Strategy & Operations Director (Data Science)

Strategy & Operations Director (Data Science)

Are you passionate about turning strategy into measurable business outcomes?
Do you thrive on partnering with senior leaders to drive performance, operational excellence, and organisational impact?

About the team:

A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education, and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world’s grand challenges and a more sustainable future. We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.

About the role:   

The Strategy & Operations Director will be a key member of the Data Science Ops team, working directly for the COO & Chief of Staff and with the Data Science leadership team to drive effective and efficient execution of Elsevier’s strategy.

The role will operate across the breadth of the COO & Chief of Staff agenda, with particular responsibility for creating a clear, data-driven view of how the Data Science organisation is performing and identifying opportunities to improve.

The successful candidate will combine analytical rigour, commercial judgement and strong execution skills, moving comfortably from analysing performance and identifying an issue to working with senior leaders to determine the response and ensuring actions are delivered. A strong understanding of data science will be highly advantageous as will efficiently leveraging AI tools. A strategy/consulting background can also be advantageous.

They will become a trusted partner to the COO & Chief of Staff and an important bridge across Data Science, Finance, Product, Technology, HR and other Elsevier functions.

Key responsibilities -

Performance management & optimisation

• Develop and maintain an integrated view of performance across the Data Science division, bringing together financial, operational, product, delivery and organisational measures

• Work with leadership to define the OKRs, KPIs and performance indicators

• Establish effective performance rhythms, including leadership scorecards/dashboards, operating reviews and follow-up mechanisms

• Analyse performance to identify trends, emerging risks, bottlenecks and areas of underperformance

• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, effectiveness, resource utilisation and return on investment

• Translate data into clear insights and recommendations for the COO & Chief of Staff and Data Science leadership

• Work with leaders to diagnose the underlying causes of performance issues and develop practical interventions

• Track interventions through to measurable outcomes and ensure benefits are realised

Strategic execution

• Support the COO & Chief of Staff in translating Data Science strategy into clear priorities, initiatives and measurable outcomes

• Maintain visibility across the division’s most important strategic initiatives and dependencies

• Identify where execution is drifting from strategic intent and remedial actions

• Lead or support high-priority cross-functional initiatives on behalf of the COO & Chief of Staff

• Provide structured problem-solving on complex or ambiguous issues where ownership cuts across organisational boundaries

• Help ensure resources and investment are aligned with the organisation’s highest-value priorities

COO & Chief of Staff support

• Act as a trusted extension of the COO & Chief of Staff across the full breadth of the role

• Support preparation for leadership meetings, operating reviews, strategy discussions and executive decision-making

• Develop high-quality analysis, briefing materials and recommendations for senior stakeholders

• Take ownership of priority issues or initiatives requiring additional leadership attention

• Ensure decisions translate into clear actions, owners and outcomes

• Anticipate issues requiring COO intervention and surface them early, with proposed solutions wherever possible

Operating model & organisational effectiveness

• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, improve decision-making and remove organisational friction

• Analyse how work, resources and investment flow across Data Science and recommend improvements

• Support evolution of the Data Science operating model as the organisation grows and its priorities change

• Work with Finance and HR to develop greater transparency around workforce, capability, capacity and cost

• Help leadership understand whether resources are deployed against the areas of greatest strategic and commercial value

Leadership cadence & governance

• Help design and run an effective operating cadence for the Data Science leadership team.

• Ensure leadership forums are focused on decisions, performance, and action rather than information sharing

• Maintain visibility of key commitments, decisions, risks and dependencies

• Continuously improve governance and reporting so that leadership has the information required to make faster, better decisions

Skills & Experience:

We are looking for someone who combines strategic thinking with strong analytical and execution capability. 

• First-class stakeholder management and communication skills - including the ability to distil complex issues into concise executive-level recommendations and influence senior stakeholders without relying on formal authority

• Significant experience in strategy, business operations, transformation, performance management, consulting or a comparable role

• Experience working with senior executives in a complex, matrixed organisation

• Strong analytical capability and the ability to make sense of complex financial, operational and organisational data

• Demonstrable experience identifying performance improvement opportunities and driving them through to measurable outcomes

• Excellent structured problem-solving skills

• Strong financial and commercial acumen

• Experience designing or operating executive-level performance management and governance

• The judgement to know when to analyse further, when to escalate and when simply to get something done

Experience in data science, technology, digital products, information services or a similarly knowledge-intensive environment would be highly advantageous, but deep technical data science expertise is not essential.

The role will suit someone who:

• Is intellectually curious and naturally asks why performance looks the way it does

• Is comfortable operating with ambiguity and creating structure where none exists

• Can move between strategic questions and detailed operational issues

• Challenges constructively and is comfortable working with senior leaders

• Is highly numerate but understands that data is a tool for making decisions, not an end in itself

• Has strong organisational judgement and emotional intelligence

• Takes ownership and follows issues through to resolution

• Is pragmatic, collaborative and low-ego

• Can operate at pace while maintaining a high standard of work

• Believes in Elsevier's mission to advance human progress

Why join us?

At Elsevier, you will be part of a diverse global product team that sits at the frontline of delivering value to customers. You will play a key role in enabling secure access to our products, shaping how customers experience and adopt our identity platform. We are committed to your success and wellbeing, offering flexible working, family leave, long-service recognition, and a supportive, collaborative environment where everyone has a part to play.

Work in a way that works for you
 

We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organization. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous wellbeing initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance and sabbaticals, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long-term goals.

Working for you

We know that your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. These are some of the benefits we are delighted to offer:

• Generous holiday allowance with the option to buy additional days.

• Health screening, eye care vouchers and private medical benefits

• Wellbeing programs

• Life assurance

• Access to a competitive contributory pension scheme

• Save As You Earn share option scheme.

• Travel Season ticket loan.

• Electric Vehicle Scheme

• Optional Dental Insurance

• Maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Access to emergency care for both the elderly and children

• Access to extensive learning and development resources

• Access to employee discounts scheme via Perks at Work

About the business -

A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education, and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world’s grand challenges and a more sustainable future. We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.

We know your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. We are delighted to offer country specific benefits. Click here to access benefits specific to your location.

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We are an equal opportunity employer: qualified applicants are considered for and treated during employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship status, disability status, protected veteran status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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