Data Science Manager

At Tesco, our Data Science team focuses on modelling complex business problems and deploying data products at scale. Our work spans across multiple areas including physical stores, online, supply chain, marketing and Clubcard, where we encourage rotation amongst our Data Scientists so they can gain expertise in different subjects.  

We work on several domains and problem types: online, pricing, security, fulfilment, distribution, property, IoT and computer vision are just some. Our team members spend 10% of their week on learning and personal development. Multiple academic collaborations enrich the team expertise; knowledge sharing events are regular. Furthermore, we have got a great work-life balance, team days and relaxed but engaging culture. 

Our core work involves:

• Developing algorithmic products that can be deployed at scale
• Supporting the automation of decision making across the business
• Optimising processes for key business objectives

Examples of our previous work include:

• Building personalised search and recommender systems
• Optimising space and range within our stores
• Optimising delivery routes for our vans
• Developing enhanced picking algorithms for our fulfilment centres
• Optimising price reductions

As a Data Science Manager, you will help shape and expand a highly skilled team of Data Scientists focused on delivering a better understanding of the business and optimising processes based on all available data. You will have the following responsibilities:

• Owning 1 or more business or technical domains and leading the development of data science algorithmic features across multiple projects
• Setting up the team/projects for success by making sure that the projects they are responsible for are resourced appropriately and by unblocking difficult situations
• Leading framing and scoping of Data Science problems across multiple projects
• Line managing data scientists
• Support, guide and mentor the team in their daily work
• Help to define the strategic direction the overall team should take, trading off between contradicting priorities
• Partnering with Engineering to the design complex software systems and influencing the wider team architecture choices
• Promote data science across Tesco, and promote Tesco across the external Data Science community

You are an experienced Data Scientist with an advanced level of capability across the Data Science Toolkit and an inspirational leader who promotes Data Science. You therefore tick most of the following points:

Mathematical & Statistical Understanding:

• A strong numerical higher degree in a mathematical, scientific, engineering or computer science discipline with application to Data Science
• The ability to use your academic knowledge and commercial experience to tackle specific business problems
• An analytical mind set and the ability to use your academic knowledge to tackle specific business problems

Big Data / Programming Experience:

• A high-level expertise in Python
• Strong background in Machine Learning
• Experience with Software Engineering best practises (SDLC)
• Experience in designing reliable and scalable ML systems 
• Experience in open source big-data technologies and cloud
• Experience of setting up and managing open source Data Science environments

Management & Leadership Experience:

• You have previously managed colleagues 
• Experience in hiring and building out high performing Data Science teams
• You have experience in setting a strategic direction and running complex data science projects with multiple stakeholders
• You can influence senior stakeholders and have a passion for implementing change

A background or strong understanding of the retail sector, logistics and/or ecommerce would be advantageous but is not required.

We’re all about the little helps. That’s why we give our wonderful colleagues bags of benefits. Including wellbeing services, an award-winning pension scheme and much, much more, our colleague reward package keeps on giving. And helps make every day a little better for you and your family. These include but are not limited to:

• Annual bonus scheme of up to 20% of base salary
• Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day (plus Bank holidays)
• Buy holiday salary sacrifice scheme (for salaried roles)
• Private medical insurance
• Retirement savings plan - save between 4% and 7.5% and Tesco will match your contribution
• Life Assurance - 5 x contractual pay
• 26 weeks maternity and adoption leave (after 1 years’ service) at full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, we also offer 4 weeks fully paid paternity leave
• The right to request flexible working from your first day with us
• Free 24/7 virtual GP service, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for you and your family, free access to a range of experts to support your mental wellbeing
• A Colleague Clubcard for you & a family member (after 3 months of service), giving you access to lots of discounts in-store & online
• Great colleague deals and discounts, saving you money on everyday purchases, eating out and utility bills for the home
• Access to our colleague networks providing a space for colleagues to come together from a range of backgrounds. For more information about our colleague networks please click here
• Opportunities to get on - take advantage of our ongoing learning opportunities and award-winning training, to help you achieve the job and career you want

Click Here to read more about the full range of benefits we have available for our colleagues

Our vision at Tesco is to become every customer's favourite way to shop, whether they are at home or out on the move. Our core purpose is ‘Serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day’. Serving means more than a transactional relationship with our customers. It means acting as a responsible and sustainable business for all stakeholders, for the communities we are part of and for the planet.

We are proud to have an inclusive culture at Tesco where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. At Tesco, we not only celebrate diversity, but recognise the value and opportunity it brings. We're committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued, and make sure that all colleagues are given the same opportunities. We’re proud to have been accredited Disability Confident Leader and we’re committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. For further information on the accessibility support we can offer, please click here.

We’re a big business and we can offer a range of diverse full-time & part-time working patterns across our many business areas, which means that we can find something that works for you.  We work in a more blended pattern - combining office and remote working.  Our offices will continue to be where we connect, collaborate and innovate.  If you are applying internally, please speak to the Hiring Manager about how this can work for you - Everyone is welcome at Tesco.