VP, Head of Data Science

Position Purpose

As the Head of Data Science for Open Sky
, you will lead the strategy, development, and execution of advanced analytics and modeling solutions that power our credit card lending business. This is a unique opportunity to build credit risk and fraud models from the ground up as we launch a new unsecured card product. You will shape the future of our data science capabilities, ensure robust model governance, and leverage cutting-edge machine learning techniques to drive business growth and manage risk.

This is a hands‑on leadership role with significant influence and the opportunity to scale the team and its impact over time.

• Set a bold vision and roadmap for data science, aligning with business objectives and growth priorities
• Lead the development of new credit risk and fraud models from scratch to support the launch of our unsecured card business
• Manage model delivery efforts, ensuring results are delivered on time and with quality
• Own the model lifecycle—from design and development to deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement
• Influence executive decision-making by presenting insights and recommendations in a clear, compelling manner
• Oversee model suite, monitoring for performance and identifying opportunities for improvement
• Ensure model governance and compliance, including documentation, validation, and adherence to regulatory standards
• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists and analysts, providing technical guidance, career development, and performance feedback
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with product, technology, and data teams to ensure seamless integration of data science solutions
• Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies to keep the team at the cutting edge

• Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field (e.g. Statistics, Data Science, Applied Mathematics)
• Advanced degree in a quantitative field (e.g. Statistics, Data Science, Applied Mathematics) preferred
• 10+ years of experience in data science
  , with a strong track record of building and deploying predictive models in financial services
• 2-5+ years of leadership experience building and scaling data science teams
• Proven track record of delivering measurable business impact through data-driven solutions
• Deep understanding of credit risk modeling, fraud detection, and regulatory requirements
• Have an ownership mindset and exceptional results focus and project management skills
• Relentless persistence in solving problems
• Strong executive presence and communication skills: ability to clearly and effectively communicate complex analytical insights to both technical and non-technical audiences

• Advanced SQL
• Advanced Python
• Expertise building advanced statistical models