Head of AI Assurance

We are seeking an individual skilled in project management, a confident and effective leader of an expert team with a demonstrable interest in the challenges and opportunities posed by AI. The role will require you to manage key stakeholder relationships and collaborative partnerships, particularly with industry as well as civil society. While this role will be expected to focus on AI Assurance, priority areas of work may change as the CDEI’s work programme evolves. This is an exciting opportunity to shape some of the most important issues facing UK society today. This role is part of the Centre’s Senior Management Team, and will be expected to contribute actively to the overall running of the CDEI, including promoting its inclusive culture and making it a great place to work.

Responsibilities and Tasks

• Overseeing a project portfolio - Responsible for the successful delivery of multiple projects, primarily within the AI Assurance Portfolio, ensuring they are completed on time and to a high standard. This includes prioritising across projects, and supporting teams to manage blockers to progress.
• Leading CDEI’s AI Assurance work - Ensuring the CDEI delivers tangible outcomes and shapes the emerging AI Assurance ecosystem.
• Designing high impact projects - Helping partners to identify and address their needs through mixed method projects that support innovation and drive the responsible use of data and AI.
• Managing resources - Ensuring that projects are resourced effectively, and resources are prioritised where they will achieve most impact.
• Senior engagement - Forming close working relationships with our project partners, Advisory Board members and Chair, and senior stakeholders in industry, government and civil society.
• Showcasing and championing the CDEI’s expertise - Being an authoritative source of expertise on data and AI policy, able to effectively communicate to a senior and expert audience, capturing insights from projects with a broader application.
• Leading a team - Leading a team of policy advisors and senior policy advisors, setting a supporting and inclusive culture, managing performance and showing leadership across the CDEI.

Person Specification

Essential

We welcome applications from candidates with a variety of backgrounds and skill sets, including those in policy-making, technology or ethics, and an interest in building their knowledge across all of these areas. The roles are compatible with flexible working patterns such as part time working, or compressed hours e.g. to cater to caring and childcare responsibilities. You will need to demonstrate your skills and experience against the following criteria:

• A strong interest and expertise in the risks and opportunities posed by data-driven technology such as artificial intelligence, and an ability to quickly and effectively engage with leaders in this field to advance the CDEI’s objectives;
• Ability to lead and motivate a diverse and expert team, and deliver high quality outputs through them;
• Experience of managing multiple complex workstreams simultaneously, and driving forward work across different organisations;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including presenting complex issues to expert and non-expert senior audiences;
• Strong analytical skills, with an ability to cut through complexity to reach clear and balanced conclusions;
• A keen interest in responsible innovation with data and AI, and a willingness to engage with policy and governance issues around it;
• Experience of working in or engaging with industry.

Desirable

• Experience of managing multi-disciplinary teams including technical and policy specialists.
• Knowledge and experience of AI Assurance, standards and/or governance.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing