Head of AI & Business Intelligence - London

Main purpose of the role

You will lead the development and delivery of CIFF’s internal Artificial Intelligence (AI) and business intelligence (BI) strategy for leveraging artificial intelligence, data, and insights to accelerate operational efficiency and portfolio management. This senior leadership position combines strategic direction with operational execution and is accountable for shaping, building, and deploying AI and BI solutions that strengthen programme effectiveness, help manage risk and resilience (e.g. through diligence), support Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) infrastructure, enable evidence-based decision-making, and enhance organizational transparency.

You will deliver agentic AI solutions for CIFF workflows, oversee experimentation and learning cycles, and embed insights into portfolio monitoring, grant life cycle management and performance management, including visualisation and digital dashboards. You will use a combination of hands-on technical expertise and social sector understanding to operate effectively across delivery, advisory, and leadership responsibilities—translating data into decisions and decisions into measurable impact.

Role’s responsibilities

• Operating across CIFF’s internal technology and data functions, the role reports to the Head – Digital & Technology Solutions and India Operations.
• It partners closely with programme and operations teams, as well as with the Impact Knowledge Hub (IKH) and the Tech for Impact (T4i) to co-design and deliver AI and BI solutions that improve organisational efficiency, portfolio management, and data maturity through internal systems and tools that enable CIFF staff to manage grants, monitor investments and make well-informed operational decisions.

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define the long-term AI and BI strategy to support organisational efficiency, grant management, and portfolio performance monitoring.
• Identify opportunities where GenAI, advanced analytics, and improved insights can improve internal workflows, due diligence processes, proposal review, grantee reporting, risk management, and operational decision-making.
• Incubate and industrialise agentic AI solutions, platforms, and accelerators for internal use; establish reusable data products and a reliable single source of truth for portfolio data; embed solutions into enterprise workflows for efficiency; and leverage them across programme delivery and internal process optimisation.
• Promote a culture of data stewardship, data governance, transparency, and ethical AI adoption across the CIFF staff and systems.
• Ensure agentic AI solutions progress from proofs of concept to scaled, repeatable, value-generating offerings through robust Machine Learning(ML)Ops/Large Language Model Ops practices.
• Lead organisation-wide internal adoption of agentic AI to improve productivity, quality, and scalability.
• Design solutions that (a) remain modular and extensible, (b) meet security and governance requirements and operate at enterprise scale, and (c) demonstrate cost-effectiveness and sustainability at organisational scale.

Impact-Driven Analytics & AI Initiatives

• Develop AI/ML models that enable strategic scaling of CIFF’s operations and collective intelligence (through data visualisation and similar platforms).
• Support the Enterprise Architect in modernising the BI ecosystem (e.g., semantic layer and self-service BI) and deliver real-time impact dashboards, programme scorecards, and portfolio insights.
• Work with missions and programme teams to embed standardised KPIs and outcome indicators into monitoring systems, in line with frameworks set by mission leads and IKH.
• Scale GenAI solutions to improve internal knowledge management and risk analysis, staff-led research and synthesis tools, and operational productivity.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Capacity Building

• Work closely with programme and operational teams, with the T4i and IKH Centres of Excellence, and with the CIFF ecosystem, to co-create internal AI and BI solutions aligned with organisational priorities and standards.
• Build internal capability through training, toolkits, and broader access to analytics for non-technical users.
• Support and collaborate with T4i by providing an internal proving ground for responsible AI approaches, helping pilot and refine solutions before T4i coordinates them externally with grantees and partners.
• Manage relationships with technology vendors and implementation partners supporting internal systems.

Responsible AI, Governance & Compliance

• Lead and oversee the responsible AI governance approach for internal systems, tools and data products, ensuring internal deployments meet organisational standards.
• Work with T4i to maintain a shared and aligned responsible AI governance approach, drawing on CIFF’s responsible AI framework as the common foundation, and ensuring coherence across internal and programmatic contexts.
• Ensure data privacy, ethical data use, and compliance with relevant global and regional regulations relevant to philanthropy and non-profits.
• Establish governance mechanisms and data quality controls for sensitive or demographic data used in internal systems to prevent misuse or bias.

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Develop and lead a multidisciplinary team across AI engineering, data science, analytics, and BI.
• Establish and sustain an internal AI community of practice to foster innovation and continuous learning amongst CIFF staff.
• Guide the adoption of modern cloud-based data platforms and AI tools suited to CIFF’s operational context.

Skills & Experience

• Formal qualifications or certifications in AI, analytics, or digital transformation (e.g. Microsoft AI or analytics leadership certifications) are preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in leading enterprise-scale AI and BI strategy, adoption, and governance, and the ability to translate insights into measurable organisational impact.
• Experience in the social sector, large NGOs, philanthropy, or impact-driven organisations.
• Strong expertise in AI/ML, data modelling, analytics strategy, and technology implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to use data and AI to advance equitable, community-focused outcomes.
• Proven experience partnering with non-technical stakeholders and translating insights into measurable, mission-aligned actions.
• Excellent communication capabilities, including presenting insights to executives, board members, donors, and field partners.
• Experience with GenAI for knowledge management, evidence synthesis, and donor/grantee engagement.
• Background in ethical AI frameworks, privacy-by-design, and human-centred data governance.
• Ability to balance technological innovation with community voice, equity, and social responsibility.
• Strong business and mission alignment, with a demonstrated commitment to advancing positive social outcomes through data.

Key working relationships

• Head – Digital & Technology Solutions and India Operations
• Head of Technology Support Services
• Enterprise Architect
• Head of Change Delivery and team
• T4i and IKH Centres of Excellence
• Programme COOs
• Operations and HR Directors
• CEO Office

Management dimensions

• 3rd Party Supplier Management including with key suppliers

CIFF operates a hybrid work policy across all locations, which means employees work in the office and some of the time from home. We are happy to provide more information on this as part of the recruitment process. Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package here at CIFF that includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Annual leave – 25 days per annum, increasing by 1 day after each year of service to a maximum of 30 days.
• Bonus – CIFF currently operates a discretionary bonus scheme.
• Training allowance
• Well-being allowance
• Life insurance
• Medical insurance