Lead, Finance Analytics & Enablement AI/ML

About The Role

Hopper is looking for a Lead, Finance Analytics & Enablement AI/ML to own our data warehouse, business intelligence, GCP/AI optimization, and Finance AI enablement strategy. You will be a key business partner across the organization, managing partner relationships across a broad range of commercial arrangements, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer.

What Would Your Day-Today Look Like?

• Provide actionable insights to drive business decisions based on finance and data analytics
• Own the data warehouse strategy, governance and execution of the finance ledger
• Create and lead a Center of Excellence for reporting including owning infrastructure and metrics across finance and the business units
• Create, own, implement and track success of the Finance AI automation roadmap in partnership with FP&A, accounting and data
• Establish data pipeline and AI model foundation
• Optimize our GCP infrastructure costs in partnership with engineering and Financial Operations
• Establish Finance as the single source of truth for financial and business performance and create self-service analytics for key stakeholders
• Manage a team of 4 engineers and 1 finance and strategy manager
• Establish internal controls and support external audits related to data governance

An Ideal Candidate

• Has work experience of 15+ years in travel and/or SaaS
• Bachelor's Degree, with a strong preference for a Master's degree or equivalent experience
• Engineering background preferred
• Fluency in SQL, Python, GCP and Data Science, hands-on coding ability
• Understanding of LLM-based systems, prompt design, and AI model evaluation frameworks
• Familiarity with automation frameworks and observability tools (Amplitude, Datadog, Looker) to assess reliability and performance
• Strong data reconciliation skills across large, multi-source datasets
• A bias toward first-principles thinking — questioning assumptions, stress-testing processes, and always asking why something works the way it does
• A clear communicator with senior leadership and external partners
• "Comfort with ambiguity and ground-zero building"

Nice to Have Background

• Background at a high-growth technology or marketplace company
• Experience working cross-functionally with data engineering or warehouse teams

Perks and Benefits of Working with Us

• Well-funded and proven startup with large ambitions, competitive salary and the upsides of pre-IPO equity packages
• Unlimited PTO
• Carrot Cash travel stipend
• Access to co-working space on demand through FlexDesk AND Work-from-home stipend
• Please ask us about our very generous parental leave, much above industry standards!

More About Hopper

• At Hopper, we are on a mission to become the leading travel platform globally – powering Hopper’s mobile app, website and our B2B business, HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions).
• We leverage massive amounts of data and advanced machine learning algorithms to combine our world-class travel agency offering with proprietary fintech products to bring transparency, flexibility and savings to travelers globally.
• We have developed several unique fintech solutions that address everything from pricing volatility to trip disruptions – helping people travel better and save more on their trips.
• The Hopper app has been downloaded over 120 million times and has become largely popular among younger travelers – with 70% of its users being Gen Z and millennials.
• While everyone knows us as the Gen Z and Millennial travel app, Hopper has evolved to become much more than that. In recent years, we’ve grown into a travel fintech provider, commerce platform, and global travel agency that powers some of the world’s largest brands.
• Through HTS, any travel provider (airlines, hotels, banks, travel agencies, etc.) can integrate and seamlessly distribute Hopper’s fintech or travel inventory on their direct channels.
• As its first HTS partnership, the company partnered with Capital One to co-develop Capital One Travel, a new travel portal designed specifically for cardholders.
• Other HTS partners include Air Canada, Uber, CommBank, Nubank, Flair Airlines and many more.
• Hopper has been named the #1 most innovative company in travel by Fast Company.
• Hopper has been downloaded over 120 million times and continues to have millions of new installs each month.
• Hopper is now the #3 largest online travel agencies in North America and 70% of our app customers are Gen-Z and millennials travelers.
• Hopper has raised over $750 million USD of private capital and is backed by some of the largest institutional investors and banks in the world.
• HTS is primed to continue its growth as the leading travel ecommerce provider in a $1 trillion online shopping category.
• The Hopper app and website will also continue to be the preferred travel provider for Gen Z and Millennials.

Come Take Off With Us!

• We leverage AI-driven tools to assist our team in efficiently reviewing applications. These tools help us assess qualifications fairly and objectively.
• By submitting your application, you acknowledge the use of these automated screening technologies.

Compensation Range

$400K - $500K