Principal, AI & Leadership

Role Overview

At the same time, leaders are being asked to make consequential decisions about AI without the space, the language, or the support to think them through. Decisions about who benefits, who is displaced, and what kind of future they are building with the most powerful technology of their lifetimes. This should worry all of us. This role sits at the centre of our response: translating our distinctive thinking on AI and leadership into client-ready propositions, and converting growing demand into high-quality engagements. You will work directly with senior leaders on how to lead through this shift with both competitive force and moral ambition – because this moment demands both, held together.

Core Elements

• Translate AI leadership thinking into compelling propositions.
• Turn Forward Institute's distinctive thinking on AI and leadership into compelling client propositions.
• Shape and convert client opportunities: build a deep understanding of client context, needs and priorities; connect our vision with client challenges; lead client conversations, develop proposals and convert opportunities into engagements.
• Deliver high quality AI leadership projects: design and facilitate workshops, programmes and leadership sessions for senior teams; lead client engagements end-to-end as a trusted point of contact; create trusted spaces for reflection, challenge and decision-making.
• Explore partnerships and contribute to thought leadership: build relationships with mission-aligned organisations and identify opportunities for collaboration; support development of joint work, thought leadership and impact‑led initiatives; contribute to our external voice on leadership in the age of AI.

First 6 Months Success

Success looks like translating our existing thinking into a clear, client‑ready AI leadership offer; shaping a focused commercial pipeline; converting early demand into 2–3 high‑quality client engagements with senior leaders across society – from FTSE boards and global companies to central government, the military and national institutions.

Mindset

• Entrepreneurial and comfortable building something new from strong but incomplete foundations.
• Commercially sharp, with a clear instinct for where value lies.
• Deeply curious about how AI will reshape organisations and leadership.
• Collaborative and able to work across teams and disciplines.
• Gets energy from working with ideas and making them land in practice.

Capabilities

• Ability to translate a strong intellectual framework into clear, compelling client propositions.
• Strong commercial capability, including leading client conversations and converting work.
• Ability to move fluently between conceptual thinking and commercial application.
• Excellent facilitation skills with senior teams.
• Ability to translate ideas about AI into clear leadership action.

Experience

• ~8+ years’ experience in strategy consulting, leadership consulting, or programme design.
• Experience taking a proposition to market and growing it.
• Proven track record of winning work through senior relationships.
• 1–2 years’ experience working in AI, technology or innovation.
• Experience working closely with senior leadership teams and delivering high‑quality workshops/advisory.

Benefits

• Hybrid working (2–3 days in our London office).
• Private health insurance.
• A generous learning & development budget.
• Pension contributions.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.