Senior Data Science Manager

We’re making zero carbon happen

We’re OVO Group, a big family of companies united by a single vision: to get to zero carbon, fast. 

We call this Plan Zero – and it shows how we’ll be fighting the climate crisis and transforming the way people use energy over the next decade. To do this, we need the sharpest minds. Are you up for the challenge?

Do great green things with OVO Energy

So much has changed since we launched in 2009.  Our goal remains the same though: make energy cheaper, greener, and simpler. Just as it was on day one.

Everyone belongs at OVO

Our aim is to build a diverse and inclusive movement: teams of brilliant people, with unique talents, skills, passions, and experiences. 

We encourage everyone to join us, whatever your gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, life experience, or background. So please come as you are – we can’t wait to meet you.

Where in the world of OVO will I be working?

As OVO moves closer to 5m customers, we are starting to reshape our data teams to enable our strategy to provide a world leading, carbon net zero, and digitally enabled experience. The data teams operate in a federated structure, with both central and embedded teams, to support our growing scale and ambition.

Reporting into the Head of Data Science for Retail, you will manage a team of data scientists and analysts developing innovative data products that deliver great outcomes for our customers in the ‘Zero Carbon Living’ space. Your team will own the production of data science models that support our customers on their path to a decarbonised home. This ranges from insight into how customers are consuming energy (eg. energy disaggregation, time of use) through to the delivery of products and propositions that support our Plan Zero goals (eg. EV chargers, solar panels, heating solutions).

The decarbonisation space is innovative and fast paced with many products either in trial stage or in the early phases of a wider scale rollout. This represents a great opportunity to have a real impact on the strategic direction of the company and will require a strong strategic focus with good stakeholder management to build a clear set of data science deliverables.

Diverse teams are the best teams. Only when we represent everyone, can we build services which benefit everyone. We’re keen to meet people with varied backgrounds: the more inclusive we are the better our work will be. We understand some people may not apply to jobs unless they tick every box. And we know 'normal' office hours don't work for everyone, so we're open to discussing flexible working requests. If you're passionate about joining us and think you have much of what we're looking for, even if you're not 100% sure… we'd love to hear from you.

What will I be doing?

• Lead and inspire a centralised Data Science team of specialists in machine learning and analytics.
• Work closely with a Product Manager to develop a data science roadmap that ensures OVO’s ambitious Plan Zero goals are supported by great ML products.
• Take ownership for the technical delivery of your team’s models and the analytics that support them. This includes ensuring productionised work is well monitored and maintained after release.
• Develop your team through technical discussions, mentoring and achievable career progression plans.
• Collaborate with your peer group of data science managers to define the frameworks and best practices that enable our data scientists and analysts to have maximum impact. This includes documentation and reproducibility practices; assessing and implementing appropriate tooling; and platforms for data science collaboration.
• Engage with key stakeholders and senior leadership to define key metric objectives and identify areas where data science can deliver the highest impact.
• Champion the value of data science and advise on appropriate use of data in the business. Work closely with the other data/tech teams to collaborate and leverage cross functional expertise. 
• Work with external partners to leverage expertise and expand our capabilities. Assess ways to improve and supplement the data we collect, as well as the approaches we take.

Is this the job for me?

Crucial skills and experience:

• Experience leading a team, producing data solutions and actionable tools/insights for stakeholders.

• Proven track record to deliver high-quality data science projects end to end, translating into true commercial impact within a business.
• Theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in advanced data science techniques. Excellent database querying skills and good programming experience, with commercial applications - ideally using Python.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills. Able to articulate results clearly and concisely to senior stakeholders. Ability to collaborate with, and sometimes challenge, teams of differing levels of data science knowledge.
• Skilled in establishing relationships and handling the priorities of multiple partners.
• Experience managing data specialists embedded in cross functional product and technology teams.
• Ability to support career progression for a team, including choosing career paths and advising on development opportunities.
• Proactive in finding opportunities for data science, and support conversations regarding ‘buy or build your own’ decisions

Ideally you will have…

• Degree educated in a numeric, scientific or engineering subject area.  Masters/PhD advantageous.
• Experience in cloud data services, Google Cloud Platform, AWS, Azure etc

Brilliant benefits for a world-changing team

Our people are at the heart of Plan Zero. That’s why we offer plenty of green benefits and progressive policies to make you feel at home.

For starters, you’ll get 34 days of holiday (including bank holidays).

Then there’s Flex Pay. It’s an extra 9% of your salary on top of your core pay to use as you like. You can take it as cash, add to your pension, or choose to spend it on a huge range of flex benefits.

Here’s a taster of what’s on offer:

For your health
With benefits like a healthcare cash plan or private medical insurance depending on your career level, critical illness cover, life assurance, health assessments, and more

For your wellbeing
With gym membership, gadget, travel and cyber insurance, workplace ISA, will writing services, DNA testing, dental insurance, and more

For your lifestyle
With extra holiday buying, discount dining, culture cards, tech loans, and supporting your favourite charities with give-as-you-earn donations

For your home 
Get up to £300 off any OVO Energy plan (when you pay by Direct Debit), plus personal carbon offsetting and great discounts on smart thermostats and EV chargers

For your commute
Nab a great deal on ultra-low emission car leasing, plus our cycle to work scheme and public transport season ticket loans 

Want to hear about our full range of flexible benefits and progressive people policies? Our People Team can tell you everything you need to know.

Oh, and one last thing...

We’d be thrilled if you tick off all our boxes yet we also believe it’s just as important we tick off all of yours. And if you think you have most of what we’re looking for but not every single thing, go ahead and hit apply. We’d still love to hear from you!