Santander Bank

Head of Model Development

Country: Spain

We are seeking a Head of Model Developmet to lead the global development of advanced models (predictive, classification and prescriptive) to enable data-driven decision-making across the organization. Ensure high technical standards, reusability, scalability, and close collaboration with local data science teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop and validate advanced analytical models in alignment with global methodological standards and business needs.
• Ensure consistency in modeling approaches, technical quality, documentation, and reproducibility across all initiatives.
• Promote collaborative development practices, including code modularity, peer reviews and test automation.
• Coordinate with local data science teams to support country-specific initiatives and ensure adoption of global frameworks.
• Drive the reuse and industrialization of model components and libraries, fostering operational efficiency and speed-to-deployment.
• Act as a key technical reference for model development best practices across the Group.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in developing and deploying predictive, classification or prescriptive models in business-critical environments.
• Strong programming skills in Python or similar languages and deep understanding of machine learning, optimization techniques and statistical modeling.
• Demonstrated experience in implementing modeling standards, documentation protocols and testing frameworks.
• Proven ability to lead high-performing technical teams in complex, matrixed organizations.
• Strong communication skills to engage with stakeholders across business, risk, data and technology functions.
• Advanced degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics or related fields.