Data Science Manager

Job Title: Manager / Lead Data Scientist

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid – In-office Tuesday & Thursday)

About The Company

We are a mission-driven financial services firm focused on advancing credit innovation through the use of data science and technology. Our analytics organization sits at the center of the business, responsible for driving strategy, building models, and delivering insights that directly impact millions of dollars in financial decisions. We pride ourselves on being a collaborative, transparent, and high-performing team where every member—from junior analyst to senior leader—has ownership of meaningful projects and visibility across the organization.

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled and hands-on Manager of Data Science to serve as a key member of our growing analytics organization. This individual will act as a player-coach—leading a small team of data scientists while remaining directly involved in model development, analytical reviews, and project delivery. The ideal candidate brings both technical depth and leadership ability, with experience in credit or fraud analytics, and the communication skills to translate data-driven insights into strategic business recommendations.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and mentor a team of Data Scientists, providing technical guidance, project direction, and code reviews
• Stay hands-on with analytics work (approximately 30%), including building and validating predictive models and conducting root-cause analyses
• Partner with internal stakeholders across risk, product, and engineering to align analytics initiatives with business objectives
• Review and interpret model results, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and clear business translation
• Present insights and findings to executive leadership and cross-functional partners
• Drive analytical best practices and continuous improvement across tools, processes, and model governance
• Balance workload across the analytics team and collaborate with peers to ensure timely delivery of projects
  
  

Requirements

• Education:
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in a quantitative field (e.g., Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Engineering, or related discipline)
• Experience:
• 5–7 years of experience in data science or analytics, with at least 3 years in financial services, fintech, or credit bureau environments
• Proven track record managing or mentoring junior team members
• Experience leading end-to-end model development and deployment cycles
• Technical Skills:
• Proficiency in Python (required)
• Strong SQL skills for data extraction and transformation
• Experience building and validating machine learning models
• Familiarity with AWS or cloud-based environments (preferred)
• Soft Skills:
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; capable of presenting complex analyses to executive audiences
• Strategic mindset with the ability to connect analytical outputs to business decisions
• Highly organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in credit risk, fraud, or consumer lending analytics
• Exposure to data vendors or partners
• Demonstrated experience fostering analytical rigor and collaboration within a growing team
  
  

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and annual performance-based bonus
• Hybrid work model (in-office Tuesday and Thursday)
• Comprehensive health and wellness programs
• Professional development and leadership growth opportunities
• Inclusive culture where analytical work directly drives business outcomes