Data Science Manager

Competitive salary plus benefits

Asda is undergoing an exciting data transformation, placing insight and analytics at the heart of strategic decision-making.

We are seeking numerous Data Science Managers to lead high-impact, technically rich initiatives that deliver real business value across our commercial, customer, supply chain, and digital functions.

In this role, you will shape and deliver advanced analytics, machine learning solutions, and visual insights that influence decisions at every level of the organisation. You will also mentor and manage a team of talented data professionals, helping to grow our analytical capabilities and foster a high-performance culture.

What You’ll Love

• Deliver Impactful Projects: Design, manage, and deliver end-to-end data science and analytics projects aligned with business priorities.
• Model Development: Build, test, and deploy predictive and optimisation models using Databricks, Azure, and Python, incorporating best practices in MLOps and governance.
• Insight Generation: Translate complex datasets into accessible and actionable insights using Power BI and other visualisation tools.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner with cross-functional teams to embed analytics into everyday decision-making and solve real-world business challenges.
• Team Leadership: Line-manage and/or mentor analysts and data scientists, ensuring high-quality output and professional development.
• Strategic Contribution: Contribute to data strategy, help define best practices, and support the evolution of analytics capabilities across Asda.
• Manage Data Science projects according to agile principles: leading sprint planning and retrospectives, ensuring that tickets are well written, and that work is documented appropriately.
• Provide thought and technical leadership in Data Science: developing the Data Science community by presenting work within/outside the organisation and contributing to corporate initiatives.

What You’ll Need

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience in data science, advanced analytics, or data engineering, with a track record of delivering measurable outcomes.
• Proficiency in Databricks, Azure, Python, SQL, and data visualisation using open source libraries.
• Experience with modern MLOps practices for deploying and maintaining models in production.
• Excellent communication skills — able to simplify technical concepts for varied audiences.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a focus on value creation over analysis for its own sake.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, either through line management or team/project leadership.
• A degree in a numerate discipline (e.g., Maths, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering).

Desirable:

• Experience in a complex, matrixed organisation — retail sector experience is welcome but not required.
• Experience working with Jira and Confluence in an Agile environment is advantageous.
• Streamlit, Power BI or other standard BI software experience

Why Join Us?

• Work on business-critical challenges with visible, high-level impact
• Join a forward-thinking data team using modern tools in a cloud-native environment
• Flexible hybrid working with a supportive, inclusive culture
• Tools & tech: Azure, Databricks, Power BI, Python — continuously evolving
• Attractive benefits package:
  • Competitive salary
  • 7% Stakeholder Pension Plan
  • 15% Asda Colleague Discount
  • Free parking at Asda House, Leeds
  • Clear opportunities for career growth and professional development

Everything you'll love

To ensure we balance moments where we know we need to collaborate together and the need for flexibility, Asda has a hybrid way of working with a minimum 3 days a week in one of our Home Offices.  Over and above this, each area of Asda may have additional requirements which may require spending more days in the office, visiting suppliers, stores or depots.

You will also get an excellent benefits package including:

• Discretionary company bonus
• Company pension up to 7% matched
• Company Car allowance of £5,700
• 15% colleague discount in store and online
• Free access to wellbeing services such as Wagestream, 24/7 virtual GP, counselling, health and dental cash plans and a 24/7 employee assistance helpline, alongside discounts across a range of services and activities, from airport parking, enhanced  to theme parks and cinemas.
• Asda Allies Inclusion Networks – helping colleagues to make sure everybody is included and that our differences are recognised and celebrated
• Excellent parental leave policies, including maternity & adoption leave, paternity leave, shared parental leave, neonatal care leave, and support for those doing fertility treatments.

We want all colleagues to be able to bring their best and true selves to work, every day. Simply put, we want our colleagues to be Proud to be Asda and proud to be themselves"