At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the AI Factory, steering investment and ensuring safe production of AI products.
- Company: Join a leading British airline at the forefront of AI innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive contract, travel covered, and access to senior leadership.
- Other info: Opportunity for impactful work in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI in aviation with a high-calibre team.
- Qualifications: Experience in portfolio management and AI product delivery.
Our client, a leading British airline, is building an AI Factory to scale AI safely and profitably across its brands. They are looking for an AI Factory Lead to own the portfolio, the products, and the guardrails in one accountable role.
Location: Heathrow, London / Barcelona / Madrid (Some travel, flights and hotel covered) | Type: Contract
The role
You'll be the single senior leader accountable for how the AI Factory delivers value. That means steering the investment portfolio, owning the products and platform end to end, and making sure everything reaches production safely, with clear accountability and defensible evidence. You'll provide the executive view across initiatives without becoming the delivery owner for every product, and you'll build a capability rather than a collection of disconnected proofs of concept.
What you'll do
- Portfolio and programme
- Establish and run portfolio governance across the operating companies, functions, and delivery teams
- Prioritise investment on business value, strategic alignment, feasibility, risk, and reusability
- Maintain the integrated roadmap, dependencies, funding position, and executive reporting
- Resolve cross-brand conflicts and prevent fragmented or duplicated AI initiatives
- Track benefits, delivery confidence, risks, and adoption across the portfolio
- Product
- Define the product vision, strategy, roadmap, and measurable outcomes for the AI Factory's platform, products, and services
- Translate business problems into prioritised product opportunities, and own discovery, validation, and lifecycle decisions
- Balance user value, business benefit, technical feasibility, and responsible-AI constraints
- Set product metrics covering adoption, quality, productivity, cost, and realised value
- Decide when to scale, evolve, pause, or retire a product
- Governance, risk, and assurance
- Define the policies, risk tiers, controls, and approval pathways for AI products, services, and agents
- Translate legal, regulatory, cyber, data, and responsible-AI requirements into practical engineering controls
- Set requirements for human oversight, evaluation, traceability, and incident management
- Embed automated controls and evidence collection into delivery pipelines wherever possible
- Provide clear escalation and stop mechanisms for unsafe or underperforming systems
- Coordinate senior stakeholders across technology, business, data, cyber, legal, privacy, audit, and procurement
About you
- A senior portfolio, product, or transformation leader with experience in complex, federated organisations
- Enough understanding of AI and software delivery to challenge plans credibly, including AI's capabilities and limitations and the realities of taking products from experiment to production
- Experience turning governance principles into proportionate, risk-based controls that enable speed rather than create late-stage bottlenecks
- Confidence influencing senior stakeholders through structured thinking and clear narrative
- A track record of driving initiatives end to end with minimal oversight
Ideal candidates from strategy consulting backgrounds
If you've worked at McKinsey, BCG, Bain, or a comparable firm, particularly in QuantumBlack, BCG X, or Bain's digital and AI practices, and have since led AI or transformation programmes, this role is a natural next step. You'll bring structured problem-solving, comfort in the boardroom, and the ability to turn ambiguity into a clear prioritised plan. You'll also need real ownership instincts: this is a role where you run the portfolio and live with the outcomes, rather than advise on them.
What success looks like
- A transparent, outcome-led portfolio with clear ownership, controlled investment, and demonstrable benefits across multiple brands
- AI products that solve meaningful problems and achieve sustained adoption
- AI systems reaching production with defensible evidence, while low-risk initiatives move quickly through standardised controls
Why this role
- Own a capability at the centre of the airline's AI strategy, with direct access to senior leadership
- Complex, visible work at one of the UK's most recognised brands
- A high-calibre team across product, engineering, architecture, and governance
AI Factory Lead in London employer: Carbon 60
Join a leading defence organisation that prioritises innovation and employee development in the Cyber Security field. With a hybrid work model, you will benefit from a collaborative culture that encourages continuous learning and growth, while working on cutting-edge technologies that protect national security. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects in a supportive environment, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a rewarding career in Cyber Security.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land AI Factory Lead in London
✨Tap into Consulting Networks
Get active in local management consulting networks and organisations. Attend meetups, workshops, or webinars specific to consulting where you can connect with professionals who may know of temporary roles opening up at places like Carbon 60. Don’t underestimate word-of-mouth – it’s massive in our field!
✨Show Off Your Skills in Real-Time
As a temporary hire, you need to demonstrate your value quickly. Consider creating a mini-case study or analysis relevant to the industry and share it on platforms like LinkedIn or even during networking events. This can be an impressive way to showcase your analytical skills and problem-solving prowess – just what consulting firms are looking for!
✨Check for Temporary Roles on Niche Job Boards
Look for temporary roles on specialised job boards for consulting gigs rather than just generic platforms. Websites like Consultancy.uk or even the Careers pages of major firms could have short-term projects or roles that are perfect for you to jump in at Carbon 60.
✨Leverage University and Alumni Resources
If you’re fresh out of uni or connected with a local institution, take advantage of their career services and alumni networks. Many universities have exclusive connections to consulting firms seeking temporary help. Plus, it’s a great way to meet other aspiring consultants who might share leads about opportunities at Carbon 60.
We think you need these skills to ace AI Factory Lead in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Analytical Skills:In management consulting, employers love to see your problem-solving abilities right from the get-go. Be sure to highlight any relevant analytical projects you've worked on, particularly those that show how you tackled complex problems. If you’ve done any case studies or analysis during your studies, throw those in your CV!
Tailor Your Experience for the Role:Since this is a temporary position, your application should reflect your adaptability and relevant experience quite clearly. Focus on showcasing experiences that demonstrate your ability to hit the ground running, like previous projects, internships, or freelance gigs in consulting or project management.
Craft a Targeted Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to sparkle! Use it to explain why you're interested in this temporary role at Carbon 60 and how your skills suit the specific project needs. Remember to mention how you can provide immediate value based on your past experiences.
Include Certifications or Relevant Training:If you've got any certifications like PMP, Six Sigma, or even coursework that’s super relevant, make sure to list those in your application. Management consulting can be competitive, and these extra qualifications can help you stand out in the recruitment process.
How to prepare for a job interview at Carbon 60
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In management consulting, case study interviews are a big deal. Expect to tackle real-world business problems on the spot. We should practise structuring our thoughts, developing hypotheses, and presenting our solutions clearly, as this is what firms like Carbon 60 will want to see.
✨Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills
You’ll need to demonstrate strong analytical skills and logical reasoning. Brush up on frameworks like SWOT or Porter's Five Forces, as these can come in handy. Think of instances from your experience where you tackled a complex issue—this could set you apart when speaking to Carbon 60.
✨Highlight Your Adaptability
Since this is a temporary role, it's crucial we showcase our ability to hit the ground running. Have examples ready that illustrate how we've adapted quickly in past positions or projects. This shows that we can contribute effectively from day one at Carbon 60.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Cultural Fit
Temporary roles often come with a focus on team dynamics. Prepare to discuss how we align with the values and culture at Carbon 60. We want to highlight our teamwork experiences and how we can mesh with their consulting teams, making it clear that we're not just looking to fill a spot but to add value.
