AI Tech Development Manager

Marks & Spencer Plc; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in the UK is searching for an AI Technology & Engineering Manager to lead their AI technology initiatives. This role involves defining the strategy, solving business challenges with AI, and managing a team for scalable solutions. Candidates should demonstrate visionary leadership, strategic AI expertise, and a proactive attitude. Benefits include a colleague discount, discretionary bonuses, and comprehensive wellbeing support.

Benefits

20% colleague discount

Competitive holiday entitlement

Discretionary bonus schemes

Defined Contribution Pension Scheme

Extensive training programmes

Wellbeing support

Charity volunteer day

Qualifications

• Visionary leadership with experience in high-performing AI teams.
• Deep understanding of AI within the data landscape.
• Ability to influence cross-functional partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Define the technical vision for AI at M&S.
• Apply AI to solve important business challenges.
• Lead a team delivering scalable AI solutions.

Skills

Leadership

AI Expertise

Proactivity

Collaboration

Job description

We are seeking a highly skilled and visionary AI Technology & Engineering Manager to lead the build of our AI technology initiatives within the Data & AI department. This role combines strategic leadership with hands‑on technical oversight, responsible for building, scaling, and maintaining AI systems that drive data‑driven decision‑making and intelligent automation across the organisation.

What’s in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Benefits

• After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third‑party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry‑leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you’re passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

What you’ll do

• Define the Strategy – Shape and lead the technical vision for how M&S will harness AI to drive enterprise‑wide productivity and innovation.
• Solve Business Challenges – Apply AI to address real business problems, enabling teams to self‑serve insights and solutions wherever possible.
• Build Scalable Solutions – Lead and manage a team delivering AI solutions, whether developed in‑house or sourced externally, at scale across M&S.
• Design the Operating Model – Establish a scalable and adaptable operating model encompassing people, processes, and technology to support rapid evolution.
• Drive Continuous Improvement – Champion a culture of steadfast efficiency, embedding AI into every facet of operations to unlock ongoing value.

Who you are

• Proactive Attitude – A dynamic, high‑energy leader with a contagious enthusiasm for pushing technological boundaries to elevate business performance.
• Visionary Leadership – A seasoned leader with a validated ability to build and lead high‑performing AI‑focused teams from the ground up.
• Strategic AI Expertise – Deep conceptual understanding of AI within the data landscape, with the confidence to challenge and guide technology decisions that deliver maximum value to M&S.
• Industry Insight – Extraordinarily well‑connected to the constantly evolving AI ecosystem, staying ahead of market trends and emerging innovations.
• Collaborative Influence – Skilled at encouraging cross‑functional partnerships to unite top talent around solving complex business challenges through AI driven solutions.

Everyone’s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re redefining, innovating and leading the industry into a more diligent, inspiring digital era. We’re reconsidering how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers.

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

Support & Reasonable Adjustments

If you feel you’d benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.