Head of AI

Data Science Festival; City Of London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology organization in the UK is seeking a Head of AI to lead the strategic direction for AI adoption across the enterprise. This role requires proven leadership in AI strategy, excellent communication skills, and the ability to build and inspire teams. The successful candidate will drive the adoption of cutting-edge AI technologies and influence senior stakeholders. This position offers a competitive salary ranging from £100,000 to £150,000 plus bonus, with a hybrid working model.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in defining and delivering enterprise AI strategy, including GenAI.
• Strong understanding of AI platforms, MLOps, and modern AI tooling.
• Experience translating AI opportunities into commercially impactful use cases.

Responsibilities

• Set the enterprise AI strategy aligning capabilities with long-term business goals.
• Build, lead, and inspire a new AI organization.
• Drive adoption of generative and operational AI across business areas.
• Influence senior stakeholders on AI's commercial leverage.

Skills

Leadership in enterprise AI strategy

Understanding of AI platforms and MLOps

Ability to translate AI opportunities

Exceptional communication skills

Team building and organisational development

Job description

Head of AI

Salary: £100,000 – £150,000 + bonus

Location: London/Hybrid

Data Idols are partnering with a major UK brand undergoing a significant enterprise-wide transformation, placing AI at the centre of its long-term business and technology strategy. This is a pivotal, newly created leadership role with the remit to define, influence, and drive the organisation’s entire AI agenda.

The Opportunity

As Head of AI, you will shape the strategic direction for how AI, including generative, agentic, and operational AI, is adopted, governed, and scaled across the organisation. You’ll create and lead a high-impact AI function that brings together existing ML, AI Ops, and emerging AI capabilities under a clear, unified strategy.

This role is about vision, influence, and enterprise-wide impact. You’ll work closely with executive stakeholders to identify where AI can deliver meaningful commercial value, create commercial advantage, and transform customer and operational experiences. You will champion the responsible and strategic adoption of AI, ensuring cutting‑edge technologies translate into measurable outcomes.

While you’ll have a strong technical grounding, this is not a hands‑on research or engineering position. Instead, you’ll provide strategic leadership, ensuring the right capabilities, standards, and governance structures are in place to successfully deliver AI at scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the enterprise AI strategy, aligning AI capabilities with long‑term business goals
• Build, lead, and inspire a new AI organisation, consolidating and uplifting existing teams
• Drive adoption of generative, agentic, and advanced operational AI across diverse business areas
• Influence senior stakeholders and guide the organisation on where and how AI can create real commercial leverage

Skills and Experience

• Proven leadership in defining and delivering enterprise AI strategy, including GenAI
• Strong understanding of AI platforms, MLOps, and modern AI tooling (without needing to be hands‑on)
• Experience translating AI opportunities into commercially impactful use cases at scale
• Exceptional communication, influence, and stakeholder engagement skills, able to operate confidently at senior levels
• Demonstrated ability to build new teams and uplift organisational capability

If you are motivated by shaping the future of AI within a major organisation and leading an agenda with significant executive visibility and impact, please submit your CV for initial screening.