At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead AI transformation strategies and deliver measurable results across product, engineering, and operations.
- Company: Join a global firm with a diverse community of over 100 nationalities.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a focus on holistic well-being.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for continuous learning and career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by driving AI innovation and transforming how work gets done.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in tech leadership with strong AI and automation experience.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 € per year.
Who You'll Work With
You are someone who thrives in a high-performance environment, bringing a growth mindset and entrepreneurial spirit to tackle meaningful challenges that have a real impact. In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we’ll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities to help you quickly broaden your expertise, grow into a well-rounded professional, and contribute to work that truly makes a difference.
You will have:
- Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development.
- A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity.
- Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions.
- Exceptional benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.
Your Impact
As Director of AI Enablement & Automation within Optimize, you will lead the strategy, execution, and value delivery of AI-first transformation across the function. You will own a high-impact portfolio at the intersection of product, engineering, and operations, unifying fragmented efforts into a single, outcome-driven engine that delivers measurable financial and operational results through AI.
You will define how Optimize scales AI—from individual productivity gains to enterprise-wide, AI-enabled workflows and decisioning—establishing clear standards, responsible AI practices, governance, and execution discipline. You will transform the existing Automation Program into an AI-enabled engine, moving beyond transactional automation to redesign end-to-end processes and fundamentally change how work gets done across the function.
You will also own driving a shift from task-level automation to outcome-based transformation, with clear ownership of business KPIs and value realization and establish a continuous improvement engine that identifies, prioritizes, and scales AI-enabled use cases across the global portfolio.
You will partner closely with product and engineering teams to identify high-value AI use cases, deploy AI-enabled solutions, and embed intelligent capabilities into critical workflows and operations. You will own key strategic decisions across the AI portfolio, including build vs. buy, vendor selection, deployment thresholds, and investment trade-offs, ensuring initiatives meet rigorous ROI, risk, and responsible AI standards while balancing innovation, cost efficiency, and operational resilience.
You will mobilize stakeholders across categories, capabilities, and enterprise functions to drive adoption and execution at scale—aligning leaders on priorities, accelerating cross-functional delivery, and removing barriers to progress. You will also build and lead a high-performing team and operating model to support AI enablement, including capability building, governance forums, and performance management tied to value delivery.
Your work will protect and expand a significant value pool for the firm—sustaining existing automation impact while unlocking new AI-driven ways of working, reimagining processes end-to-end, improving operational quality, and embedding financial discipline in how AI investments are prioritized and scaled. Success will be defined by clear ownership of outcomes, strong governance, and measurable value creation through AI.
Your Qualifications and Skills
- 10+ years of experience in technology leadership, with at least 3 years of experience in AI / GenAI strategy, deployment, or productization
- Proven track record of leading AI and automation initiatives end-to-end, from strategy through execution, with measurable business impact
- Strong experience in automation, product, or platform leadership, including ownership of roadmaps, delivery, and performance outcomes
- Demonstrated ownership of financial outcomes, including ROI, cost optimization, or value delivery tied to technology or product initiatives
- Experience defining and scaling AI strategies, including governance, standards, and responsible AI practices in complex organizations
- Ability to make high-judgment decisions on build vs. buy, vendor selection, and investment prioritization
- Strong collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to align senior stakeholders across functions, geographies, and levels of seniority
- Proven ability to operate in a highly matrixed environment, driving enterprise-level initiatives across multiple teams and domains
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex challenges into structured, actionable solutions
- Ability to work in-person and travel as needed, including quarterly travel to the U.S. East Coast
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and drive for results in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
- Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior leaders and convey complex technical concepts clearly
Director - AI Enablement & Automation in London employer: Mckinsey & Company
As a Director of AI Enablement & Automation, you will thrive in a dynamic and inclusive work culture that champions continuous learning and innovation. Our commitment to employee growth is reflected in our structured mentorship programmes and the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse global community, ensuring your ideas are valued and impactful. With exceptional benefits and a focus on holistic well-being, we empower you to drive meaningful change while enjoying a fulfilling career in a high-performance environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director - AI Enablement & Automation in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their values and goals. We want to see your passion!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online platforms. The more comfortable you are, the better you’ll perform when it counts.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can keep you top of mind and show your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it’s just good manners!
We think you need these skills to ace Director - AI Enablement & Automation in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI and automation shine through. We want to see how your experience aligns with our mission of driving AI-first transformation, so don’t hold back on sharing your journey and what excites you about this field!
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in technology leadership and AI strategy. We’re looking for someone who can lead initiatives end-to-end, so be specific about your past roles and the impact you've made. Use examples that resonate with the job description to show us you’re the right fit.
Emphasise Collaboration Skills:Since this role involves working closely with various teams, it’s crucial to showcase your collaboration and influencing skills. Share instances where you’ve successfully aligned stakeholders or driven cross-functional projects, as this will demonstrate your ability to thrive in our global community.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about our culture and values while you’re at it!
How to prepare for a job interview at Mckinsey & Company
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends and technologies in AI and automation. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI strategies and how you've driven measurable business impact in previous roles. This will show that you're not just familiar with the concepts, but that you can apply them effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Director, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead teams and drive initiatives. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed cross-functional teams and influenced stakeholders. Highlight your experience in building high-performing teams and how you've navigated complex environments.
✨Be Ready for Problem-Solving Questions
Expect to face questions that assess your analytical skills and problem-solving abilities. Think of specific challenges you've encountered in AI or automation projects and how you approached them. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
✨Emphasise Continuous Learning
Given the fast-paced nature of AI, it's crucial to convey your commitment to continuous learning. Share examples of how you've embraced feedback and adapted your strategies based on new insights. This aligns perfectly with the company's culture of growth and development.
