Head, Data And Artificial Intelligence

Summary

Join Kora, a payment infrastructure company, as the Head of Data and Artificial Intelligence. Lead the company's data strategy and AI initiatives, driving innovation and operational excellence. You will design scalable data systems, ensure regulatory compliance, and leverage AI and machine learning to enhance business operations. This role requires strong technical expertise in data architecture, AI, and analytics, particularly within the payments industry in emerging markets. You will also build and develop a high-performing data team. Kora offers a remote work environment with flexible hours and various benefits.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in data and AI leadership roles, preferably within fintech or payment processing companies
• Proven expertise in designing and managing large-scale data platforms and AI-driven systems
• Deep understanding of the payments ecosystem, including fraud prevention and regulatory compliance in Africa
• Strong track record of driving AI adoption and change management within an organisation
• Strong programming skills (Python, SQL, R) and experience with AI/ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn)
• Proficiency with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and data warehousing tools (Snowflake, BigQuery)
• Experience with data visualisation tools (Tableau, Power BI, Looker)
• Knowledge of data governance and security frameworks
• Strategic thinker with the ability to communicate complex ideas to non-technical stakeholders
• Strong leadership and team-building capabilities
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Ability to drive change and influence cross-functional teams

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a company-wide data and AI and data strategy that is aligned with business goals
• Build, mentor, and lead a team of ML engineers, data engineers, data analysts, data scientists, and governance specialists
• Foster a data-driven and AI-first culture by promoting insights-driven decision-making across teams and 10X growth in our processes and performance
• Collaborate with executive leadership to align data initiatives with business strategy
• Oversee the development of scalable data pipelines, infrastructure, and platforms
• Ensure seamless integration of data across internal systems, payment networks, and external partners
• Optimise real-time data processing capabilities for fraud detection, transaction monitoring, and risk management
• Evaluate and adopt modern data storage, processing, and analytics technologies (e.g., cloud platforms, ETL tools, AI frameworks)
• Identify, adapt, adopt, deploy, or develop AI agents to optimise processes
• Develop and deploy AI models for fraud detection, customer segmentation, credit risk assessment, and other PSP-specific applications
• Implement AI-driven personalisation for customer interactions, improving engagement and retention
• Establish robust MLOps practices to streamline model deployment, monitoring, and lifecycle management
• Ensure AI models comply with ethical guidelines, minimising bias and ensuring fairness in decision-making
• Implement data governance policies to comply with local and international regulations (e.g., GDPR, NDPR, Kenya Data Protection Act)
• Ensure data privacy, security, and quality across all business units and regions
• Work with the Legal and Compliance teams to mitigate risks related to data usage
• Deliver actionable insights to key stakeholders through dashboards, reports, and advanced analytics
• Analyse transaction data, payment flows, and customer behaviour to identify trends and business opportunities
• Improve data accessibility and visualisation across departments to enhance decision-making
• Stay updated on advancements in AI, machine learning, and data engineering
• Explore new technologies to improve operational efficiency and customer experience
• Lead pilot projects to test and deploy innovative AI-driven solutions
• Drive organisation-wide adoption of AI-powered decision-making tools
• Develop training programs and best practices to upskill employees on AI applications
• Oversee the integration of AI models into existing business processes with minimal disruption
• Work with the Head of Operations to manage AI and data-related budgets, optimising costs while ensuring high performance
• Evaluate and recommend third-party vendors, tools, and platforms for AI and data analytics
• Work closely with all teams to embed AI and analytics into all business workflows
• Partner with the Legal, Compliance, and Risk teams to ensure responsible data usage
• Act as a thought leader, educating internal stakeholders on AI-driven opportunities

Preferred Qualifications

An MBA or equivalent business experience is a plus

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Sponsored and tailored training
• Paid parental leave
• Paid time off
• Flexible work style
• Annual performance bonus
• Low-interest loans
• Employee assisted programs
• Day off on your birthday
• Employee resource groups that provide supportive communities within Kora
• Great company culture and the opportunity to work with a highly collaborative team building something great!