Product Director - Foundations & Data

Leisure Employment Services; Dacorum; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance and buy scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Hotel discounts for Haven/Warner

Staff break incentives (4‑night Haven)

Wellbeing support and health plan

Learning & development opportunities

Exclusive corporate partner discounts

Job summary

Haven is establishing a new Enterprise AI capability. We seek a Product Director to define the strategy and lead a Pod of PMs and Engineers converting AI demand into measurable operational outcomes.

You will govern intake, drive rapid wins and strategic initiatives, and partner with executive leaders across Operations, Legal, Marketing, Finance and People. You will own the AI roadmap, enablement, and governance while managing the budget and delivering efficiency gains and capability uplift

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading Product/Tech teams delivering AI/ML solutions in commercial environments.
• Understanding of AI tools and practical business applications (generative AI, agents, retrieval‑augmented generation).
• A Product Management approach to AI initiatives: intake scoring, roadmaps, outcomes, iter delivery.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the product strategy and roadmap for Enterprise AI.
• Establish and run the Pod operating model with PMs and Engineers.
• Own a transparent AI intake process with value, replicability, and speed‑to‑value scoring.
• Lead embed‑and‑hand‑back model: build, prove value, transfer ownership.
• Deliver AI solutions iteratively; route larger initiatives to core roadmap.
• Coordinate with other Product Directors to complement the tech strategy.
• Build AI literacy and enablement across the business.
• Manage the Enterprise AI budget and demonstrate measurable ROI.
• Champion AI governance and controlled adoption at executive level.

Skills

AI leadership

Product management

Cross-functional leadership

Generative AI

Prompt engineering

Roadmap prioritisation

Value delivery

Executive stakeholder management

Governance awareness

Data governance awareness

Tools

AI platforms

Retrieval augmented generation

Job description

Product Director, Enterprise AIHybrid, Hemel HempsteadPermanent | Full TimeCompetitive salary + bonus and benefitsAbout the roleHaven is establishing a new Enterprise AI capability, and we are looking for a Product Director to lead it. This is a rare opportunity to build a function from the ground up, shape how one of the UK's leading holiday operators harnesses AI, and deliver measurable operational value across the entire business.Reporting to the CPTO, you will lead a dedicated team of Product Managers and Engineers, organised into Pods, whose remit is to convert AI demand from across Haven into real operational outcomes. You will own the common foundations of general-use AI tooling, run a transparent intake and prioritisation process, and act as the visible executive champion of controlled, high-impact AI adoption.This is an director-level role sitting at the intersection of technology strategy, business operations, and enablement. You will work hand in hand with senior leaders across Operations, Legal, Marketing, Finance, and People, ensuring AI is deployed with governance and confidence rather than left to fragmented experimentation.Your OpportunityDefine and execute the product strategy and roadmap for Enterprise AI, aligned to business demand and evidenced valueEstablish and run the Pod operating model (PM plus Engineers), scaling capacity against proven demandOwn a transparent AI intake process, scoring opportunities on value, replicability, speed-to-value, sponsorship, and technical readinessLead the embed-and-hand-back operating model: build, prove value under real use, then transfer ownership to the business as daily operatorDeliver AI solutions iteratively within defined effort thresholds (Quick Wins, Standard, and Strategic pathways), routing larger initiatives into the core Product and Technology roadmapCoordinate closely with fellow Product Directors and engineering leads to ensure Enterprise AI complements the wider technology strategy without duplicationCarry an explicit enablement responsibility, building AI literacy across the business through hands-on collaboration rather than training programmesManage the operating budget of the Enterprise AI team and demonstrate measurable return through efficiency gains, time savings, and capability upliftChampion AI capability at executive level, building confidence, managing governance, and ensuring controlled adoption over shadow ITWhat we’d like you to bringProven experience leading Product or Technology teams delivering AI, ML, or automation solutions in a commercial environmentStrong understanding of AI tools and their practical application in business operations, including generative AI, AI agents, prompt engineering, and retrieval-augmented generationA Product Management approach to AI initiatives, covering intake scoring, roadmap prioritisation, outcome measurement, and iterative deliveryConfidence learning and evaluating new AI platforms, tools, and models to act as an informed buyer and operatorProven experience leading cross-functional teams with a followership approach over command-and-control managementAwareness of data governance, cyber risk, and compliance requirements when deploying AI solutionsUnderstanding of multi-site operating businesses and the diverse needs of head-office functions such as Operations, Legal, Marketing, Finance, and PeopleExcellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess AI opportunities against value, replicability, and speed-to-value criteriaExcellent written and verbal communication skills, including translating AI concepts for non-technical audiences and producing concise business cases and benefit reportingAbility to operate in ambiguity and lead effectively in a space where technology is evolving rapidlyAn enablement mindset that builds confidence and capability in others, with empathy for teams new to AIWhy Haven?Haven is the UK's leading holiday operator, welcoming around 4 million guests every year to our 38 parks and 3 exclusive owners-only sites. From Scotland to Cornwall, Norfolk to Wales, our parks are dotted along some of the most breath-taking parts of the great British coastline.A career here is more than just a job. We're one great team of up to 12,500 during peak season, united by a passion for creating experiences and memories that last a lifetime for guests, owners and each other. It's what we call our Breath of Fresh Air culture: valuing and supporting every team member to be their authentic self and putting people at the heart of every decision we make.We operate hybrid working with a minimum of 3 days per week at a business location (i.e. our head office in Hemel or at our park locations as agreed) and trust our team to balance work and life commitments in line with business needs and core hours.What's In It For You?25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays + Holiday Buy SchemeDiscretionary annual bonus20% discount on both Haven and Warner Hotels holiday for you, family and friendsOne 4-night Haven break discounted 75%, per yearComprehensive wellbeing supportHealth Cash PlanExclusive discounts with corporate partnersExciting career pathways, including Learning and Development opportunities such as Apprenticeships and DegreesEnhanced family friendly policies and pay (eligibility criteria applied)What can you expect during the recruitment process?Our interview process depends on the role but is up to 3 stages and may contain a presentation or skills test.Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and they are central to our mission. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries and we are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments or flexibility that you may require, including whether a role can be part-time or a job-share.We genuinely care about every candidate's experience during the recruitment process and are here to provide support where we can. If you require any assistance or reasonable adjustments while applying, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [e-mail] We Offer- Holiday allowance that rises with service, plus a ‘Holiday Buy Scheme’- Annual bonus- 20% discount on both Haven and Warner Hotels holiday for you, family and friends- Comprehensive wellbeing support- Access to the Bourne Leisure corporate box at the O2 Arena ,London- Exclusive discounts with corporate partners- Exciting career pathways, including Learning and Development opportunities such as Apprenticeships and Degrees- Enhanced family friendly policies and pay (eligibility criteria applied)How to ApplyWe’re committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, and we encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply.To get started, click apply now and answer a few quick questions, which should take 5 minutes. Once submitted, a member of our team will be in touch.