Principal Specialist - AI Governance

AXA; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A major international insurance firm is seeking a Principal Specialist in AI Governance based in London. In this role, you will implement and maintain AI governance frameworks, ensuring compliance across various teams. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong stakeholder engagement and expertise in data privacy regulations, especially GDPR. You will contribute to the evolution of AI policies, collaborate with product owners, data scientists, and risk teams to ensure alignment with strategic objectives. This position offers a dynamic work environment and opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Dynamic and collaborative work environment

Qualifications

• Proven expertise in developing AI governance frameworks.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and facilitation.
• Strong understanding of data privacy regulations such as GDPR.

Responsibilities

• Implement and maintain AI governance standards.
• Lead risk assessments and develop AI procedures.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for effective governance.

Skills

Customer Centricity

Strategic Solutioning

Resilience

Growth Mindset

Influencing

Performance Excellence

Education

Relevant degree or certification

Tools

Agile practices

Data Governance frameworks

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)

Job description

Principal Specialist - AI Governance

London, UK

This advert will close: 28/11/2025

AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

This role will report to AI Governance Lead.

What you'll be doing

• AI Governance Framework Implementation: Demonstrate expertise in developing, executing, and maintaining AI governance standards, providing strategic advice to business units on compliance and best practices.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Facilitation: Exhibit effective facilitation skills by establishing governance forums, leading stakeholder meetings, documenting outcomes, and tracking action items to ensure timely resolution.
• Reporting & Communication: Effectively communicate scope and scale of AI governance initiatives through comprehensive reporting aligned with organisational support structures.
• Risk Management & Assessment: Lead AI risk assessments, develop AI procedures, and maintain an up-to-date AI inventory to identify and mitigate potential AI-related risks.
• Framework Maintenance & Support: Ensure ongoing compliance and alignment of AI governance frameworks with AI solution development processes, supporting continuous improvement.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with diverse teams including Product Owners, Data Scientists, Security, Legal, Procurement, and Risk Management to coordinate AI governance efforts.
• Policy & Regulatory Compliance: Support the evolution of AI policies by integrating new governance controls driven by regulatory changes or internal standards.
• Data & Reporting Analytics: Maintain accurate AI inventories and generate reports to track AI governance KPIs and metrics, supporting data-driven decision-making.
• AI Risk & Control Advisory: Provide guidance on AI risk tiering, risk definitions, and the application and testing of AI controls to ensure effective risk mitigation.
• Artefacts & Documentation Management: Maintain comprehensive governance artefacts and AI inventories, ensuring documentation supports audit readiness and compliance.
• Stakeholder Partnership & Compliance: Partner with teams across Technology, Risk, Data Protection, and Security to ensure AI products meet compliance, resilience, and audit standards.
• Performance Metrics & Strategic Support: Contribute to the development of AI KPIs/KRIs that align with and support AXA XL strategic objectives.
• Customer-Centric Approach: Promote a customer-first mindset by balancing process improvements with stakeholder needs and organisational goals.
• Communication & Negotiation: Utilise effective presentation and negotiation skills to communicate risks effectively, facilitating stakeholder understanding, prioritisation, and resource allocation.

What you'll bring

At AXA XL, we view individuals holistically through their People, Business, and Technical Skills. We're interested in what you bring, how you think, and your potential for growth. We value diverse perspectives, recognising that each person contributes uniquely to our team's success.

People Skills

• Customer Centricity
  • Promoting a customer-first mindset by balancing process improvements with stakeholder needs and organisational goals.
  • Partnering with teams across Technology, Risk, Data Protection, and Security to ensure AI products meet compliance, resilience, and audit standards.
• Strategic Solutioning
  • Developing and maintaining AI governance frameworks to support AI solution development.
  • Supporting the evolution of AI policies by integrating new governance controls driven by regulatory or internal standards.
• Resilience
  • Leading AI risk assessments and developing procedures to identify and mitigate AI-related risks.
  • Ensuring ongoing compliance and alignment of AI frameworks with organizational standards, promoting resilience in AI operations.
• Growth Mindset
  • Supporting the ongoing evolution of AI governance, policies, and controls in response to external regulatory changes and internal requirements.
  • Contributing to the development of AI KPIs/KRIs to support strategic growth and continuous improvement.
• Influencing
  • Facilitating stakeholder meetings, presenting risks, and negotiating to ensure alignment and appropriate prioritisation.
  • Advising on AI controls, risk tiering, and governance approaches to influence decision-making and resource allocation.
• Performance Excellence
  • Maintaining comprehensive governance artefacts, AI inventories, and reports to ensure audit readiness and continuous improvement in governance processes.
  • Driving efficiency across governance processes to reduce overhead and improve delivery times.

Business Skills

• Business & Insurance Acumen
  • Understanding the implications of AI governance within the broader business and insurance context.
  • Supporting compliance with internal and external regulations affecting AI solutions.
• Project Planning
  • Establishing governance forums, managing stakeholder meetings, tracking actions, and ensuring the timely resolution of governance activities.
  • Coordinating across various teams to ensure AI governance initiatives are delivered effectively.
• Stakeholder Management
  • Building established relationships with Product Owners, Data Scientists, Legal, Procurement, Risk, and other stakeholders to facilitate collaboration.
  • Partnering with stakeholders to conduct AI definitions, risk assessments, and ensure governance controls are applied effectively.

Technical Skills

Core Technical Skills:

• Data Governance & Controls: Proven expertise in data governance frameworks, controls, and practices to ensure data quality, privacy, and compliance.
• Agile Methodologies: Practical knowledge of Agile frameworks and practices to facilitate flexible and efficient project delivery.
• Data Privacy Regulations (GDPR): Deep understanding of GDPR and other relevant data privacy laws, including how they impact AI governance and data handling.
• Cloud Technologies & AI Capabilities: Knowledge of cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and their AI/ML offerings, understanding how these support AI development and deployment.
• Risk Mitigation & Tracking: Ability to develop and monitor risk mitigation plans, report on progress, and ensure risks are managed effectively.
• Understanding of AI Development & Adoption: Passionate about AI lifecycle, including development, deployment, ethical considerations, and responsible AI practices.
• Process Optimisation in Tech: Experience in leveraging technology to improve operational processes, ensuring efficient and effective delivery of business value.
• Project Management & Continuous Improvement: Skilled in managing projects, applying analytical skills, and utilising continuous improvement frameworks to enhance processes and outcomes.

Desired Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of Commercial Lines Insurance: Understanding of insurance products, especially within commercial lines, to contextualise AI applications.
• 3 Lines of Defence Governance: Familiarity with risk management and control frameworks, ensuring effective governance and accountability.
• Strategic Data Team Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work within strategic data teams, emphasising data quality, integrity, and strategic value.