At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead SJP's AI strategy and drive innovation across the organisation.
- Company: Join St. James's Place, a diverse and inclusive employer committed to equality.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative culture that values diversity and continuous learning.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI in a leading financial services firm and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in AI/ML, strong leadership skills, and a passion for innovation.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 £ per year.
This job is with St.
James's Place, an inclusive employer and a member of my Gwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community.
Please do not contact the recruiter directly.
The role
As the Director of AI, you will establish and guide SJP's enterprise AI strategy, vision, and risk framework.
You will ensure AI is applied effectively and responsibly, aligning with our Corporate Strategy and business goals.
You will partner with engineering, architecture, and delivery divisions across SJP, SS&C, and strategic partners to advance our corporate strategy through broader AI adoption.
Your role involves leading innovation, supporting transformation, and incorporating AI-led change organisation-wide.
You will also guide the creation and use of AI and ML tools throughout SJP. You will ensure solutions provide clear value, are well controlled, and support sustainable growth.
- What you will be doing
- Strategy & Vision
- Define and take responsibility for SJP's enterprise AI strategy, vision, and roadmap, aligned to corporate priorities, with clear outcomes over a 12-36 month horizon.
- Apply strong commercial judgement to the evolving AI landscape, identifying material opportunities and translating them into compelling, dedicated investment cases.
- 2. Delivery, Execution & Value Realisation
- Lead the end-to-end delivery of strategic AI initiatives, taking accountability for pace, prioritisation, and realisation of measurable business value.
- Partner with engineering, architecture, technology operations, and delivery teams to compose, build, deploy, and scale AI solutions that are robust, secure, and aligned to business priorities.
- Build and govern delivery plans with senior collaborators, managing dependencies, trade-offs, and risk to ensure initiatives transition effectively from concept to live service.
- Drive identification and prioritisation of high-value AI use cases, coordinating their lifecycle from ideation through to optimisation and, where appropriate, decommissioning.
- Ensure solutions are production-ready and scalable through the adoption of MLOps, AI guardrails, and emerging capabilities, maintaining long-term sustainability.
- 3. Governance, Risk & Regulatory Compliance
- Define and integrate a comprehensive AI governance, risk, and control framework aligned to SJP's enterprise risk model and regulatory obligations.
- Ensure all AI solutions meet required standards across data protection, privacy, security, and model governance, evolving policies in line with technological advancement.
- Monitor and interpret regulatory developments, proactively adapting SJP's approach to ensure compliance and leadership in responsible AI.
- 4. Collaborator Leadership & Influence
- Act as SJP's authoritative voice on AI at GEC and senior leadership levels, translating complex concepts into clear, business-focused narratives.
- Develop and sustain robust, trust-centered connections throughout GEC, GEC-1, and strategic partners to ensure sponsorship, alignment, and support of the AI agenda.
- Drive clear, consistent communication of AI strategy, progress, and outcomes throughout the organisation.
- 5. People, Leadership & Culture
- Champion AI literacy across SJP and Partner practices, building understanding of AI capabilities, risks, and opportunities.
- Build and develop organisational capability in AI and ML through mentoring, talent development, and knowledge sharing.
- Provide strong functional leadership, ensuring clear accountabilities, effective prioritisation, and long-term capability through recruitment, performance management, and succession planning.
- Lead by example in embedding SJP's values, ethical standards, and inclusive culture.
- Foster a high-trust, collaborative environment that encourages open dialogue, constructive challenge, and continuous learning to support innovation and adoption.
- What are we looking for
- Ability to coordinate the development of new machine learning models, evaluate the efficiency of existing models, and find opportunities for innovation and improvement.
- Ability to work closely with engineering, architecture, tech ops, delivery, and cross-functional teams to incorporate AI and ML solutions into existing systems, platforms, controls, and workflows.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant data privacy and security regulations.
- Comprehensive understanding of the ethical considerations and governance frameworks necessary for the responsible use of AI.
