Head of AI and Automation

About Eastside Co:

Eastside Co is a leading Shopify Plus Partner Agency specialising in ecommerce website design, development, and marketing solutions. We collaborate with ambitious brands to help them scale their online presence and achieve their business goals.

Role Overview:

We’re looking for an experienced and visionary Head of AI and Automation to join our team. This strategic leadership role will drive the development and implementation of AI solutions across the agency, while building out a high-impact, client-facing consulting service. You’ll combine technical expertise with business acumen to transform internal operations and unlock value for our clients.

Key Responsibilities

Internal Innovation and Automation:

• Develop and deliver a company-wide AI and automation strategy to improve workflows, boost efficiency, and support scalable growth.
• Identify and implement automation tools to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and ensure consistency in project delivery.
• Collaborate across departments to integrate AI into existing tools and processes.
• Monitor and continually optimise automated systems to ensure reliability and performance.

Client-Facing Services and Consultancy:

• Lead the development of a new AI consulting offering to help clients understand and implement AI solutions tailored to their needs.
• Provide strategic guidance and AI-led solutions that solve client challenges and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Act as a subject matter expert, advising clients on emerging technologies and best practices.
• Deliver data-driven insights that improve client operations and customer experience.

Leadership and Knowledge Sharing:

• Build and mentor a specialist AI team, fostering a culture of curiosity, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Provide training and support to help our internal teams make the most of AI tools and techniques.
• Develop internal best practice resources, documentation, and knowledge bases to ensure consistency and adoption.

Strategic and Commercial Impact:

• Work closely with senior leadership to align AI strategy with business goals and long-term vision.
• Manage budgets and resource allocation for AI initiatives with a focus on ROI.
• Explore and deliver new commercial opportunities through AI-powered services and client packages.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience delivering successful AI and automation projects in a commercial environment.
• Deep knowledge of AI technologies, machine learning frameworks, and automation tools.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with experience building and guiding high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business value.
• A forward-thinking mindset, keeping up to date with trends and driving innovation across the business.

Benefits:

• Salary band for this role is £70k–£90k (depending on experience).
• 10 days company sick pay allowance, increasing by 3 days per year of tenure.
• 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 day per year of tenure, plus bank holidays off and a week off at Christmas.
• Flexible working arrangements and parent-friendly.
• Private health insurance.
• 40% gym membership discount.
• Paid bereavement leave.

Eastside Co is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. 40% of our workforce is female and 50% of senior leadership positions are occupied by females.

Despite our small team size our diverse workforce can speak over 15 languages including: Spanish, Yoruba, French, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Bemba, Nyanja, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Creole, Romanian, Italian, Hindi, Punjabi, Sinhalese and English.

We utilise blind recruitment, which means images and names are redacted in the screening process to remove any risk of unconscious bias. Please note any emails sent directly to a hiring manager before invitation to interview will not be responded to for this reason.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent, Remote