At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead AI strategy and drive innovation at M&S to enhance productivity.
- Company: Join M&S, a dynamic retailer committed to quality and exceptional service.
- Benefits: Enjoy 20% discount, competitive holidays, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: M&S values diversity and offers support throughout the recruitment process.
- Why this job: Be part of a visionary team shaping the future of retail with AI.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in AI, strategic thinking, and collaborative skills required.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled and visionary AI Technology & Engineering Manager to lead the build of our AI technology initiatives within the Data & AI department. This role combines strategic leadership with hands‑on technical oversight, responsible for building, scaling, and maintaining AI systems that drive data‑driven decision‑making and intelligent automation across the organisation.
You will collaborate closely with product teams, peers in architecture, data and ML engineering to build and operationalise AI solutions, lead technology roadmaps, and ensure the technical delivery of AI solutions across the enterprise.
What’s In It For You
- After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive a 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third‑party brands for you and a member of your household.
- Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.
- Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
- A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
- A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
- Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
- Industry‑leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
- Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
- A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you\'re passionate about.
What You’ll Do
- Define the Strategy – Shape and lead the technical vision for how M&S will harness AI to drive enterprise‑wide productivity and innovation.
- Solve Business Challenges – Apply AI to address real business problems, enabling teams to self‑serve insights and solutions wherever possible.
- Build Scalable Solutions – Lead and manage a team delivering AI solutions, whether developed in‑house or sourced externally, at scale across M&S.
- Design the Operating Model – Establish a scalable and adaptable operating model encompassing people, processes, and technology to support rapid evolution.
- Drive Continuous Improvement – Champion a culture of steadfast efficiency, embedding AI into every facet of operations to unlock ongoing value.
Who You Are
- Proactive Attitude – A dynamic, high‑energy leader with a contagious enthusiasm for pushing technological boundaries to elevate business performance.
- Visionary Leadership – A seasoned leader with a validated ability to build and lead high‑performing AI‑focused teams from the ground up.
- Strategic AI Expertise – Deep conceptual understanding of AI within the data landscape, with the confidence to challenge and guide technology decisions that deliver maximum value to M&S.
- Industry Insight – Extraordinarily well‑connected to the constantly evolving AI ecosystem, staying ahead of market trends and emerging innovations.
- Collaborative Influence – Skilled at encouraging cross‑functional partnerships to unite top talent around solving complex business challenges through AI‑driven solutions.
Join M&S
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re redefining, innovating and leading the industry into a more diligent, inspiring digital era. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.
If you feel you’d benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
AI Tech Development Manager employer: Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, particularly within the Corporate HR technology team. Employees benefit from a supportive environment that prioritises professional growth and development, alongside competitive remuneration and benefits. Working in a dynamic location, you will have the opportunity to lead impactful projects that enhance the colleague experience throughout their journey with the company.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land AI Tech Development Manager
✨Leverage Innovation Hubs
Tap into local innovation hubs and research centres. These places often host events and workshops where you can meet like-minded people and industry leaders. Plus, they might have job openings that aren't widely advertised, so keep your ears open!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Turn your past innovation projects into compelling stories. Create a portfolio showcasing your creativity and problem-solving skills. This can give hiring managers a real flavour of what you can bring to the table at companies like Marks and Spencer.
✨Connect at Industry Conferences
Make it a point to attend industry conferences and seminars focused on R&D and innovation management. These events are fantastic for networking and often have job boards or career fairs where you can connect directly with firms looking for talent.
✨Use Your University’s Resources
If you're fresh out of university, don't forget to tap into your institution's career services. They often have exclusive partnerships with companies seeking new talent in R&D, especially for full-time roles. It's a good shortcut to landing a gig at places like Marks and Spencer.
We think you need these skills to ace AI Tech Development Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Creative Thinking:In innovation and R&D management, it's all about thinking outside the box. Make sure your CV highlights any projects or experiences that showcase your creative problem-solving skills. Use specific examples to illustrate how you've developed and implemented innovative ideas in previous roles.
Tailor Your Experience to R&D:When you're crafting your CV, focus on your experience in research and development. Highlight any relevant projects you've worked on, including methodologies used and results achieved. This will show us at Marks and Spencer that you understand the R&D process and can contribute meaningfully to our projects.
Let Your Passion Shine in the Cover Letter:For a full-time role like this, your cover letter should reflect your genuine passion for innovation and development. Share your excitement about the opportunity to work at Marks and Spencer and touch on how your goals align with our mission. This helps us see your motivation for wanting to join our team!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers speak volumes in R&D! Whenever possible, quantify your achievements in your CV. Whether it’s a percentage improvement in project outcomes, the budget size you’ve managed, or the number of successful products you've launched, these figures will help paint a clearer picture of your impact and capabilities.
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks and Spencer
✨Show Off Your Innovative Thinking
In an Innovation R&D Management role at Marks and Spencer, they're going to want to see how you approach problem-solving. Be ready to discuss previous projects where you introduced a new idea or process. Highlight your ability to think outside the box and provide examples where your innovations drove significant results.
✨Familiarity with Tools and Technologies
Make sure you're clued up on the latest tools and technologies related to innovation management, such as project management software and data analysis platforms. Being able to discuss specific tools you’ve used or have experience with will show Marks and Spencer that you’re ready to hit the ground running.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, emphasising your teamwork skills will be essential. In innovation, collaboration often sparks the best ideas, so be ready to talk about how you've worked effectively within cross-functional teams in your past roles. Have concrete examples at the ready!
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions in your interview that reflect real challenges you might face in the role. £At Marks and Spencer, they might want to see how you handle tight deadlines or manage conflicting ideas within a team. Prepare some responses that demonstrate your critical thinking and decisiveness in high-pressure situations.
