Head of AI – Recruitment Brief (2025 Update)
Head of AI is seeking exceptional leaders to join our network of fractional Heads of AI. Our mission is to help mid-market companies (£20m–£500m turnover) evolve into AI-enabled organisations – embedding AI strategically across their operations, products, and decision-making. We are looking for individuals who combine deep technical fluency with board-level leadership, capable of guiding organisations as they adopt and scale the new era of generative and agentic AI.
We recognise that few professionals have completed a full AI transformation. Therefore, we seek leaders with proven experience in digital, data, or business transformation who are now applying that expertise to AI-led change. You understand how to translate ambition into action — guiding organisations through the cultural, operational, and governance shifts needed to unlock AI’s potential.
What We Are Looking For
AI-Driven Business Transformation Leaders:
Proven experience leading complex transformation programmes where technology, data, and innovation reshaped business performance. Able to apply that experience to the generative AI era — guiding organisations through the shifts required to become AI-enabled businesses. Can connect earlier digital or automation expertise with today’s agentic and generative AI capabilities.
Deep Technical Fluency:
Fluent in modern AI ecosystems including generative AI, agentic systems, AI copilots, and orchestration frameworks (e.g. LangChain, AutoGen, CrewAI). Understands how to combine traditional ML and analytics with emerging AI architectures to deliver measurable commercial value. Evolved beyond a purely data science or analytics focus — can bridge data foundations with GenAI strategy, agentic systems, and organisational enablement. Can lead technical reviews and guide delivery teams even if not coding daily.
C-Suite and Board-Level Communicators:
Able to simplify complex AI topics for executives and align AI investments to business strategy. Confident advising CEOs, CTOs, and Boards on strategic implications, risk, and ROI.
Change Leaders:
Strong stakeholder engagement and ability to drive adoption. Skilled in mentoring internal teams, developing AI literacy, and ensuring responsible AI practice. Understands human-in-the-loop design and the organisational shifts required for AI success.
Entrepreneurial Mindset:
Thrives in ambiguity and fast-paced environments. Curious about new AI tooling and pragmatic about implementation. Focused on delivering measurable client outcomes through experimentation and iteration.
What we are not Looking For:
* Legacy executives (e.g. ex-CTO/CDO/CIO) without hands-on AI or GenAI understanding.
* Academic or research-focused professionals without applied business outcomes.
* Technologists who lack leadership or transformation delivery experience.
* Consultants who only advise but have not led execution or implementation teams.
* Corporate-only leaders reliant on large structures to operate effectively.
Desired Profile Summary
The ideal candidate will serve as a Fractional Head of AI / AI-Driven Transformation Leader, focused on helping mid-market organisations (£20m–£500m turnover) design and execute end-to-end AI strategies, roadmaps, execution plans, and governance frameworks. They will bring 10–20+ years of experience across AI, data, digital, or product innovation, demonstrating a proven ability to translate technology into measurable business outcomes.
They are experienced AI, digital, or data transformation leaders — such as former Heads of Data Science, CAIOs, or AI Strategy Leads — who have evolved beyond model development into organisational change and value delivery. Candidates with a data science foundation are welcome, provided they exhibit fluency in modern AI technologies (LLMs, copilots, orchestration frameworks) and possess strategic influence at the executive level.
They embody an entrepreneurial, adaptable, outcome-oriented, and collaborative mindset, thriving in fractional engagements typically spanning 1–5 days per week across multiple clients.
Self-Scoring Framework
Please self-score your capability in each area from 1 (developing) to 5 (expert). Provide short examples or evidence for each criterion that demonstrate your leadership in technology-driven change and your understanding of how to apply that experience to the new era of AI.
Strategic Leadership for AI-Driven Change
Has led or architected digital, data, or business transformation programmes and can demonstrate a clear understanding of how to apply that experience to AI-led change. Understands how to prioritise AI use cases, structure governance, and integrate new capabilities into business models.
Technical Credibility
Deep understanding of modern AI ecosystems – including generative AI, agentic systems, AI copilots, RAG, orchestration tools (LangChain, AutoGen, CrewAI), and vector databases. Able to design AI-enabled solution architectures and guide technical teams. Combines classical data science literacy with applied experience in new-generation AI tooling and architectures.
Business & Change Leadership
Proven ability to engage executive teams, secure investment, and manage adoption. Experienced in embedding AI literacy, ethics, and compliance into organisational frameworks.
Commercial Acumen
Can link AI outcomes directly to P&L results. Builds business cases and measures financial returns of AI initiatives.
Culture & Fit (Fractional Leadership)
Thrives in multi-client portfolio work. Entrepreneurial and collaborative. Aligned with Head of AI’s values of empowerment, innovation, and measurable impact.
We welcome applications from professionals who have led significant transformation initiatives and are ready to bring that expertise into the AI era. If you are passionate about helping businesses harness AI responsibly and at scale, we’d love to hear from you.