Description
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced Director in Product Data Science to build, lead, and scale a high-impact data science team that supports executive-level, data-driven product decision-making across Slack.
In this role, you will manage and develop a team of senior and principal Product Data Scientists, setting direction for how data science shapes product strategy, measurement, and execution. You will partner closely with Product, Design, Engineering (PDE), and Data Engineering leadership to ensure data science is deeply embedded in product development—guiding what we build, how we define success, and how we iterate and improve at scale.
At Slack, we foster a positive, diverse, and supportive culture. We look for leaders who are curious, bold, and committed to developing people and raising the bar every day. Our team values being smart, humble, hardworking, and above all, collaborative.
What you will be doing
Lead, mentor, and grow a team of Product Data Scientists, supporting career development, performance management, and technical excellence.
Set clear priorities and expectations for the team, aligning data science work with product strategy and business outcomes.
Partner with Product, Design, Engineering, and Data Engineering leaders to embed data science into product planning, development, and iteration.
Ensure the team applies advanced data science and analytical techniques to understand product usage patterns, identify opportunities, and evaluate impact.
Guide evidence-based analyses to identify key drivers of product growth, engagement, and long-term success.
Define, standardize, and oversee key product success metrics, ensuring insights are communicated clearly to Slack and Salesforce executive leadership.
Synthesize insights across multiple product areas and business outcomes, ensuring consistency in methodology, metrics, and storytelling.
Serve as a technical and methodological leader for product data science, setting best practices for experimentation, measurement, and causal analysis.
Champion data-informed decision-making by making insights accessible, scalable, and actionable for stakeholders at all levels.
Collaborate closely with Data Engineering and data platform teams to ensure scalable, reliable data pipelines, instrumentation, and analytics infrastructure.
What you should have
7+ years of experience in data science or quantitative analysis, with experience leading or managing senior technical contributors in technology product development or enterprise software environments.
Advanced degree (MS, PhD) in a quantitative field (e.g., Mathematics, Economics, Statistics, Physics, Quantitative Psychology, Engineering, etc.) is a strong plus.
Strong fluency in at least one data science programming language (e.g., Python, R), with the ability to guide, review, and set technical standards for team output.
Experience working with large-scale data technologies and AI tools; familiarity with Apache Airflow or similar orchestration tools is a strong plus.
Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to translate complex analytical findings into clear, actionable insights for senior and executive stakeholders.
Proven cross-functional collaboration and influencing skills, with a track record of impacting decisions at both strategic and executional levels in a large, matrixed organization.
Experience guiding the design and evolution of scalable data pipelines, schemas, and instrumentation in partnership with Data Engineering teams.
Deep understanding of statistical and machine learning methodologies, with the ability to evaluate, coach, and review descriptive and predictive modeling approaches.
Expertise in product data science measurement and experimentation methodologies, with the ability to translate technical analysis into meaningful takeaways for non-technical audiences.
For roles in San Francisco and Los Angeles: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Salesforce will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.