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- Tasks: Lead the Cognitive Automation Factory to drive AI and automation initiatives across the Group.
- Company: Join a leading airline group with a focus on innovation and sustainability.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, health insurance, pension, and performance bonuses.
- Other info: Work in a multicultural environment with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic industry while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: 12+ years in tech delivery with strong experience in AI and automation.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About Us
We are part of International Airlines Group (IAG), one of the world's leading airline groups and owner of some of the biggest brands in the sky. IAG Transform provides creative and innovative solutions to drive sustainable transformation by delivering procurement and airline services, as well as group-wide systems across IAG. Each operating company benefits from the Transform centralised model, driving efficiencies, automation, and economies of scale.
Purpose of the role
The Cognitive Automation Factory Ecosystem and Operations Lead is a senior leadership role responsible for the end-to-end operational performance, ecosystem management, and strategic evolution of the Group's Cognitive Automation Factory. This role is effectively the operational backbone and successor-level counterpart to the Head of Cognitive Automation. It ensures that the CAF operates as a high-performance, multi-technology, multi-partner industrial engine capable of delivering 8-figure business benefits through applied AI and automation.
The successful candidate will combine deep automation expertise, enterprise-grade delivery leadership, and strong commercial acumen to:
- Lead large, blended teams (internal and external)
- Engage senior stakeholders across operating companies
- Manage strategic technology and delivery partners
- Own operational governance, standards, and performance metrics
- Drive sustainable, measurable EBIT impact
Your responsibilities
- Factory Leadership Operational Excellence
- Lead the operational performance of the Cognitive Automation Factory across the Group.
- Industrialise AI and automation delivery through standardised engineering practices, governance, quality controls and reusable frameworks.
- Ensure predictable, high-quality delivery across multiple concurrent programmes and products.
- Own delivery economics, capacity planning, utilisation, and multi-shore optimisation.
- Business Value Benefits Realisation
- Ensure all AI and automation initiatives are anchored in measurable business value.
- Track and govern realised vs. forecast benefits (cost-out, productivity, error reduction, revenue enablement).
- Act as a senior escalation point for underperforming initiatives.
- Partner with Finance and OpCo stakeholders to validate tangible benefits delivered.
- Ecosystem Partner Management
- Lead and optimise a blended ecosystem of strategic partners and internal engineering squads.
- Manage commercial performance, contractual KPIs, and delivery standards.
- Ensure knowledge transfer and capability uplift within the internal team.
- Maintain a competitive, scalable, and innovation-led partner model.
- Technology Architecture Governance
- Provide senior oversight across the automation and AI technology stack, including:
- RPA platforms (e.g., UiPath, Power Automate)
- AWS-based cloud-native architectures
- Agentic AI frameworks (Agent Core, LangChain, LangGraph)
- Large Language Models (multi-model strategy)
- Orchestration frameworks and event-driven architectures
- Document AI and extraction (e.g., Berdock)
- EVAL frameworks and LLM evaluation methodologies
- Observability, monitoring and guardrails for AI agents
- Ensure scalable, secure, compliant and production-grade solutions.
- Champion best practices in AI governance, risk management, and model lifecycle management.
- Senior Stakeholder Engagement
- Engage senior leaders across operating companies at Director and C-level.
- Translate AI and automation capabilities into business language.
- Influence prioritisation decisions and roadmap alignment across the Group.
- Represent the CAF in senior governance forums.
- Talent Capability Development
- Build and mentor high-performing automation and AI delivery leaders.
- Establish clear career paths and succession planning within the CAF.
- Foster a culture of engineering excellence, accountability, and measurable impact.
- Drive continuous capability uplift across RPA, AI, and agentic systems.
Your skills, experience and qualifications
Essential Experience
- 12+ years' experience in enterprise technology delivery, with at least 7+ years leading large-scale automation or AI programmes.
- Proven track record of delivering significant, tangible business benefits through applied AI and automation.
- Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams combining internal staff and strategic delivery partners.
- Experience operating at senior stakeholder level (Director/C-level engagement).
- Strong commercial acumen, including budget ownership and benefits tracking.
Technical Depth (Non-Hands-On but Credible)
- The candidate must have sufficient depth to challenge architects and engineers credibly, even if not coding daily.
- Demonstrated expertise in:
- RPA platforms such as UiPath and Power Automate
- Cloud-native architectures (preferably AWS)
- Agentic AI frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph, agent orchestration)
- Multi-LLM strategies and model selection
- EVAL frameworks for LLM/agent performance
- Observability, logging, guardrails and governance for AI agents
- Workflow orchestration and integration patterns
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance considerations for AI systems
Desirable Experience
- Experience within aviation, transportation, logistics, or other complex operational industries.
- Experience scaling an AI or automation factory model.
- Exposure to regulated environments.
- Knowledge of EU AI Act and enterprise AI governance frameworks.
Personal Attributes
- Strategic thinker with strong operational discipline.
- Calm under pressure in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
- Commercially sharp, data-driven, and outcome-oriented.
- High credibility with both engineers and executives.
- Not dazzled by hype. Focused on value.
What we offer
The chance to enjoy a challenging career in an exciting, fast-moving environment in a dynamic industry. The opportunity to work in a multi-cultural environment with great offices in many locations. We support our people in maintaining work/life balance, as well as providing the many benefits one would expect from a global organisation, including health insurance, pension and performance bonuses. We are an equal opportunities employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
CAF Ecosystem and Operations Manager (Not Specified) employer: IAG Transform
Contact Detail:
IAG Transform Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land CAF Ecosystem and Operations Manager (Not Specified)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those connected to IAG or similar companies. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what they’re about.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills through real-life examples. When discussing your experience, focus on specific projects where you’ve delivered measurable results, especially in automation or AI. Numbers speak louder than words!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the team.
We think you need these skills to ace CAF Ecosystem and Operations Manager (Not Specified)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of CAF Ecosystem and Operations Manager. Highlight your experience in automation and AI, and don’t forget to showcase your leadership skills and commercial acumen. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past successes in managing large-scale automation projects and engaging with senior stakeholders. Let us know what excites you about working with IAG Transform!
Showcase Your Technical Knowledge: Even if you’re not coding daily, we want to see that you have a solid understanding of the technologies involved. Mention your familiarity with RPA platforms, cloud-native architectures, and AI frameworks. This will help us see your credibility in the tech space!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to join our dynamic team!
How to prepare for a job interview at IAG Transform
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of AI and automation technologies, especially RPA platforms like UiPath and Power Automate. Familiarise yourself with the specific tools and frameworks mentioned in the job description, as this will show that you're not just a generalist but someone who understands the nuances of the role.
✨Speak Their Language
When discussing your experience, translate technical jargon into business value. Use examples that highlight how your past projects have delivered tangible benefits, such as cost savings or productivity improvements. This will resonate well with senior stakeholders and demonstrate your commercial acumen.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience leading large teams and managing multi-disciplinary projects. Think of specific instances where you've successfully engaged with senior leaders or navigated complex stakeholder environments. This will help illustrate your capability to lead the Cognitive Automation Factory effectively.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
At the end of the interview, don’t shy away from asking questions that show your interest in the company’s strategic direction. Inquire about their current AI initiatives or how they measure success in their automation projects. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also your strategic thinking.