Data and AI Lead

Artificial intelligence is only as powerful as the practical value it unlocks.

Our client, a leading financial services organisation, is seeking an experienced and visionary Data and AI Lead to lead the development and execution of its enterprise-wide AI strategy.

Salary: £80,000 per annum + Benefits

Location: Cardiff (Hybrid) 2 days per week

You will sit at the intersection of technology, data and business strategy, translating emerging AI capabilities into practical solutions that improve decision-making, operational efficiency, customer outcomes and long-term organisational capability.

Key Responsibilities

• Define, champion and execute the organisation’s enterprise-wide AI strategy and transformation roadmap, ensuring initiatives are closely aligned with commercial and strategic priorities.
• Lead the development of capabilities across generative AI, machine learning and intelligent automation, moving ideas from experimentation through to scalable, production-ready solutions.
• Establish robust AI governance, ethical frameworks, controls and guardrails appropriate for a highly regulated financial services environment.
• Guide architectural and technology decisions across data platforms, data engineering, cloud infrastructure and enterprise AI solutions.
• Work closely with senior executives, technology leaders, data teams, operational stakeholders and other business functions to identify opportunities and drive successful adoption.
• Translate complex AI and technology concepts into clear business decisions, investment priorities and actionable roadmaps.
• Define meaningful KPIs and maturity measures to assess adoption, operational performance, return on investment and wider business value.
• Build sustainable internal AI capability, helping teams understand where AI can add value and establishing reusable approaches, standards and delivery patterns.

Required Skills & Experience

• A strong track record of leading AI strategy, data transformation or large-scale technology change within a complex enterprise environment.
• Deep understanding of data architecture, enterprise data platforms and the end-to-end delivery of AI and machine learning solutions.
• Practical experience developing or deploying AI capabilities using major cloud platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud Platform.
• Strong knowledge of AI governance, responsible AI, model risk, ethical standards and enterprise-grade controls.
• Experience operating within regulated environments, ideally financial services, banking, insurance or a similarly governed sector.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to operate effectively across executive, technical and operational audiences.
• The ability to balance innovation with security, regulatory, operational and commercial considerations.
• Strong experience defining KPIs and demonstrating the tangible business value generated by technology and AI investment.

Nice to Have

• Previous experience leading AI or data transformation within financial services.
• Knowledge of financial services regulation, risk management, compliance and data governance.
• A degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics or a related discipline, although equivalent professional experience and non-traditional career paths are equally welcomed.
• Experience creating reusable AI delivery frameworks, patterns, accelerators or decision-support capabilities.
• Experience establishing an AI Centre of Excellence or similar enterprise capability.

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a significant AI transformation mandate within an established financial services organisation.

You will have the autonomy and senior-level backing to shape the organisation’s AI strategy, influence critical technology and architectural decisions, and build trusted AI capabilities that deliver measurable improvements across the business.

Rather than focusing solely on experimentation, the role is centred around making AI genuinely useful, scalable and responsible across the enterprise.

This is a permanent, full-time position offering hybrid working within the United Kingdom.

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role.