- Ability to communicate complex AI concepts and solutions to non-technical collaborators, both internally and externally.
- Reasonable Adjustments
We're an equal opportunities employer and want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive for all.
If you require reasonable adjustment(s) at any stage, please let us know by emailing us at careers@sjp. co. uk
Research shows applicants, especially from underrepresented groups, may hesitate to apply if they lack all criteria or have had a long career break.
If you believe you match this role and have transferable experience, please apply even if you don't meet every requirement.
Director - AI employer: St. James's Place
St. James’s Place is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work culture that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. Located in Cirencester, this hybrid role as a Data Privacy Manager not only provides competitive benefits such as parental leave and health insurance but also fosters an environment where employees can thrive through collaboration and engagement with diverse stakeholders in the regulated financial services sector.
Contact Details:
St. James's Place Recruitment Team
careers@sjp.co.uk
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director - AI
✨Get Involved in Data Science Meetups
Tap into local data science meetups or workshops to connect with fellow enthusiasts and professionals. These events are goldmines for networking, and sometimes even lead directly to job openings at companies like St. James's Place!
✨Show Off Your Projects
Start building a public portfolio showcasing your data science projects on platforms like GitHub or personal websites. Highlight unique analyses or models you've developed. This not only demonstrates your skills but also gets your name out there for roles like Director - AI at St. James's Place.
✨Leverage Professional Networks
Join professional bodies related to data science, like the Data Science Society or similar organisations. Getting involved can lead to mentorship opportunities and insider knowledge about full-time positions at companies like St. James's Place.
✨Apply Directly through Our Website
When you find a suitable opening like Director - AI at St. James's Place, make sure to apply directly through our website. It gives you an edge and shows you're keen to join our team. Plus, who doesn’t love a direct application? It’s easier than navigating through job boards!
We think you need these skills to ace Director - AI
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Projects:In the world of data science, your projects can speak volumes about your skills. Make sure to showcase a few key projects in your CV or portfolio, especially those that highlight your ability to work with data sets, build models, or use relevant tools like Python, R, or SQL. Don’t forget to include links to any GitHub repositories if applicable!
Quantify Your Achievements:Employers love numbers! When drafting your CV, highlight your achievements with quantifiable results. For instance, mention how your data analysis led to a certain percentage increase in efficiency or revenue at a previous job or project. These details can really make your application pop!
Craft a Tailored Cover Letter:For a full-time role at St. James's Place, your cover letter should reflect your passion for data science and your excitement about the specific projects or values of the company. Dive into why you’re a good fit, how your skills align with their needs, and any unique perspectives you can bring to the team.
Stand Out with Relevant Courses and Certifications:Although experience talks, relevant courses or certifications can be your ticket to impressing hiring managers at St. James's Place. Mention any standout courses you've completed that equipped you with essential skills, such as machine learning certifications or data visualisation courses. This shows your commitment to continuously developing your skills in the field!
How to prepare for a job interview at St. James's Place
✨Brush Up on Your Statistics
For a data science role, we need to seriously sharpen our statistics skills. Get ready to tackle technical questions on probability distributions, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. These are often the bread and butter of data science interviews, so don't just skim over them!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Prepare a killer portfolio showcasing your data science projects. We should include details about the datasets used, the tools and techniques applied, and the impact of your findings. If we can walk them through a particularly challenging project or a cool visualisation that had real-world implications, it’ll really make us stand out!
✨Get Comfortable with Python and R
Most data science positions require us to be proficient in programming languages like Python and R. We should practice common libraries like pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn, and be ready for live coding exercises or algorithm questions. Showing off our coding chops can really impress the interviewers at St. James's Place!
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to encounter real-world case studies during the interview. We might be asked how we’d approach a data problem or analyse a dataset to extract insights. It's essential to think out loud and demonstrate our problem-solving process so that the interviewer can see our logical thinking in action.
