Head of Platform Data

Head of Platform Data (Real-Time / BI) Location: London (Hybrid – 2 days/week in office, travel expenses covered) Salary: £140,000 – £160,000 Shares Benefits You must be eligible to work in the UK. A high-growth, VC-backed SaaS business is looking for a Head of Platform Data to lead the evolution of its real-time data architecture and embedded analytics capabilities. Operating at the intersection of fintech and enterprise SaaS, this role offers the opportunity to build from the ground up, enabling real-time, intelligent decision-making across a global platform used by tier-one clients. This is a strategic leadership role focused on real-time data processing, platform observability, and embedded UX. You’ll work closely with VP-level engineering and product leadership to define and deliver a modern, scalable data platform that powers high-volume transactions across global markets. Key Responsibilities: Own the real-time data strategy across the platform, enabling embedded insights that drive customer and product behaviour. Build and lead a small, expert team to deliver data frameworks and pipelines that scale with platform demand. Collaborate with engineering, product, and BI teams to embed real-time analytics into the user experience. Deliver resilient, production-grade data infrastructure using modern streaming and cloud-native technologies. Define and monitor key metrics to ensure platform performance, user engagement, and operational efficiency. What We're Looking For: Deep expertise in real-time data processing and streaming technologies (e.g. Kafka, Flink, Confluent, Redis). Experience with data platforms and pipelines in cloud environments (Databricks on AWS, Glue, Azure Data Factory). A track record of hands-on data architecture in fast-paced, product-led environments. Prior leadership of small, high-performing teams (1–10 people), ideally within a scale-up or fintech context. Experience within high-transaction verticals such as fintech, e-commerce, mobility, or SaaS. Strong commercial and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate data strategy into business outcomes. What You’ll Get: £140,000 – £160,000 base salary Equity/share options in a fast-growing, investor-backed business Hybrid working model: two days per week in the London office (travel expenses covered) Private medical insurance, enhanced parental leave, volunteering days, gym discounts, and more Ongoing learning and development budget The chance to build a platform function from day one and make a significant impact This is a unique opportunity to shape the real-time data strategy of a scaling B2B SaaS business, working on mission-critical infrastructure with a talented and ambitious team. If you’re a hands-on leader with a passion for real-time systems and platform data, we’d love to hear from you.