TL;DR
Data Science Manager at Stripe leading a founding team in Bengaluru. Manage 4+ data scientists and analysts across verifications and risk, set regional data standards, and build India's data organization from the ground up.
Who we are
About Stripe
Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies - from the world’s largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups - use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Our mission is to increase the GDP of the internet, and we have a staggering amount of work ahead. That means you have an unprecedented opportunity to put the global economy within everyone's reach while doing the most important work of your career.
About the team
The Data Science & Analytics organization at Stripe partners with teams across the company to drive rigorous, data-informed decision-making at scale. Within this org, the Verifications and Greater China (GCN) data teams deliver critical analytical and data science work — from identity verification and risk modeling to market-specific growth insights — that directly shapes Stripe's ability to serve users safely and expand into new markets.
Today, the team comprises ICs distributed across Singapore and India, supporting two high-impact pillars. We are looking for a founding Data Science Manager based in Bengaluru to build and lead this growing regional footprint from the ground up.
What you’ll do
This is a rare 0 → 1 leadership role with a dual mandate:
Pillar 1: Direct Team Leadership
- Manage a team of Data Scientists and Data Analysts (currently 4 ICs across India and Singapore) spanning the Verifications and GCN workstreams.
- Own roadmap prioritization, execution quality, and stakeholder alignment for both workstreams.
- Drive hiring for open and future roles in India, building a high-caliber data team in a competitive talent market.
- Foster IC growth through real-time coaching, mentorship, career development, and performance management.
Pillar 2: Regional Data Craft Lead (India Office)
- Serve as the founding data craft leader for Stripe's India office. Set quality standards, establishing community rituals (knowledge sharing, peer reviews, office hours), and cultivating a strong local data culture.
- Act as the go-to point of contact for data craft standards, tooling, and best practices for co-located analysts, even those outside your direct reporting line.
- Partner with managers and leads across the broader Data org to ensure consistency in methodology, tooling, and quality bar.
- Support onboarding and integration of new data hires in the Bengaluru office.
- Over time, this role has the potential to evolve into a Center of Excellence (COE) model — becoming the single point of data leadership in India across multiple product pillars (e.g., Payments, Growth, Marketing), not just Risk.
Responsibilities
- Build, manage, and develop a high-performing, geographically distributed data team
- Define and drive the data roadmap in close partnership with product, engineering, and business stakeholders — ensuring analytical work is tightly coupled to business outcomes.
- Establish and raise the bar on analytical rigor, experimentation frameworks, and data science best practices across the team.
- Recruit and retain exceptional data talent, crafting a compelling hiring narrative anchored in local leadership and craft excellence.
- Champion a culture of technical excellence, intellectual curiosity, and operational discipline.
- Collaborate with cross-functional partners and other data leaders globally to align priorities, share learnings, and maintain org-wide consistency.
- Communicate insights, recommendations, and team progress clearly to senior leadership.
Who you are
We're looking for someone who meets the minimum requirements to be considered for the role. If you meet these requirements, you are encouraged to apply. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.
Minimum requirements
- 10+ years of experience in data science, analytics, or a related quantitative field, with 3+ years in a people management role leading data scientists or analysts.
- Strong technical foundation in SQL, Python/R, statistical modeling, and experimentation design.
- Demonstrated ability to translate ambiguous business problems into structured analytical frameworks and actionable insights.
- Experience managing and developing IC talent across multiple levels, including coaching, career pathing, and performance management.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills — able to influence without authority across functions and time zones.
- Proven ability to drive alignment and execution across distributed, cross-functional teams.
Preferred qualifications
- Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in a quantitative discipline such as Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field.
- Experience working in the payments, fintech, or financial services industry.
- Prior experience building and scaling data teams in a high-growth environment — particularly standing up 0 → 1 functions or teams
- Track record of being a builder. Someone who has personally architected the rituals, standards, hiring bar, and craft culture for a data team from the ground up
- Familiarity with risk, verifications, or compliance-related data domains.
- Experience operating across APAC markets and navigating the nuances of multi-region team management.
- Passion for developing others and creating environments where ICs do the best work of their careers.