Innovation and AI Lead

Location: Hybrid / Stratford, London, UK
job type: Permanent / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Product and Innovation | Automation & AI
Salary: Negotiable salary

Innovation and AI Lead

Reporting to: Interim Director of Transformation and AI

Hours: Full time Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm (37.5 hours per week)

Location: Stratford / Hybrid, with travel to other offices when required

Affinia is the UK’s largest purpose-led, purpose-built Accountancy firm, focused on building stronger, more valuable relationships. With over 1000 colleagues across the East, Southeast, London and the Midlands, we are dedicated to supporting our clients, colleagues and communities.

We advise businesses, public sector organisations, charities and individuals throughout the UK and internationally across six Service Lines - Accountancy & Advisory, Tax and Planning, Audit & Assurance, Corporate Finance, Payroll and Corporate Recovery. Our team also offer in-depth sector expertise across a number of sectors, ensuring our clientsreceive the best short to medium and long-term advice, tailored to them. We are committed to delivering excellence in every aspect of our work, adapting to the evolving technology and regulatory landscape while consistently exceeding client expectations.

Our people are our most valuable asset. We are therefore committed to supporting our colleagues throughout their professional development, providing guidance and training at whatever stage of their career they join us.

Purpose of the role:

The Innovation and AI Lead turns AI and emerging technology into measurable results for Affinia's service lines and ultimately clients. The role owns the AI and innovation roadmap, takes use cases from idea to proof of concept to firm-wide roll-out, and makes sure AI is used safely and with clear return on investment.

Working with the Interim Director of Transformation and AI, Senior Transformation Manager, Technology Data and Operational leadership, service line leaders and external partners, the role:

• Sets direction. Shapes and delivers the AI strategy and innovation roadmap, aligned to the firm's strategic and investor priorities.
• Delivers value. Runs a pipeline of AI use cases across Accounts, Tax, Audit, Payroll and enabling functions, with a clear business case for each.
• Builds adoption. Embeds Microsoft Co-pilot and approved AI tools in day-to-day work, so colleagues use them with confidence.
• Protects the firm. Makes sure every AI tool and supplier meets Affinia's standards on data protection, client confidentiality, security and professional regulation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain Affinia's AI and innovation strategy and roadmap, aligned to firm strategy and agreed with the Interim Director of Transformation and AI and the CTO.
• Contribute the AI elements of the future state Transformation target operating model (AI TOM).
• Track AI and emerging technology developments in accountancy and professional services, and assess what is relevant to Affinia.
• Provide leadership and challenge on AI priorities, risks and opportunities.
• Run a single intake and prioritisation process for AI and automation ideas from service lines and enabling functions.
• Prioritise use cases on value, feasibility, data readiness and risk, and keep the pipeline visible to leadership.
• Take use cases through proof of concept, pilot and roll-out, with clear stage gates and exit criteria.
• Build the business case for each use case: baseline, time saved, capacity released, cost and payback.
• Work with service line champions to deliver priority use cases, for example disclosure checklist automation, tax review, audit data pre-screening and payroll file pre-processing.
• Manage the relationship with AI delivery partners and platform vendors, including scope, statements of work, commercials and performance.
• Lead buy versus build decisions for AI solutions, comparing market products with in-house build.
• Evaluate and recommend new AI tools, platforms and suppliers, working with Technology and Service Line leadership.
• Work with the Data team to make sure right level of visibility and involvement to ensure the right data provisions and considerations align with the Affinia data strategy and quality.

AI Governance & Responsible Use

• Own the AI usage policy, staff guidance and approved tools list, with IT, Risk and Compliance.
• Lead due diligence on AI suppliers, covering data processing, UK GDPR, information security, model providers and exit terms.
• Make sure every use case has a data protection impact assessment where needed, and human review of AI output on client work.
• Report AI risks, issues and benefits through the function's governance and to senior leadership.

Adoption & Capability

• Lead Microsoft Co-pilot adoption across the firm, including guidance, training and usage tracking.
• Build and support a network of AI champions across service lines and functions.
• Run training, demos and lunch-and-learns so colleagues know what tools are available and how to use them well.
• Drive a culture of innovation, experimentation and continuous improvement.
• Build, lead, develop and manage the Innovation and AI team.
• Set clear objectives, allocate work across the pipeline and manage capacity.
• Embed consistent project, change and benefits methodologies, in line with the relevant governance processes at Affinia.
• Work closely with the Senior Transformation Manager where AI use cases depend on platform work (CCH, CRM, Data Core, time capture etc).

Measures of success:

Success in the first 12 months is judged on use cases delivered, value evidenced and safe adoption.

• AI strategy and roadmap: approved by leadership and reviewed quarterly.
• Use case pipeline: all ideas logged and scored; pipeline reported monthly.
• Delivery: priority use cases moved from pilot to roll-out, with signed-off business cases.
• Return on investment: hours saved, capacity released and payback tracked against baseline for each use case.
• Adoption: active Co-pilot and AI tool usage by service line; training completion.
• Safe use: AI policy in place; all AI suppliers through due diligence; DPIAs completed where needed.
• Champion network: a named champion in each service line and key enabling function.
• Team: objectives set and met; capacity planned against the pipeline.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Proven experience leading AI, automation or digital innovation work from idea to live use in a business setting.
• Track record of building business cases and evidencing return on investment for technology change.
• Working knowledge of generative AI, large language models, Microsoft Co-pilot and automation tools, and of their limits.
• Understanding of data protection (UK GDPR), information security and responsible AI principles.
• Experience managing vendors and partners, including scope, commercials and delivery.
• Strong stakeholder management, with the ability to engage partners, service line leaders and senior management.
• Experience leading or managing small delivery teams.
• Commercially minded, with a focus on measurable outcomes.
• Experience in professional services, accountancy, financial services or a private equity-backed environment.
• Knowledge of accountancy workflows and systems, for example CCH, Xero or audit platforms.
• Experience with data platforms such as Microsoft Fabric, and how data readiness affects AI.
• Experience supporting acquisition and integration programmes.
• Relevant qualifications in AI, data, project or change management (for example PRINCE2, MSP, Agile, Prosci).

Leadership Profile

• Curious and practical: tests ideas quickly and stops what does not work.
• Commercially aware and results driven.
• Explains AI in plain language to non-technical colleagues.
• Collaborative and influential across service lines and functions.
• Takes risk and client confidentiality seriously, without slowing progress.
• Balances long-term innovation with practical business priorities.

Core Benefits:

At Affinia, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Alongside a flexible and inclusive work environment, we offer the following core benefits:

• Auto enrolment Pension Scheme with True Potential.
• Death in Service
• Professional membership support.
• Paycare – claim money back for Dental / Optical / Professional Therapies
• Dress for your Diary Policy.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

Affinia is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion, or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity, or sexual orientation. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

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