---
title: 'Director of Data Engineering at WGSN'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-data-engineering-wgsn-london-cpt4hf397fdy'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-31'
---

# Director of Data Engineering at WGSN

- **Company:** WGSN
- **Location:** London, United Kingdom
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-21
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-31
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/wgsn/cc1f951e-c834-49f7-b9a3-b6d08d03e220

## Job description

Working at WGSN Together, we create tomorrow

A career with WGSN is fast-paced, exciting and full of opportunities to grow and develop. We're a team of consumer and design trend forecasters, content creators, designers, data analysts, advisory consultants and much more, united by a common goal: to create tomorrow.

WGSN's trusted consumer and design forecasts power outstanding product design, enabling our customers to create a better future. Our services cover consumer insights, beauty, consumer tech, fashion, interiors, lifestyle, food and drink forecasting, data analytics and expert advisory. If you are an expert in your field, we want to hear from you.

## About the Role

We're hiring a Director of Data Engineering to own WGSN's data platform: its architecture, its data models and how it runs day to day. You'll report to our Group Chief Data Officer, lead a team of five data engineers, and work closely with our Group Technology, Data Science and programme teams. At the heart of the role is the trend spine, the connected backbone that links trend signals, taxonomies, forecasts and content. Next year we launch an expanded social data product across TikTok, Reddit and Instagram, and after that we plan to rebuild the platform. You'll lead both, and lay the data foundations for the AI products that will sit on top.

## What You'll Do

Own data architecture and modelling across the WGSN platform Design and build the trend spine Integrate structured, semi-structured and unstructured data, from social and search signals to runway imagery and proprietary research Lead, develop and set standards for a team of five engineers, plus agency and contractor partners Lead architecture discussions with our Group Technology team Shape the planned platform rebuild, including stack, cost and vendor decisions Introduce AI-assisted and agentic engineering practices and build AI-ready data foundations Make sure the platform is reliable, well governed, GDPR compliant and cost effective

## What We're Looking For

Experience designing or substantially reshaping a data platform, with clear ownership of architecture and modelling decisions The technical depth and confidence to lead engineering and architecture conversations with senior technologists Data engineering leadership at a small to mid-size business, or at manager level in a larger organisation with real design ownership Hands-on experience with semi-structured and unstructured data alongside structured data A practical track record of using AI to change how your team builds

## Nice to Have

Snowflake, Databricks and AWS Embeddings, vector search, feature stores or knowledge graphs Taxonomy or ontology design Social, web-scale or licensed third-party data A background in media, information services, SaaS or e-commerce

## Experience

Around 10 or more years in data engineering, with at least four years leading engineers.

## About WGSN

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: The world’s leading consumer trend forecaster, helping brands stay ahead of the curve by predicting what’s next in fashion, beauty, interiors, food, and technology.
- **Entity Type**: Private (acquired by Apax Partners in October 2023)
- **Headquarters**: London, United Kingdom
- **Founded**: 1998
- **Founders**: Not publicly available

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Trend forecasting, consumer insights, data analytics, market intelligence for fashion, beauty & wellness, home & interiors, food & drink, consumer tech, CPG/FMCG, media & entertainment, sports & outdoors.
- **Target customers**: B2B – brands, retailers, manufacturers, and agencies (serves 53 of the world’s 100 largest brands).
- **Mission statement**: “To give businesses the vision, tools and inspiration to create tomorrow efficiently, successfully and sustainably.”

## Products & Services
- **TrendCurve AI**: AI-powered trend projections combining social signals, search data, shelf data (300M+ SKUs tracked daily), and catwalk imagery with analyst-in-the-loop validation.
- **STEPIC™ Framework**: Proprietary long-term consumer forecasting methodology blending quantitative and qualitative data across six pillars (Social, Technological, Economic, Political, Industry, Creative).
- **Expert Advisory & Consulting**: Custom research and strategic advisory delivered by 250+ in-house trend experts across the Americas, APAC, Europe, and Africa.
- **Data Analytics & Consumer Insights**: Bespoke consumer surveys, a 30M+ clickstream panel, and a unique Search Index built from 5+ years of digital marketplace and social data.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of $129.1M (LinkedIn estimate) and total funding of $20M.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Apax Partners (parent company since 2023); acquired Stylesight (2013) and International Wine & Spirit Research (2025).
- **Growth Signals**: 561–870 employees (reports vary); 0.1% YoY headcount growth; significant investment in AI and data science; new AI Transformation Manager role; expanding global footprint with offices in London, New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Melbourne, and São Paulo.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary data moat**: 25 years of trend archives, 300M+ daily SKU scans, 100K+ social posts monitored monthly, and a 30M+ consumer clickstream panel.
- **Analyst-in-the-loop system**: Combines machine-learning algorithms with expert human review to ensure high accuracy and actionable recommendations.
- **Global reach & trust**: 6,500+ clients across six continents, including 53 of the world’s 100 largest brands.
- **Multi-layered methodology**: From macro trends (STEPIC™) to product-level forecasts (TrendCurve), covering all time horizons.

## Strategic Focus
- **AI & data leadership**: Running a structured AI programme as a core value-creation lever, with dedicated roles like AI Transformation Manager and Senior Analytics Engineer.
- **Global account growth**: Hiring Global Account Managers for Greater China and expanding enterprise sales across EMEA and APAC.
- **Product innovation**: Continuously refining TrendCurve AI models and expanding data sources to improve forecast accuracy.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Fast-paced, collaborative environment centered on “Together, we create tomorrow.” Emphasis on innovation and trend-setting.
- **Work model**: Majority on-site (65%), with hybrid (29%) and remote (6%) options available. London HQ and offices in NYC, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Melbourne, and São Paulo.
- **Perks & benefits**: Company equity, fertility benefits, dental insurance, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), supplemental life insurance, and diversity-based Employee Resource Groups.
- **Engineering & data science culture**: Strong investment in AI/ML, with roles like Senior Analytics Engineer and AI Programme Manager – ideal for those who want to build cutting-edge data products in a creative industry.
- **Reviews**: 3.8/5 on LinkedIn (320 reviews) – culture rated 3.9, work-life balance 3.7, compensation 3.2, career opportunities 3.0.

## Sources
1. [wgsn.com](https://www.wgsn.com/en/wgsn) – Official company description, methodology, and industries served.
2. [linkedin.com](https://uk.linkedin.com/company/wgsn) – Company details, revenue, employee count, funding, acquisitions, and reviews.
3. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/wgsn) – Employee count, office locations, perks, and benefits.
4. [jobera.com](https://jobera.com/employer/wgsn/) – Current open positions, work model breakdown, and salary examples.
5. [jobs.lever.co](https://jobs.lever.co/wgsn) – Official careers page with job listings.

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