Senior director of ai and data strategy

Location: Cambridge, United Kingdom

Time Type: Full time

Job Requisition ID: R1312082

Job Description

We are seeking a hands‑on strategic and results‑driven Senior Director of AI and Data Strategy to lead the development and execution of artificial intelligence initiatives within Abcam. This position excludes scientific R&D and drug discovery responsibilities and instead focuses on enabling commercial excellence and supply chain resiliency through advanced analytics, generative AI, machine learning, and intelligent automation. The individual leader will drive enterprise‑scale AI adoption focused on operational efficiency, demand forecasting, customer engagement, revenue optimization, inventory management, and business process transformation.

This position reports to the Chief Digital Officer and is key member of the global Abcam Digital Department. The Senior Director will work closely with executive leadership, Commercial, Supply Chain, IT, Data & Analytics, Finance, and Operations teams to identify high‑value opportunities, implement scalable AI capabilities, and establish governance frameworks that ensure responsible and measurable AI adoption, data strategy and execution. As such, this is a hybrid position with requirement to attend Abcam locations on a weekly basis. At Abcam, our vision is to be the most influential life sciences company for researchers worldwide.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Develop and execute an enterprise AI roadmap focused on Commercial Operations and Supply Chain transformation with measurable impact
• Lead AI initiatives across sales, marketing, customer success, market intelligence, and commercial analytics
• Drive intelligent automation and generative AI adoption to enhance workflows, sales enablement, customer communications, and knowledge management
• Define and deliver the enterprise data strategy, including governance, integration, and data standards
• Identify and prioritise high‑impact AI use cases (e.g. forecasting, customer insight, pricing, inventory optimisation, logistics, sales effectiveness)
• Establish AI governance frameworks aligned with regulatory, privacy, cybersecurity, and quality requirements
• Partner with IT and Data teams on AI architecture and tooling, while managing vendors and strategic technology partnerships

The essential requirements of the job include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field
• 12+ years of leadership experience in AI, RPA, and digital transformation
• Proven experience delivering AI or advanced analytics solutions in supply chain and/or commercial environments
• Experience within B2B and/or FMCG industries
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional, enterprise‑wide transformation initiatives
• Strong influencing capability with executive stakeholders and ability to challenge and collaborate at all levels
• Combines strategic thinking with hands‑on execution and thrives in fast‑paced, evolving environments

Join our winning team today. Together, we’ll accelerate the real‑life impact of tomorrow’s science and technology. We partner across the globe to help customers solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring the power of science to life.