At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead AI-driven value creation across our private equity portfolio and manage technical teams.
- Company: Join SaxeCap, the premier AI transformation platform in private equity.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, direct exposure to leadership, and rapid professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities to build and innovate.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by connecting AI potential to measurable business value.
- Qualifications: 5-10 years in private equity, AI/ML, or strategy consulting with team management experience.
The predicted salary is between 120000 - 150000 £ per year.
SaxeCap is the premier AI transformation and investment platform in private equity. We pioneered the concept of buying out traditional businesses and transforming them with AI in 2018, and today we are the go-to AI transformation partner for 60+ PE firms globally, including 9 of the 10 largest by AUM as well as the world’s leading sovereign wealth funds. We have transformed 140+ businesses across healthcare services, business services, financial services, software, consumer, and more, driving billions of dollars of enterprise value expansion along the way.
We operate at the intersection of three businesses: (1) a private equity investment arm, (2) an in-house AI transformation firm that designs and deploys bespoke GenAI, ML, and automation solutions, and (3) a suite of proprietary software products. Our team comes from places like Google, Palantir, Meta, Surge AI, Blackstone, TPG, Cerberus, Millenium, Balyasny, McKinsey, Bain, Oliver Wyman, MIT, Stanford, IIT, GSB, HBS, and Wharton. We were early investors in OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, SpaceX, Neuralink, Mercor, Lambda Labs, etc. But what makes our team exceptional isn't where they came from or what they've invested in, it's what they ship. We are builders.
About the Role: We are hiring a Vice President, AI Strategy & Deployment to join our AI transformation team and build our presence in the UK and EU. This is not a traditional consulting or investment role. You will own the full lifecycle of AI-driven value creation across our PE partner portfolio, from first engagement with a sponsor, through deep technical and strategic analysis, to managing our engineers and data scientists as they build and deploy solutions that move EBITDA.
You will operate across a range of workstreams simultaneously: evaluating AI opportunities for PE sponsors under deal timelines, designing comprehensive transformation roadmaps for portfolio companies, managing technical teams through production AI deployments, supporting investment underwriting for SaxeCap's own PE vehicle, and leading business development with new partners. The common thread: you are the person who connects AI's technical potential to measurable business value, and you own the outcome end to end.
About You: You are a hybrid: part technologist, part strategist, part operator. You are equally comfortable whiteboarding a model architecture with an ML engineer, presenting an AI transformation roadmap to a private equity partner, and pressure-testing an LBO model. You move fast, you think in structures, and you obsess over shipped outcomes rather than theoretical potential. Specifically:
- 5 to 10 years of experience spanning two or more of: private equity, AI/ML product management, strategy consulting (MBB or comparable preferred), investment banking, or engineering
- You have managed teams of 5+ people (engineers, data scientists, consultants, or analysts) and held them accountable to ambitious timelines
- You have managed executive and C-suite stakeholder relationships, ideally in a PE or PE-adjacent context
- You have real AI/ML fluency: you can discuss model architectures, data pipelines, and build-vs-buy trade-offs with technical teams, not just at a buzzword level. Hands-on experience with Python, SQL, and data science tools is expected. Experience shipping ML products, managing RLHF programs, or building GenAI solutions is a strong differentiator.
- You have experience quantifying enterprise value and EBITDA impact of technology or transformation initiatives; not just tracking KPIs, but tying technical outcomes to P&L
- You have product management instincts: understanding user pain points, scoping technical solutions, and managing the build through deployment
- You have operated in fast-paced, ambiguous environments where the scope, stakeholders, and approach shift rapidly, and you thrive in that context rather than resist it
- Bachelor's and/or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related technical field from a top-tier institution
What Sets the Best Candidates Apart: The people who excel at SaxeCap share a specific profile. They are not pure technologists and not pure dealmakers, they are the rare operators who can do both. The strongest signals we look for:
- Shipped AI, not just studied it. You have built or managed the build of AI/ML solutions that went to production and drove measurable business outcomes. "Led AI strategy" without specifics doesn’t move the needle. "Shipped an ML model that reduced X by Y%, managing a team of Z engineers" does.
- PE-grade rigor under time pressure. You can form accurate conviction on an AI opportunity from limited information and present that conviction to a PE partner with confidence. If you’ve worked on a live deal, you know what this feels like.
- Builder DNA. You don’t just recommend, you build. Side projects, open-source contributions, 0-to-1 products, or intrapreneurial ventures all signal the instinct we’re looking for.
- Structured synthesis at scale. You can process massive amounts of qualitative and quantitative information and distill it into a prioritized plan that senior executives can act on. This is the hardest skill to find and the one we value most.
Compensation & Growth: SaxeCap offers highly competitive compensation, and you will work directly with our senior leadership from day one, with significant client exposure and rapid professional development. The team is lean by design, there are no layers between you and impact.
VP, AI Transformation & Value Creation for Private Equity employer: SaxeCap
Contact Detail:
SaxeCap Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land VP, AI Transformation & Value Creation for Private Equity
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
✨Show Off Your Skills
When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your hands-on experience with AI and ML. Share specific examples of projects you've worked on and the impact they had. We want to see that you’re not just talking the talk, but walking the walk!
✨Prepare for the Pressure
Expect tough questions and scenarios during interviews. Brush up on your ability to think on your feet and demonstrate how you handle high-pressure situations. We love candidates who can keep their cool and deliver results, even when the stakes are high.
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don’t forget to apply directly through our website! It shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at SaxeCap. Plus, it helps us keep track of your application and makes it easier for us to connect with you.
We think you need these skills to ace VP, AI Transformation & Value Creation for Private Equity
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the VP role. Highlight your experience in AI transformation and private equity, and don’t forget to mention specific projects where you’ve shipped AI solutions that drove measurable outcomes.
Showcase Your Hybrid Skills: We’re looking for someone who’s part technologist and part strategist. In your application, emphasise your ability to connect technical AI potential with business value. Share examples of how you've managed teams and navigated complex stakeholder relationships.
Be Specific About Your Achievements: When detailing your past experiences, focus on quantifiable results. Instead of saying you led an AI strategy, explain how you shipped a model that improved efficiency by a certain percentage or increased EBITDA for a portfolio company.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to see your interest and ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at SaxeCap
✨Know Your AI Inside Out
Make sure you can discuss AI/ML concepts fluently. Brush up on model architectures, data pipelines, and the specifics of your past projects. Be ready to share how you've shipped AI solutions that delivered real business value.
✨Showcase Your Hybrid Skills
Highlight your unique blend of technical and strategic skills. Prepare examples where you've successfully managed teams and driven AI initiatives in a fast-paced environment. This role is all about connecting tech potential to business outcomes, so demonstrate that you can do both.
✨Prepare for Pressure
Expect to be tested on your ability to make quick, informed decisions under time constraints. Think of scenarios where you've evaluated AI opportunities or led projects with tight deadlines, and be ready to discuss them confidently.
✨Bring Your Builder DNA
Share your side projects or any open-source contributions that showcase your passion for building. SaxeCap values candidates who don’t just recommend solutions but actively create them. Show us your journey from concept to deployment!