Lead Data Scientist

Lead Data Scientist London - Hybrid £90,000 - £100,000 + Benefits

About the Role We're working with a fast-growing fintech that is redefining the credit industry through fair, accessible, and innovative digital finance products. They're looking for a Lead Data Scientist to drive their AI adoption strategy, evolve modelling capabilities, and lead a small team of data scientists. This is a chance to shape the company's AI roadmap, leading from the front and ensuring they stay ahead of the market.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a team of data scientists, delivering high-quality models and analysis.

• Own the full model lifecycle, from data sourcing to deployment and monitoring.

• Explore advanced ML techniques while ensuring compliance in a regulated industry.

• Partner with stakeholders across Risk, Pricing, Product, and Engineering to embed data-driven decision making.

• Develop and oversee frameworks for model monitoring, performance tracking, and testing.

• Communicate complex analytics into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership.

• Champion best practice in coding, documentation, version control, and automation.

• Act as the AI expert, staying ahead of emerging trends, tools, and regulatory developments.

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience as a Senior or Lead Data Scientist in financial services, consumer lending, or fintech.

• Strong background in managing and developing analytics teams.

• Advanced proficiency in Python, SQL, and modern ML frameworks.

• Expertise in credit and fraud modelling, pricing models, and lending analytics.

• Track record of researching, prototyping, and deploying AI/ML solutions in production.

• Ability to set AI strategy and influence senior leadership.

• Strong understanding of model governance, monitoring, and explainability in a regulated environment.

• Excellent communication skills, able to bridge technical and commercial priorities.