Data & AI Capability Lead

Principality Building Society; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 69,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working

Inclusive, supportive culture

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Principality Building Society is seeking a strategic leader to shape data and AI capabilities across the organisation. You’ll set the vision and roadmap for our AI capability, turning emerging technologies into practical outcomes that improve decisions, services and efficiency.

You will build enterprise capabilities across generative AI, machine learning, intelligent automation and AI-enabled decision support, and drive responsible delivery with clear standards and guardrails.

Qualifications

• Experience shaping or delivering data, analytics or AI strategy and transformation.
• Strong understanding of data architecture and AI governance.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Set direction for the organisation-wide AI vision, strategy and roadmap.
• Build enterprise capabilities across generative AI, machine learning, intelligent automation and AI-enabled decision support.
• Develop standards, guardrails and reusable frameworks for safe and efficient AI delivery.
• Turn ideas into scalable AI products and services.
• Embed AI adoption across business processes and services with transformational change.
• Influence stakeholders across executive, business and technical teams.

Job description

Join us in a newly created role with the opportunity to shape how data and artificial intelligence create meaningful value across Principality. You'll set the vision and roadmap for our AI capability, turn emerging technology into practical outcomes, and help colleagues adopt responsible, scalable solutions that improve decisions, services and operational efficiency. What you'll be doing:

• Set direction: Define and own the organisation‑wide AI vision, strategy and roadmap, aligned with Principality's goals and priorities.
• Build capability: Establish enterprise capabilities across generative AI, machine learning, intelligent automation and AI‑enabled decision support.
• Enable responsible delivery: Develop clear standards, guardrails, reusable frameworks, patterns and accelerators for safe, efficient and consistent AI delivery.
• Turn ideas into value: Create scalable approaches to experimentation, innovation and AI product development, helping promising ideas progress into sustainable services.
• Embed adoption: Work across the organisation to integrate AI into business processes and services, supporting colleagues through transformational change.
• Influence and connect: Build trusted relationships across executive, business and technical teams, translating complex concepts into clear, practical choices.
• Measure impact: Define meaningful measures and KPIs for capability maturity, adoption, performance and value realisation.
• Guide decisions: Provide informed direction on data architecture, technology choices and operating models so that investment produces measurable outcomes.

What you can look forward to A place to belong with an award-winning employer that values inclusion and wellbeing:

• Flexible working - a hybrid approach with at least 8 days per month in the office.
• Collaborative culture - an encouraging environment where your ideas can make a real impact.
• Great benefits - supporting your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

We're looking for someone who can combine strategic thinking, credible technical knowledge and inclusive leadership. You may have gained your experience through different routes; what matters most is your ability to demonstrate the following:

• Experience shaping or delivering data, analytics or AI strategy and transformation.
• Strong understanding of data architecture, data platforms and AI solutions.
• Experience developing AI capabilities and working with a major cloud platform such as Azure, AWS or Google Cloud.
• Practical knowledge of AI governance, standards and guardrails, with an understanding of responsible adoption.
• Evidence of aligning technology initiatives with business priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Confidence communicating technical ideas in clear, accessible language for a range of audiences.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including working across matrix organisations without relying on direct authority.
• Experience defining KPIs and measuring adoption, performance, benefits and value realisation.
• An approach that encourages collaboration, curiosity, learning and sustainable change.

Helpful, but not essential

Formal study in data, computer science, mathematics, statistics or a related subject may be useful, but we also welcome equivalent professional experience and non-traditional career paths.

At Principality, we want you to feel welcome from the moment you join us. You'll be part of a friendly, supportive culture where people are encouraged to be themselves, do meaningful work and feel connected to our purpose, our customers and the communities we serve.

Cardiff | Hybrid | 35 hours per week | From £77,126 Shape the future of data and AI at Principality