Head of AI

Data Idols; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Data Science Festival is seeking a Head of AI to lead and shape the AI strategy within a major UK brand. This pivotal role involves defining how AI is governed and adopted across the organisation, creating a high-impact AI function, and working closely with executive stakeholders.

The successful candidate will have proven leadership in enterprise AI strategy, understanding of AI platforms, and exceptional communication skills. This hybrid position offers a salary between £140,000 and £170,000 plus bonuses.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leadership roles focused on AI strategy.
• Strong understanding of AI capabilities without being hands-on.
• Track record of creating commercially viable AI use cases.

Responsibilities

• Set the enterprise AI strategy and alignment with business goals.
• Build and lead a new AI organisation.
• Drive the adoption of advanced operational AI.
• Influence stakeholders on AI's commercial applications.

Skills

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

Exceptional communication and influence skills

Demonstrated ability to build new teams

Job description

Head of AI

Salary: £140,000 - £170,000 + 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 competitive 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.