Head of AI Governance

Are you ready to chart your own career path? With our refreshed strategy, we’re building on our rich heritage and transforming our business to be more scalable and efficient, unlocking the capabilities needed for future success. This includes significantly investing in technology, streamlining the way we work and creating an environment where colleagues feel engaged, empowered and accountable; where they can show up, speak up and perform – because we believe in the difference our work makes.

Location: London – Paddington

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Employment Type: Permanent

Seniority: Mid-Senior Level

About the role

The Head of Responsible AI role is responsible for providing enterprise leadership for responsible AI at SJP. The role sets the Group’s Responsible AI principles that reflect SJP’s purpose, culture and risk appetite, and translates them into policies, standards, frameworks and processes that govern how AI is designed, procured, deployed and operated across the Group. It establishes and leads the Responsible AI team, provides direction, oversight and robust governance of SJP’s AI risk and control environment, and ensures strategic alignment of AI initiatives with Group strategy while delivering good customer outcomes and enabling innovation through enterprise‑wide AI literacy and safe adoption.

• SJP Enterprise Responsible AI Principles, Strategy and Policy
• Define and publish SJP Responsible AI Principles aligned to SJP’s purpose, values and client outcomes, and embed them into Group strategy, operating model and investment prioritisation.
• Own AI policies, standards, controls and guidance (e.g., fairness, transparency, explainability, human‑in‑the‑loop).
• Shape SJP’s AI risk appetite in partnership with second line Risk Division.
• Co‑develop proposals, influence thresholds and measures, and agree outcome and control effectiveness metrics that evidence benefits and risk management at Group level.

• AI Governance
• Lead the development, implementation and oversight of an AI Governance Framework across SJP Group to ensure compliance with UK Government responsible AI principles, Financial Services regulations and frameworks.
• Cover FCA and PRA expectations on model risk management, Consumer Duty, the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR), and data protection obligations.
• Ensure the safe and responsible use of AI.
• Establish and maintain a Group‑wide AI use case and model inventory, including in‑house and third‑party AI solutions.
• Design and operate proportionate assessments for both internal built AI solutions and external AI vendors and solutions.
• Integrate AI requirements into TPRM; set contractual controls and monitor platform/tool usage against policy.
• Design and manage the AI Governance Committee and working group; prepare high quality papers and MI; ensuring strategic alignment and visibility of outcomes and benefits across the Group.
• Influence senior stakeholders including GEC members and, where required, Board committees.
• Present complex trade‑offs in a clear, evidence‑based way to drive informed decisions.
• Lead AI‑related engagements with SJP second and third line and external audit.
• Coordinate evidence and SME inputs, ensure timely submissions, and own remediation to closure, maintaining complete, auditable control documentation.
• Establish timely and transparent MI (risk posture, compliance status, control maturity, benefits realisation, customer outcome indicators) and report regularly to ExCo‑level forums and relevant Board committees.

• AI Literacy and Adoption
• Own SJP’s AI literacy and adoption strategy to bring employees and Partners onto the AI journey.
• Manage perceptions, address concerns, and build confidence, capability and accountability to use AI well.
• Partner with SJP L&D and Communication teams to design role‑based curricula and pathways with clear learning outcomes, assessments and attestations.
• Publish practical guardrails and guidance that translate Responsible AI principles into day‑to‑day decisions.

• Horizon Scanning and External Representation
• Monitor regulatory developments (e.g. FCA AI updates, EU AI Act) and advise senior management on implications and readiness.
• Lead and author SJP’s responses to AI‑related regulatory and industry consultations.
• Represent SJP in industry and regulator engagements; benchmark peers; and bring external insight to shape SJP’s position.

Who we are looking for

• Proven experience in governance, risk management, compliance, or model oversight within financial services.
• Strong understanding of AI‑related regulatory, ethical and operational risks, including familiarity with EU AI Act, ICO guidance & GDPR, Consumer Duty, SMCR and model risk management principles; awareness of NIST AI Risk Management Framework.
• Experience in designing or implementing governance or due diligence frameworks for new technologies or complex models.
• Strategic thinker with a focus on outcomes, compliance and customer protection, able to balance innovation with risk management.
• Familiarity with AI/ML development and operations lifecycles, model documentation practices, and data governance.
• Significant experience of building and managing a high‑performance team.

Benefits

• Competitive parental leave (26 weeks full pay)
• Private medical insurance (optional taxable benefit)
• 10% non‑contributory pension (increasing with length of service)

Reasonable Adjustments

We are an equal‑opportunity employer and want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive for all. If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know by emailing us at careers@sjp.co.uk.