Lead Data Scientist (m/w/d) at A11 Venture · Dusseldorf

About the Job

As a key growth accelerator, A11 partners with Europe’s most ambitious startups and scaleups, corporates and SMBs to connect them with top-tier talent ready to make an impact.

We're looking for a Lead Data Scientist (m/f/d) to own one of the most technically ambitious and commercially consequential AI initiatives in European B2B. Our partner company is a leading B2B mobility and payment solutions provider active in 50+ countries, with around 2,700 employees and €19 billion in transaction volume. As the business enters its next phase, it is investing heavily in data and AI to strengthen its market position at scale.

You will own the full Sales Models portfolio - Next Best Action, Churn, Customer Lifetime Value, and adjacent use cases - and lead a cross-functional team of Data Scientists and Engineers to deliver it. You set the roadmap, the technical standard, and the business case. You translate model outputs into decisions that reach C-level, and field reality into model improvements. This is not a coordination role. You define what gets built, in which order, and why.

In this role, you’ll:

• Own the product roadmap for the Sales Models portfolio: NBA engine, Churn integration, CLV modeling, and adjacent use cases such as cross-/upsell logic and share-of-wallet estimation
• Lead a cross-functional team of 3-5 Data Scientists and 1-2 Engineers with full functional authority: technical direction, prioritization, sprint cadence, quality gates, and delivery
• Drive integration of sales models into operative systems (Dynamics 365, Power BI) and own the feedback loop between field sales, CRM data, and model iteration - turning market signals into systematic improvements
• Translate GTM requirements into model specifications and model constraints into business-actionable trade-offs for senior leadership, while building the governance infrastructure that makes the portfolio sustainable at scale

Your Profile:

• 5-7 years at the intersection of Data Science, AI Product Management, and Engineering, ideally combining two of: a top-tier consultancy data science practice, a Lead Data Scientist role with team responsibility, or an AI/ML PM role at a scale-up
• Technically deep (Python, SQL, ML frameworks, cloud data infrastructure) and able to lead Data Scientists credibly: setting direction on model architecture, reviewing feature engineering choices, and stepping into the code when needed
• You think in business cases and revenue impact, not just model accuracy - and can communicate trade-offs clearly to both a CCO and a Data Scientist
• Fluent in German and English; willingness to travel within Europe 1-2 times per month

Please note that this position is based close to Düsseldorf.

Benefits and Perks:

• Full ownership from day one: roadmap, team direction, and outcomes - not a slice of someone else's initiative
• Direct C-level visibility on one of the company's most strategically important AI programs, with a clear path into broader product and leadership roles
• An international environment spanning HQ strategy to field sales across European markets, with flexible hybrid working and additional perks including Jobrad eBike leasing and parent-child offices

If you’re eager to join the A11 Ecosystem and shape what’s next, we want to hear from you!

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

A11 is committed to diverse and equal opportunities hiring for all – applicants, candidates, and employees alike. We value humans – with all our glorious multifaceted backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences – and look forward to your application.