Lead Data Scientist at Financial Times

About us

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide.

At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Together, we help audiences stay better informed and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

Our Product & Tech teams drive us forward in an ever-evolving digital landscape, delivering cutting-edge products to over one million digital subscribers daily. Our growth relies on a diverse, dedicated and dynamic group of product, tech, delivery and data specialists.

With a supportive culture, entrepreneurial spirit and opportunities at every turn, there are no limits to where your FT career can take you.

Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion 

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

The Role

This is a unique opportunity for someone with experience managing data science projects and leading data scientists. You’ll head a team focused on growing our subscriber base and supporting our award-winning journalism.

You’ll collaborate across cross-functional teams of data scientists, ML engineers, developers, product managers, marketers and journalists to shape and deliver impactful projects. These range from personalising content recommendations to churn prediction and subscription optimisation. If you’re passionate about applying data science to business challenges in a creative, collaborative way, we’d love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and develop a team of 5+ data scientists

• Work closely with external vendors and contractors 

• Champion best practices in data science delivery through clear frameworks and guidance

• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure models, products, and services meet business needs

• Lead strategic projects that embed data science into business decision-making

• Maintain and monitor ML models, ensuring they remain effective over time

• Scope and prioritise high-value projects, balancing deadlines and quality

• Communicate project outcomes clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences

• Promote the visibility and impact of data science across the FT

Required Skills and Experience

• Recent experience working with large datasets to solve complex problems

• Proven success delivering data science solutions within business environments

• Proficiency in R or Python

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Experience managing and mentoring data scientists

• Ability to clearly communicate technical ideas through writing, visualisations, or presentations

• Strong organisational skills with experience in balancing multiple projects

Extras We’d Be Excited About

• Familiarity with Posit Connect, workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow), AWS services (e.g., SageMaker, Redshift), or distributed computing tools (e.g., Spark, Kafka)

• Experience in a media or newsroom environment

• Agile team experience

• Advanced degree in Maths, Statistics, or a related field

What’s in it for you? Our benefits

Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here.

We’ve embraced a 50% hybrid working model (averaging two to three days onsite) that fosters trust and remote adaptability while encouraging in-person camaraderie and peer learning. Additionally, we are open to accommodating specific flexible working pattern requests for all roles where feasible.

Accessibility

We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email [email protected] and a member of our team will be happy to help.

Further information

At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications.

Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.