Head of Data & AI Permanent Opportunity Ipswich, UK (Hybrid 3 days in office) Visa Sponsorship not available We are partnering with a well-established organisation based in Ipswich, UK, undergoing a major data and AI transformation.
Candidates should take the time to read all the elements of this job advert carefully Please make your application promptly.
They are seeking a highly skilled and visionary Head of Data & AI to lead the transition into a truly data-driven and AI-empowered enterprise.
This is a senior leadership contract role responsible for defining and delivering a comprehensive Data & AI strategy, embedding advanced analytics capabilities, and ensuring AI is deployed responsibly, securely, and at scale across the organisation.
The Opportunity The successful candidate will own the end-to-end Data & AI agenda, ensuring data becomes a strategic asset that drives insight, innovation, and competitive advantage.
You will hold accountability for: AI and advanced analytics Reporting and business intelligence Data engineering Data governance Data platforms and infrastructure This role requires both strategic vision and hands-on leadership capability to drive execution across a team of 10-15 data professionals.
Key Responsibilities Strategy & Leadership Define and execute a comprehensive Data & AI strategy aligned to business objectives.
Identify high-impact opportunities where data and AI can drive growth and efficiency.
Plan, manage, and optimise the Data & AI function budget.
Lead and develop a high-performing Data & AI team (10-15 professionals).
Foster a culture of experimentation, continuous improvement, and responsible AI adoption.
Artificial Intelligence Lead AI innovation across the organisation.
Oversee design, development, and deployment of AI/ML models and advanced analytics solutions.
Drive operationalisation of AI from proof-of-concept through to production-scale systems and AI agents.
Establish and chair AI governance forums, embedding ethics, compliance, and risk management.
Reporting & Analytics Drive data-led decision-making at executive and operational levels.
Deliver scalable, accessible analytics capabilities.
Enable insight-driven performance management frameworks.
Data Architecture, Platforms & Engineering Lead transition to modern, scalable, and resilient data platforms.
Oversee secure, reliable, and scalable data pipeline architecture.
Ensure robust implementation and operation of secure data infrastructure.
Data Governance Implement strong governance frameworks covering stewardship, metadata, and privacy controls.
Champion best practice in data quality, lineage, and lifecycle management.
Stakeholder Engagement Build strong relationships with senior business leaders and key partners.
Translate complex business challenges into actionable AI and analytics solutions.
Promote self-service data and AI communities across business and technical teams. xsngvjr
Bring external insights and innovation into the organisation.
To Apply If you're an experienced Data leaderwhere you can build something from the ground up, we'd love to hear from you.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.