Head of Data & AI

LHV Bank, a fully licensed UK bank, specialises in Banking Services for global fintechs and SME Lending solutions. Our Retail Banking division provides a direct-to-customer banking proposition, including mobile apps (iOS & Android) and backend services leveraging modern cloud architectures (Kotlin/AWS).

As a leading Banking Services provider, LHV Bank delivers a wide range of services, including real-time multi-currency payments, accounts, acquiring, indirect scheme access, open banking, and FX solutions. Over 200 renowned fintech companies, such as Airwallex, Currencycloud, Truelayer, and Wise, utilise LHV Bank to serve more than 10 million end customers and access a pool of 500 million potential customers across the UK and Europe.

LHV Bank gained its UK banking licence in May 2023 and launched into the retail savings market through deposit aggregators in August 2023. It launched its direct to customer retail banking proposition in late 2024. More information: lhv.com

The Role

As Head of Data & AI , you will lead the development / transformation and execution of LHV’s data strategy – spanning data engineering, analytics, governance, and applied AI/ML. You’ll own the roadmap that transforms how we collect, manage, and activate data across the organisation, and you’ll lead a growing multi-disciplinary team.

You’ll partner with leaders across product, technology, risk, and operations to embed data into decision-making and product design. You’ll also provide input to the Bank’s AI efforts, working closely with our AI Engineer to ensure ethical, scalable, and secure use of machine learning.

This is a high-impact leadership role ideal for someone with a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and a passion for building high-performance data teams.

Key Responsibilities

🔷 Strategy & Leadership

• Define and lead LHV’s enterprise data strategy across infrastructure, analytics, and AI
• Champion a data-driven culture and improve data maturity across teams
• Transform the DWH into a fit for purpose AI driven function
• Collaborate with the CIO and senior leaders to align data initiatives with business priorities
• Manage and scale a high-performing team: data engineers, analysts, data scientists, AI/ML specialists

🛠️ Data Platform & Engineering

• Oversee the architecture, scalability, and reliability of our data infrastructure (pipelines, storage, orchestration)
• Ensure data accessibility, quality, and lineage across all business domains
• Own development of our analytics layer (e.g. metrics store, dashboards, reporting environments)

📊 Analytics & Business Insight

• Lead the delivery of reporting, self-serve BI tools, and decision-support analysis
• Translate business problems into structured data questions, ensuring high-impact insights are delivered
• Define and govern KPIs, ensuring consistency and alignment across the organisation

🤖 AI & Advanced Analytics

• Support the AI Engineer in model development, deployment, and monitoring
• Ensure responsible AI practices: explainability, fairness, compliance, and governance
• Identify opportunities for automation and intelligent product features powered by data

🔐 Governance, Quality & Compliance

• Define and implement data governance policies (e.g. data ownership, access, retention, documentation)
• Ensure compliance with data privacy and regulatory requirements (e.g. GDPR, , ISO27001)
• Champion data literacy and best practices.

What We’re Looking For

• Significant experience in data leadership, ideally in fintech, SaaS, or cloud-native organisations (AWS)
• Proven Experience working with Finance, Risk and commercial teams.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
  
  
• Strong technical background in data engineering, analytics, or data science
• Experience with modern data stacks (e.g. SQL, dbt, Airflow, Snowflake, Looker/Power BI)
• Familiarity with AI/ML tooling and lifecycle management (e.g. Python, MLflow, MLOps practices)
• Track record of building and managing high-performing, cross-functional data teams
• Strategic thinking with ability to influence senior stakeholders
• Comfortable operating in dual regulated environments and contributing to resilience frameworks

Desirable

• Experience with AI governance, model monitoring, or explainable ML
• Exposure to FCA/PRA requirements and Operational Resilience.
• Experience supporting data for real-time platforms, embedded finance, or payments

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Some of our benefits

•    Competitive salary & progression
•    Open and inclusive culture 
•    Hybrid working 
•    Fantastic offices and great working environment
•    Vitality Health Plan (includes private health insurance, travel insurance, gym discounts)
•    Medicash health plan (Level 3)
•    5% employer pension contribution
•    Life assurance
•    Income protection insurance
•    28 days holiday plus 3 additional days, bank holidays & further days for various key life events
•    Team socials