"Transform data into commercial value and shape the future of AI at Castle Trust Bank."
At Castle Trust Bank, we pride ourselves on being a fintech challenger bank, providing specialist property mortgages, retail finance lending and savings accounts to a wide range of customers.
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Data & AI to define and deliver the Bank's data and AI strategy, helping turn data into a trusted business asset while enabling the responsible adoption of AI across the organisation.
This role is based in Basingstoke, with some travel to London, on a hybrid basis with 3 days in the office and 2 days at home.
The role and what you'll lead and deliver
Reporting to the Chief Technology & Operations Officer, you will lead the Bank's data and AI agenda, working closely with Executive and Board stakeholders to support growth, innovation and better customer outcomes.
Data & AI Leadership
- Define and deliver the Bank's Data & AI strategy aligned to business growth plans.
- Lead the development of data platforms, architecture, governance and analytics capabilities.
- Drive the adoption of AI across the organisation, delivering measurable business value.
- Establish robust governance to ensure data and AI are used responsibly within a regulated environment.
- Provide strategic insight and management information to support decision-making across the Bank.
- Lead and develop a high-performing data function, spanning data engineering, governance, business intelligence and analytics.
What you'll bring
Essential
- Significant leadership experience in Data, Analytics or AI within financial services or a similarly regulated environment.
- Proven experience delivering data strategy, data platform modernisation and analytics capabilities.
- Strong understanding of data governance, AI governance and regulatory expectations.
- Ability to translate technical capability into clear commercial outcomes.
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills at Executive and Board level.
- Strong leadership capability with experience building and developing teams.
Why join Castle Trust Bank?
As well as taking on a high-profile leadership role, you'll have the opportunity to shape how data and AI support the Bank's future growth, influence strategic investment decisions and play a key role in our ongoing technology transformation.
In addition, you will receive:
- Competitive salary
- Annual performance bonus (up to 25% of base salary, based on individual and company performance)
- Generous contributory pension through Hargreaves Lansdown
- Life Assurance
- 28 days' holiday + option to buy/sell (up to maximum of 30 days' per year)
- Additional paid volunteering day
- Private healthcare through BUPA
- Free access to BHSF Rise EAP to support colleague health and wellbeing
- Gym discounts
- Season ticket travel loans (if applicable)
- A supportive, inclusive culture where your work has real impact
Caught your attention?
If so, we'd love to talk to you and tell you more about what it's like to work at Castle Trust Bank - The Place To Work!
Skills Required
- Significant leadership experience in data, analytics, or AI within financial services or a similarly regulated environment
- Experience delivering data strategy, data platform modernization, and analytics capabilities
- Strong understanding of data governance, AI governance, and regulatory expectations
- Ability to translate technical capabilities into clear commercial outcomes
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills at executive and Board level
- Experience building and developing high-performing teams
What We Do
Traditional financial service providers are often burdened with costly overheads including expensive branch networks, inflexible technology and huge armies of people. At Castle Trust Bank, we keep our overheads to a minimum and we use savings proceeds to fund our lending solutions. In the past, we offered investment products to our customers which proved very popular. As a bank, we now offer savings accounts, giving our customers the added benefit of FSCS protection for their deposits. Our history means that we have a strong understanding of what our customers need and have built our savings range with those customers and their needs front of mind. In a complex world, we strive for openness and clarity. We place the highest importance on treating our customers fairly not just because it's the right thing to do but because we know that the trust of our customers is crucial to our future success. We recognise that for many mortgage customers, traditional solutions don't cut the mustard. These customers can often have high quality assets but unconventional income and so find it difficult to borrow at reasonable rates and on sensible terms. What experienced buy to let investors need is lending with imagination. They need a lender that recognises cash flow and net worth are not the same thing. They need a lender that is flexible in their approach and makes considered, logical decisions. Castle Trust Bank is that lender. We also offer point of sale finance through our Omni Capital Retail Finance arm. Partnering with retailers nationwide, we support their business by offering finance plans to their customers. OmniPort technology gives retailers paperless credit approval which fits seamlessly with their sales processes and customers can use our dedicated customer portal to keep up to date with their loans
