Head of Data Science - Fintech

Do you want to lead a large data science function at the heart of a leading profitable fintech? Have you scaled standards, teams and decision-making across complex ML environments? Are you ready to shape how data science influences real commercial and lending decisions? A high-growth UK fintech is looking for a Head of Data Science to lead and mature a multi‑team DS function that underpins lending, product, risk and commercial strategy. The business has been operating for over a decade, is profitable, and has deployed data science at the core of its automated decision‑making engine since its early days. This is a senior leadership role focused on setting direction, improving consistency, and ensuring analytical work is trusted, interpretable and used across the business. You will not be expected to be hands‑on day‑to‑day, but you must have the technical depth and judgement to evaluate complex modelling work in production. Role summary You will lead a ~25‑person data science organisation spanning credit, product and operations, with further growth planned. The remit is to raise standards, align DS effort to commercial value, and enable teams to operate effectively at scale in a probabilistic, production‑grade environment. Key responsibilities Lead and scale a multi‑team data science function (managers and ICs) Set clear standards for modelling quality, review, and communication Ensure models are deployed, monitored and governed in production Translate analytical insight into decisions for senior stakeholders Partner closely with Engineering, Product, Risk and Commercial leaders Own hiring, development and progression frameworks across DS Bonus / equity: Available (private company) Working model: Hybrid, Central London Tech focus: Probabilistic / statistical ML, production decision systems #J-18808-Ljbffr