At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of AI capabilities and drive impactful projects in a dynamic financial services environment.
- Company: PE backed financial services business with a focus on innovation and growth.
- Benefits: Competitive daily rate, hybrid working, and potential for long-term engagement.
- Other info: Join a fast-paced team with opportunities for significant career advancement.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI in finance and make a real difference from day one.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in deploying AI solutions and navigating early-stage environments.
Dartmouth Partners are supporting a PE backed financial services business on a search for an AI Director / Head of AI to help shape and build their AI capability from the ground up. Reporting directly to the CAIO, this hire will play a critical role in defining how AI is deployed across the organisation, moving beyond experimentation into real, production‑grade use cases tied to value creation.
This is a hybrid strategy + build role, requiring both technical depth and commercial judgement. It will suit someone comfortable operating without structure, where both the roadmap and operating model are still being defined.
You must have:
- Experience taking AI use cases from POC into production (not purely advisory)
- Strong understanding of modern AI stacks (LLMs, agents, orchestration, data layers)
- Ability to make build vs buy decisions across AI tooling and platforms
- Experience operating in ambiguous, early-stage environments where capability is being built from scratch
What you'll be doing:
- Define and shape the AI stack and architecture
- Identify where business processes can be genuinely automated or agentified, vs where human oversight remains critical
- Move early AI initiatives from proof of concept into scalable production deployments
- Contribute to a 3–5 year AI and data roadmap, aligned to PE value creation objectives
- Act as a thought partner to senior leadership, while remaining close enough to execution to ensure delivery is real, not theoretical
Start: ASAP
Location: London (hybrid, flexible)
Duration: 6 months initially, with a view to extend/go permanent
Head of Artificial Intelligence in London employer: Dartmouth Partners
Join a dynamic and innovative financial services business in London, where you will have the opportunity to lead the development of cutting-edge AI capabilities. With a strong focus on employee growth and a collaborative work culture, this role offers a unique chance to shape the future of AI in a fast-paced environment. Enjoy the benefits of a hybrid working model, competitive daily rates, and the chance to make a significant impact from day one.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Artificial Intelligence in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to connections in the financial services and AI sectors. Attend industry events or webinars to meet potential employers and showcase your expertise. Remember, it’s all about who you know!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company’s current AI initiatives and think about how you can contribute to their roadmap. Be ready to discuss your experience with taking AI from POC to production – they’ll want to hear real examples.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your adaptability! In a role that requires operating without structure, highlight your ability to thrive in ambiguous environments. Share stories of how you’ve successfully navigated challenges in previous positions.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals like you. Make sure your application stands out by tailoring it to the specific needs of the role and demonstrating your passion for AI.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Artificial Intelligence in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your AI Expertise:Make sure to highlight your experience with taking AI use cases from proof of concept into production. We want to see how you've turned ideas into real, scalable solutions that create value.
Be Clear on Your Technical Skills:When detailing your technical background, focus on modern AI stacks and tools you've worked with. We’re looking for someone who knows their LLMs from their orchestration layers, so don’t hold back!
Demonstrate Your Commercial Judgement:In your application, share examples of how you've made build vs buy decisions in past roles. We need to know you can navigate the commercial side of AI as well as the technical.
Embrace Ambiguity:Since this role involves operating in early-stage environments, let us know how you've thrived in ambiguous situations before. Share stories that show your adaptability and problem-solving skills.
How to prepare for a job interview at Dartmouth Partners
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of modern AI stacks, including LLMs and orchestration. Be ready to discuss specific use cases where you've taken AI from proof of concept to production, as this will show your hands-on experience.
✨Show Your Strategic Thinking
This role is all about shaping the AI capability from the ground up. Prepare to talk about how you would define the AI stack and architecture, and be ready to share your thoughts on build vs buy decisions for AI tooling.
✨Embrace Ambiguity
Since the company is still defining its roadmap, demonstrate your comfort with operating in ambiguous environments. Share examples of how you've successfully navigated uncertainty in previous roles and built capabilities from scratch.
✨Engage with Leadership
As a thought partner to senior leadership, it's crucial to show that you can balance high-level strategy with practical execution. Prepare to discuss how you would ensure that AI initiatives are not just theoretical but lead to real value creation.
