Strategy & Operations Director (Data Science)

Overview

As Strategy & Operations Director, you will partner with the COO and Data Science leadership to translate strategy into measurable outcomes. You’ll create an integrated performance view across the Data Science division and drive data‑driven decisions, optimising resources and boosting impact. You’ll bridge Data Science with Finance, Product, Tech and HR to ensure initiatives deliver measurable benefits. The role offers scope to shape governance, operating rhythms and high‑value cross‑functional programs. You’ll work at pace to turn insights into action while advancing Elsevier’s mission.

Pay / Benefits

• generous holiday allowance
• private medical benefits
• wellbeing programs
• pension scheme
• Share Option Scheme
• Travel Season ticket loan

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain an integrated performance view across Data Science, combining financial, operational, product and delivery metrics
• Define OKRs, KPIs and performance indicators with leadership
• Establish leadership scorecards, dashboards, operating reviews and follow-up mechanisms
• Analyse performance to identify trends, risks, bottlenecks and underperformance areas
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, resource utilisation and ROI
• Translate data into insights and recommendations for COO/Cso and Data Science leadership
• Diagnose underlying causes of performance issues and develop practical interventions
• Track interventions to measurable outcomes and realise benefits
• Translate Data Science strategy into clear priorities, initiatives and measurable outcomes
• Support high‑priority cross‑functional initiatives for the COO/CSO
• Provide structured problem solving on complex issues crossing boundaries
• Ensure resources and investments align with high‑value priorities
• Act as trusted extension of the COO/CSO across the role
• Prepare leadership materials and recommendations for senior stakeholders
• Own priority issues requiring leadership attention and ensure actions are followed through
• Anticipate issues requiring COO intervention and surface with proposals
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes and improve decision-making
• Analyse work, resources and investment flow; enhance transparency with Finance and HR
• Help leadership understand resource deployment against strategic value
• Design and run effective operating cadence for Data Science leadership
• Ensure governance focuses on decisions, performance and action
• Maintain visibility of commitments, decisions, risks and dependencies
• Continuously improve governance and reporting for faster, better decisions

Key requirements

• Stakeholder management and executive communication: distil complex issues into concise recommendations
• Experience in strategy, business operations, transformation, performance management or consulting
• Experience working with senior executives in a matrixed organisation
• Strong analytical capability with financial, operational and organisational data
• Proven track record identifying improvement opportunities and delivering measurable outcomes
• Excellent structured problem-solving skills
• Strong financial and commercial acumen
• Experience designing or operating executive‑level performance management and governance
• Judgement to know when to analyse further vs escalate vs execute
• Experience in data science, technology, digital products, information services or similar knowledge-intensive environments is advantageous but not essential

• Intellectual curiosity
• Comfort with ambiguity
• Ability to move between strategic and operational questions
• data science understanding
• AI tools familiarity (advantageous)
• financial and operational data analysis

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