Data Science Manager - Merchants Team

deliveroo · London - The River Building HQ

managerfull timehybrid
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Role at a Glance

Deliveroo's Merchants Data Science team is hiring a manager to own the analytical direction for a defined merchant domain and lead four to seven data scientists. Based in London (hybrid), you'll apply experimentation, causal inference and ML to acquisition, onboarding, order operations and retention — areas tied directly to Deliveroo's revenue and marketplace health. Salary not disclosed.

What This Role Is

The Merchants team is one of Deliveroo's most commercially significant data science groups, directly shaping which partners join the platform, how they perform and how long they stay. As manager, you'll own a defined section of this work — setting the analytical agenda, guiding the team's technical approach and partnering with senior stakeholders across Product, Engineering, Commercial and Operations. The role sits within a larger Merchants Data Science organisation and reports to a Senior Data Science Manager.

About Deliveroo

Deliveroo operates a multi-sided marketplace connecting consumers with restaurants, grocery stores and retailers through on-demand delivery. Founded in London and now active across multiple countries, the company competes in a data-intensive industry where decisions on supply, demand and logistics must be fast and evidence-based. Data science is embedded across every major business vertical — product, commercial, operations and merchant partnerships — and the Merchants side of the platform directly drives revenue by determining which partners are live and how well they perform once onboarded.

What You'll Own

  • Define the analytical strategy and measurable impact for a specific merchant domain such as acquisition, onboarding, order management or retention
  • Manage, coach and develop a team of approximately four to seven data scientists; contribute to hiring as the team expands
  • Identify and prioritise the highest-value problems in your domain alongside Product, Engineering and Commercial partners
  • Guide the team's technical direction across experimentation design, causal inference and applied machine learning
  • Translate data science outputs into concrete product, operational or commercial decisions
  • Build structure and clear working practices in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment
  • Partner with senior stakeholders across Product, Engineering, Strategy, Operations and Commercial to align on priorities and trade-offs
  • Maintain high analytical standards through hands-on involvement, effective delegation and detailed coaching
  • Unblock team members on analytical and execution challenges without losing sight of strategic direction

Must-Have Qualifications

  • Demonstrated experience as a direct line manager of data scientists, with evidence of developing team members
  • Strong senior individual contributor background in data science — capable of engaging at the technical detail level
  • Deep expertise in at least one area: experimentation design, causal inference or applied machine learning
  • Ability to translate data science work into concrete product, commercial or operational decisions
  • Strong stakeholder management skills and confidence presenting to and influencing senior leaders
  • Ability to create structure in ambiguous environments, prioritise effectively and maintain a clear team roadmap

Useful But Not Required

  • Prior experience in merchants, marketplaces, restaurants, grocery, retail or B2B products
  • Familiarity with multi-sided marketplace dynamics and the trade-offs unique to that operating model

Skills Snapshot: Must vs. Nice-to-Have

The non-negotiables span two dimensions: managerial (you have directly managed data scientists) and technical (senior IC depth in at least one of experimentation, causal inference or applied ML). Stakeholder influence and roadmap ownership are equally hard requirements, not optional competencies. Domain expertise in food delivery, retail or B2B is the one explicitly optional area — Deliveroo is hiring for generalizable analytical leadership. The hands-on management framing is significant: this is not a pure people-manager role; expect to stay close to technical work.

Salary & Compensation

No salary range has been disclosed for this role. Deliveroo has not published compensation details in the job description. Candidates should benchmark independently using published data for senior data science management positions in London. Raise compensation expectations directly with Deliveroo's talent acquisition team at the screening stage; no salary estimate is provided here.

Why This Role Stands Out

  • Significant autonomy to shape your team's roadmap and analytical direction
  • High-impact commercial problems that directly affect Deliveroo's profitability and merchant experience
  • Opportunity to apply ML, experimentation and causal inference at genuine business scale
  • Direct influence with senior stakeholders across Product, Commercial, Strategy and Operations
  • Active role in building and developing a growing team of strong data scientists

Location & How You'll Work

This position is based at Deliveroo's London headquarters, The River Building. The working arrangement is hybrid — some in-office attendance is expected alongside remote working, though the exact split is not specified. The listing signals remote eligibility, but London remains the primary base. Visa sponsorship availability is not mentioned in the job description; candidates who require it should confirm with Deliveroo's hiring team before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Is London presence required, or is this role fully remote?

The role is based at Deliveroo's London headquarters and operates on a hybrid model, so proximity to London is required. The job description signals remote eligibility but does not describe this as a fully remote position.

How many direct reports will this role have?

The team currently exists and is continuing to grow. Depending on the final scope assigned, you would manage approximately four to seven data scientists.

Do I need food delivery or marketplace experience to be considered?

No. The job description explicitly states that merchant, marketplace, restaurant, grocery, retail or B2B domain experience is valuable but not essential. Deliveroo is prioritising the ability to solve complex, non-standard analytical problems over any specific vertical background.

Is this a hands-on technical role or a pure people management position?

Both. The description characterises it as a hands-on management role with meaningful technical involvement. You should be comfortable reviewing technical work in detail and unblocking the team, while keeping people leadership and strategic direction as your primary focus.

What salary is on offer for this role?

Deliveroo has not disclosed a salary range in the job description. No compensation estimate is provided here. Raise your expectations directly with Deliveroo's talent acquisition team during the recruitment process.

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