Data Science lead - GCC

WSP Digital is the digital consulting and solutions division of WSP, delivering advanced analytics, machine learning and data-driven solutions across infrastructure, transport, water, energy and environmental sectors.

We are seeking a Data Science GCC Lead to support the continued growth of our data science and analytics team.

As the team has expanded, this role introduces an additional layer of leadership to strengthen delivery coordination, mentoring and performance across a diverse group of data scientists, engineers and analysts.

The Data Science GCC Team Lead is responsible for the leadership, development, utilisation and delivery performance of GCC Data Science staff supporting Australian and New Zealand projects.

The role acts as the primary interface between GCC resources and Australian delivery teams, ensuring work is effectively planned, communicated, delivered and continuously improved.

The Data Science Capability Lead will:

• Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight for a defined group of staff based in GCC

• Assist in coordinating work allocation, priorities and utilisation across their team in collaboration with the data science operations lead.

• Lead and coordinate scope and delivery of GCC weork with Project Managers

• Support mentoring, development and performance management

• Ensure consistent delivery standards, QA and ways of working

• Act as a key escalation point for delivery risks and issues

• Support work winning and client engagement where required

• Ensure all staff within GCC team meet delivery, standards and quality expectations

• Provide guidance to all staff and be across scope and expectations of all work packages.

• Responsible for hiring and growth in GCC team

Key responsibilities

Team leadership

• Line management, including:

  • mentoring and coaching

  • performance and development conversations

• Maintain visibility of team workload, availability and delivery risks

• Support onboarding and capability uplift across different experience levels

Coordination and operations

• Coordinate tasks, priorities and workflow across projects

• Ensure consistency in:

  • QA and review processes

  • delivery practices

  • team standards and tools

• Proactively identify and escalate delivery or resourcing constraints

Client and business development

• Engage with project teams to shape solutions and delivery approaches

• Support proposals and technical inputs where required

• Contribute to building strong client relationships and repeat work

Engagement with leadership

The Data Science Capability Lead will actively support and engage with Data Science leadership by:

• Providing regular visibility of team performance, including:

  • utilisation

  • delivery progress

  • emerging risks and issues

• Escalating delivery, resourcing or performance risks early, with clear context and recommended actions

• Contributing to resource planning and workforce decisions, including:

  • identifying gaps in capability

  • supporting hiring priorities

  • providing input into team structure

  • allocating staff to bids and projects.

  • staying across upcoming pipeline of work.

• Supporting performance management discussions, including:

  • identifying high performers and development opportunities

  • flagging underperformance early

• Contributing to ways of working and standards development, ensuring:

  • consistency across teams

  • feedback loops from delivery into process improvement

• Providing input into pipeline and work winning activities, including:

  • identifying opportunities within current delivery

  • supporting solution shaping and resourcing assumptions

• Participating in regular leadership forums and cadence activities, contributing to:

  • alignment across Capability Leads

  • consistent decision-making and communication

• Foster strong collaboration between Australian and GCC teams, ensuring knowledge sharing, consistency of delivery and integration into project teams.

• Act as the primary interface between Australian project teams and GCC Data Science staff, ensuring clear communication, alignment of expectations and effective integration into delivery teams.

• Ensure all work allocated to GCC staff is appropriately scoped, documented and understood, with clear acceptance criteria and delivery expectations.

• Drive the growth and maturity of the Data Science capability.

• Develop technical standards, methodologies and reusable assets.

• Identify emerging technologies and opportunities for innovation.

• Support workforce planning, recruitment and succession planning.

• Build capability through training, mentoring and communities of practice.

• Represent Data Science in cross-business initiatives and strategic pursuits.

• Support achievement of capability utilisation, revenue and growth targets.

What we’re looking for

• Strong understanding in data science, analytics or related field

• Experience leading end-to-end delivery of projects

• Ability to define approach, scope and delivery strategy

• A collaborative and supportive leadership approach

• Ability to manage competing priorities and delivery pressures

• Confidence working with stakeholders across technical and non-technical domains

• Sound judgement in escalation versus resolution of issues

Experience and capability

• Typically 6+ years experience in data science, analytics or engineering

• Understanding of:

  • statistical modelling

  • machine learning

  • data analysis and processing

• Practical experience delivering projects

• Knowledge of modern data platforms and environments

• Experience in management and leadership

• Infrastructure and engineering background preferred but not required.

Success in role (first 6-12 months)

• Effective leadership of a defined team group

• Improved delivery coordination and workload visibility

• Uplift in quality, consistency and mentoring across the team

• Positive feedback from staff and project stakeholders

• Contribution to pipeline and ongoing work opportunities

Key principles

• Strong focus on delivery quality and operational outcomes

• Mentorship and capability building embedded in daily work

• Collaboration across disciplines and projects

• Clear accountability for team performance and outcomes.

BGV:

• Employment with WSP India is subject to the successful completion of a background verification (“BGV”) check conducted by a third-party agency appointed by WSP India.

• Candidates are advised to ensure that all information provided during the recruitment process - including documents uploaded - is accurate and complete, both to WSP India and its BGV partner