Head of Data Science

Key Skills

Azure, Cloud computing, Data science techniques, Data Analytics

Job Description

At AXA Retail, we continually strive to push the boundaries united in our shared goals and ambitions for the sense of pride of all we have achieved so far. We have invested ~£50m over the next few years to rejuvenate the business, drive financial performance, deliver benefits quickly and build long-term capability. Our strategic roadmap is ambitious and requires a significant shift and this is where our new Head of Data Science will provide strategic leadership to the Data and Analytics hub’s Data Science Capability.

As Head of Data Science you'll set the strategic vision and roadmap for how the business will deliver value through artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. Through aligning with the business and understanding wider strategic priorities, you'll develop your team, tooling and delivery frameworks to enable the business to release material value through advanced analytics. It will be critical to interface with the wider business to evangelise the opportunities posed through data science and support wider functions to develop their own data science capabilities. You’ll lead a team of 16 Data Scientists and are responsible for their overall development and people management.

At AXA we’re adopting a hybrid way of working, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers.

What you'll be doing:

• Lead AXA Retail’s Data Innovation Lab, driving success across the full initiative lifecycle – from ideation, through experimentation to deployment and value realisation.
• Own the Data Science initiatives roadmap for non-pricing Data Science projects, with a focus on maximising value whist improving the customer experience.
• Contribute to defining the Data Strategy for AXA Retail. Collaboration with the AXA UK Data Strategy team and the wider AXA Group.
• Applying a fail-fast, iterative approach to development use cases and value opportunities to ensure they are quickly proven before being handed over to BAU development teams to scale and implement.
• Provide thought leadership on advances in Data Science, identifying opportunities within the business for the execution of new ideas, tools and platforms.
• Azure Cloud Engineering and platform governance, liaising with Microsoft’s Azure Cloud team.
• Development of a Data Science platform to drive data driven decisioning and personalisation along the customer journey. Data Science applications to support Operations, Marketing, Acquisition & Distribution and Claims.
• Lead development of Data Scientists & Innovation Analysts and the training resources available more widely to this community. Develop the data science graduate scheme (DSGS) to serve this purpose. 
• Develop a team setting clear objectives and personal development plans ensuring alignment with the objectives of the AXA business and including: effective people development, talent management, performance management and retention of key individuals by embedding and role modelling AXA behaviours and by embedding AXA People tools and processes.
• Support the Data & Analytics Director in the development of the new Data & Analytics function and it's governance and integration within the wider business. Representing the Data & Analytics function in appropriate Data Governance forums.

Your Profile

• Significant practical experience in developing data science deliverables.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, building cohesive and successful teams.
• Experience Leading Lab ‘lanes’ consisting of multi-disciplined delivery teams, as part of the Data Innovation Lab.
• Programme management, showing the ability to appropriately identify resource requirements and risk management. throughout the programme delivery lifecycle.
• Proven track record of delivering material value through data science.
• Delivering results in large, matrixed organisations.

As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorized to work in the United Kingdom.

About AXA

With a presence in over 60 countries, and 165,000 employees serving the needs of 107 million customers, AXA is big.

But never too big to care for every single person who works here. So when you join us, we promise to put our collective might behind you and your career.

You’ll work in an open and supportive environment where you’ll be developed, challenged and encouraged to move around to achieve even bigger and better things – nationally and internationally. You’ll learn directly from senior leaders, from the best in our business. And you’ll enjoy real responsibility, really early on.

Every large company today talks about supporting diversity and inclusion. But at AXA UK, these values form an integral part of everything we do. For us, it’s about bringing together the best talent, helping people to realise their full potential by being 100% themselves at work and delivering outstanding service to everyone – regardless of difference.

About the Entity

Proud to be part of the AXA Group, a global insurance brand and a worldwide leader in financial services, AXA Insurance businesses employ over 5,500 in a network of offices across the UK. Our expert teams care for a huge range of customers, helping them protect their cars, homes and businesses against life’s uncertainties. Whether bought directly, through brokers or through a number of corporate partners, our market-leading products are trusted by millions.

What We Offer

One of the best things about joining AXA is our rewards package. At AXA UK, we’re appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:

• Competitive annual salary
• Annual company & performance-based bonus
• Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)
• Life Assurance (up to 10 x annual salary)
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 3 days leave
• AXA employee discounts
• Gym benefits

AXA is proud to support the needs of our employees and as such understands everyone has individual work and home life responsibilities. We’re happy to discuss flexible working arrangements for this role, should this be a requirement for you.