actionable business recommendations and drive strategic analytics initiatives across the organization.

The role emphasizes building scalable solutions, advancing governance, and collaborating with senior leaders to improve client outcomes and strategic decisions. Hybrid in-office collaboration is expected.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in quantitative field and 7–10 years in analytics or data science.
• Ability to present complex materials to non-technical partners to drive decisions.
• Strong knowledge of statistics, machine learning, and optimization with business application.
• Experience with Python/SQL and data visualization in data-rich environments.
• Proven ability to lead, influence, and collaborate in a team setting.

Responsibilities

• Lead analytic strategy with measurable business impact.
• Translate models and insights into clear business recommendations.
• Develop scalable, automated analytic solutions leveraging ML and optimization.
• Coach and develop a high-performing data science team.
• Partner with governance to manage risk, compliance, and ethics of analytics and AI.

Skills

Communication

Analytical thinking

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Master’s degree in quantitative discipline

Tools

Python

SQL

Data Visualization

MLOps

CI/CD

Job description

About Our Company

We’re a diversified financial services leader with more than $1.5 trillion in assets under management, administration and advisement as of year-end 2024. Our team of 22,000 people across 19 countries, serves more than 3.5 million individual, small business and institutional clients. We are a longstanding leader in financial planning and advice, a global asset manager and an insurer. Our unwavering focus on our clients and strong financial foundation connects each of our unique businesses – Ameriprise Financial, Columbia Threadneedle Investments and RiverSource Insurance and Annuities. Here, we foster meaningful careers, invest in the future, and make a difference for clients, institutions and communities around the world.

Job Description

The Director of Client Analytics is a people and analytic leadership role responsible for advancing client strategy through scalable data science, AI, and advanced analytics solutions. This role leads a team of data science professionals and partners with senior business leaders to translate complex data, predictive models, and analytic insights into clear business recommendations that improve client outcomes and inform strategic decisions. This is a fast-paced role focused on highly visible, high-impact analytics initiatives that directly support business execution and senior leadership priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage collaboratively with business leaders and analysts to provide analytical thought leadership.
• Identify and interpret business needs, define high-level requirements, strategy, scope, and technical risks, and align analytics and AI capabilities to top business priorities.
• Deliver analytic strategy that delivers measurable business impact.
• Develop, document, and communicate business-driven analytic solutions, translating advanced modeling, segmentation, predictive analytics, and advisor and client intelligence into clear, actionable insights that influence decision-making and execution.
• Identify, develop, and implement complex analytical solutions leveraging predictive modeling, advanced machine learning techniques, optimization, simulation, experimentation, and personalization.
• Contribute to ongoing expansion of data science expertise and credentials by keeping up with industry best practices, developing new skills, and knowledge sharing.
• Work cross functionally to develop standardized/automated solutions and adopt best practices.
• Set technical direction for complex analytical solutions, including predictive modeling, machine learning, optimization, simulation, experimentation, and personalization, with a focus on scalable and business-ready delivery.
• Build, lead, and scale a high-performing analytics team, fostering a culture of curiosity, innovation, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Provide coaching, performance management, hiring, development, and goal setting for team of data scientists.
• Manage data and dataset creation, including data extraction, feature engineering, data quality controls, and validation processes.
• Monitor the execution and performance of analytical solutions from criteria definition through delivery and results capture.
• Ensure adherence to enterprise and industry data, model, and AI governance standards.
• Partner with governance leaders to manage risk, compliance, and ethical use of analytics and AI capabilities across the team.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in quantitative discipline (i.e., Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics or a related field). 7-10 years of experience in analytic or data science role
• Proven ability to present/communicate complex, technical materials in a way that facilitates decision making and drives outcomes; ability to communicate to less technical partners.
• Strong knowledge of advanced statistical, machine learning, and optimization techniques, with the ability to apply the right method to the business problem
• Experience with statistical programming (Python, SQL, etc.) & data visualization software in a data-rich environment.
• Proven ability to apply both strategic and analytic techniques to provide business solutions and recommendations.
• Ability to work effectively and influence in a collaborative team environment
• Ability to manage multiple projects at one time, delegate and prioritize work
• Proven experience with MLOps practices, CI/CD for models, and production monitoring.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building solutions using LLMs, Agentic AI, RAG, and more traditional AI techniques.
• People leadership experience
• Experience and knowledge of Ameriprise field structure and hierarchy
• Advisor, client, and industry knowledge
• Experience working in financial services or other highly regulated industries.

In-Office Collaboration

We are a client-centric, relationship-based business. Working together, in-person, is foundational to how we achieve results. By fostering a culture of face-to-face collaboration, idea sharing, productivity and personal connection, we deliver for our stakeholders — clients, advisors, employees and shareholders. Our employees work in the office at least four (4) days per week, with flexibility to work from home one (1) day per week. Some roles may require additional in-office time or different in-office expectations, and specific requirements will be discussed during the hiring process.

Visa Sponsorship

Applicants must have a valid work authorization that does not now, or in the future, require visa sponsorship for employment in the United States (e.g., H-1B, F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, TN).

Base Pay Salary

The estimated base salary for this role is $150,000- $206,300/year. We have a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy. Your initial total compensation may vary based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and geographical work location. In addition, most of our roles are eligible for variable pay in the form of bonus, commissions, and/or long-term incentives depending on the role. We also have a competitive and comprehensive benefits program that supports all aspects of your health and well-being, including but not limited to vacation time, sick time, 401(k), and health, dental and life insurances.

Full-Time/Part-Time

Full Time/Part-Time Full time Exempt/Non-Exempt Exempt Job Family Group Data Line of Business CSIRM Information Management

Equal Opportunity Employer

Ameriprise Financial is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, military status, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship, disability status, marital status, family status or any other basis prohibited by law. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, speak to your recruiter to discuss how we can support you.

Explore Opportunities

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Ameriprise US | Careers

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Columbia Threadneedle Investments US | Careers

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