Product Director - Foundations & Data

Haven Holidays; Hemel Hempstead; Hybrid; GBP 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Discretionary annual bonus

20% discount on Haven holidays

Wellbeing support

Health Cash Plan

Learning and Development opportunities

Job summary

Haven Holidays is establishing an Enterprise AI capability and seeks a Product Director to lead it. This rare role builds the function from the ground up, shaping how Haven harnesses AI to deliver measurable operational value across the business.

Reporting to the CPTO, you will lead a team of Product Managers and Engineers organized into Pods, owning AI tooling foundations and intake governance. You will set the strategy, manage the operating budget, and deliver AI solutions with governance and

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading Product or Technology teams delivering AI, ML, or automation solutions in a commercial environment.
• Strong understanding of AI tools and their practical application in business operations, including generative AI concepts and governance.
• Ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams and manage a governance-heavy AI initiative.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the product strategy and roadmap for Enterprise AI, aligned to business demand and evidenced value.
• Establish and run the Pod operating model (PMs and Engineers), scaling capacity against proven demand.
• Own a transparent AI intake process, scoring opportunities on value, replicability, speed-to-value, sponsorship, and technical readiness.
• Lead embed-and-hand-back operating model: build, prove value, then transfer ownership to the business as daily operator.
• Coordinate with other Product Directors and engineering leads to complement the wider technology strategy.
• Champion AI capability at executive level, building governance and ensuring controlled adoption.

Skills

AI strategy

Product leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Governance

Stakeholder management

Tools

Generative AI

AI agents

Prompt engineering

Retrieval-augmented generation

Job description

Haven 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 Opportunity

• Define and execute the product strategy and roadmap for Enterprise AI, aligned to business demand and evidenced value
• Establish and run the Pod operating model (PM plus Engineers), scaling capacity against proven demand
• Own a transparent AI intake process, scoring opportunities on value, replicability, speed-to-value, sponsorship, and technical readiness
• Lead the embed-and-hand-back operating model: build, prove value under real use, then transfer ownership to the business as daily operator
• Deliver AI solutions iteratively within defined effort thresholds (Quick Wins, Standard, and Strategic pathways), routing larger initiatives into the core Product and Technology roadmap
• Coordinate closely with fellow Product Directors and engineering leads to ensure Enterprise AI complements the wider technology strategy without duplication
• Carry an explicit enablement responsibility, building AI literacy across the business through hands-on collaboration rather than training programmes
• Manage the operating budget of the Enterprise AI team and demonstrate measurable return through efficiency gains, time savings, and capability uplift
• Champion AI capability at executive level, building confidence, managing governance, and ensuring controlled adoption over shadow IT
• Proven experience leading Product or Technology teams delivering AI, ML, or automation solutions in a commercial environment
• Strong understanding of AI tools and their practical application in business operations, including generative AI, AI agents, prompt engineering, and retrieval-augmented generation
• A Product Management approach to AI initiatives, covering intake scoring, roadmap prioritisation, outcome measurement, and iterative delivery
• Confidence learning and evaluating new AI platforms, tools, and models to act as an informed buyer and operator
• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams with a followership approach over command-and-control management
• Awareness of data governance, cyber risk, and compliance requirements when deploying AI solutions
• Understanding of multi-site operating businesses and the diverse needs of head-office functions such as Operations, Legal, Marketing, Finance, and People
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess AI opportunities against value, replicability, and speed-to-value criteria
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including translating AI concepts for non-technical audiences and producing concise business cases and benefit reporting
• Ability to operate in ambiguity and lead effectively in a space where technology is evolving rapidly
• An enablement mindset that builds confidence and capability in others, with empathy for teams new to AI

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 Scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus
• 20% discount on both Haven and Warner Hotels holiday for you, family and friends
• One 4-night Haven break discounted 75%, per year
• Comprehensive wellbeing support
• Health Cash Plan
• 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)

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.

What 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)