Group Head of AI Enablement & Business Systems Transformation in London

VCCP is the global challenger network for challenger brands. With more than 1,500 people across 13 offices in North America, EMEA and APAC, we challenge convention to deliver value for the world’s most ambitious organisations. We believe transformation happens when everything works together. That’s why we bring specialists from every discipline - strategy, AI, data, media, digital, experience, branding, creativity, production, PR, CX, CRM, employee engagement and beyond - into one fully integrated network. We were founded on the principles of simplicity, collaboration and un-preciousness, and we’ve grown by staying true to them. Today, our clients include some of the world’s most recognisable and progressive brands, such as Virgin Media O2, Barclays, Cadbury, Compare the Market, Domino’s, White Claw, easyJet, Primark and Co-op. VCCP has topped the AAR’s annual new business ranking in 13 of the last 14 years and holds multiple Agency of the Year titles. Across every company and every capability, we share the same ambition: to challenge ourselves, challenge our clients and challenge the industry for the better.

THE ROLE

To architect the future of VCCP’s operational landscape by blending cutting-edge AI deployment, robust systems management, and high-impact strategic project leadership with a rigorous focus on benefit realisation. As the Head of AI Enablement & Business Systems Transformation, you will be the engine behind VCCP’s "Challenger" spirit. You will ensure our teams are equipped with the world’s best AI tools, our back-office systems are seamless and scalable, and our most complex strategic projects are executed with excellence. You won't just deliver tools; you will be responsible for ensuring those tools fundamentally improve how we work and drive measurable value for the agency. We are looking for an ambitious and highly organised individual who is articulate, curious, proactive and thrives in a fast-paced environment across a range of projects. Whilst the successful candidate needs to be a natural self-starter, it is also important that the candidate can work as part of a team across a range of disciplines.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• AI & Automation Leadership
• Gemini Integration: Act as the primary architect for the enterprise-wide rollout of Gemini, ensuring it is deeply embedded into the daily workflows of our teams.
• Knowledge & Best Practice: Establish a "Center of Excellence" for AI, sharing best practices and case studies across the business.
• The Automation Pipeline: Identify, vet, and manage a pipeline of automation opportunities. You will move ideas from concept to delivery, ensuring they realise tangible ROI and time-savings.
• Strategic Systems & Product Roadmap
• Application Ownership: Own the long-term vision and roadmap for our strategic back-office applications (Deltek Maconomy, Deltek Workbook, SAGE, Greenhouse).
• Business Alignment: Partner with global department heads to translate business pain points into technical requirements and system enhancements.
• Standardisation: Ensure global consistency in how our systems are used, driving "best practice" behaviours to maintain data integrity and operational speed.
• Strategic Projects & Operational Excellence
• Executive Partnership: Act as a key strategic partner to the COO and CIO to drive "big-ticket" initiatives, including technology integration for Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A).
• Operational Consulting: Work directly with MDs and Ops Directors across the group to identify inefficiencies and design "Excellence" frameworks that improve agency margin and output.
• Governance & Value Realisation
• Delivery Framework: Establish a robust governance framework to oversee all technology and innovation projects, ensuring clear accountability, stage-gate approvals, and resource alignment.
• Portfolio Oversight: Monitor the health of the innovation portfolio, providing transparent reporting to the Executive Team on project status, risks, and dependencies.
• Benefit Realisation: Define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for every major project and conduct post-implementation reviews to ensure intended benefits—financial, temporal, or qualitative—are fully realised.
• Continuous Optimisation: Use post-delivery data to iterate on tools and processes, ensuring that the "value" doesn't plateau after the initial launch.

ROLE SPECIFIC SKILLS REQUIRED

• The Hybrid Mindset: You are equally comfortable discussing AI API integrations with developers, as you are discussing agency margins with an MD, or creative workflows with a Creative Director.
• The Rigorous Orchestrator: You possess the discipline to enforce governance and the analytical mind to prove the ROI of every initiative you lead.
• The Delivery Expert: You have a proven track record of taking messy, complex ideas and turning them into delivered, value-adding products or processes.
• The Tech Evangelist: You are passionate about the potential of AI to transform the advertising industry and can articulate that vision to non-technical stakeholders.
• Large-Scale Business Services: Experience managing enterprise technology in a large, international business services environment.
• Tactical & Strategic Balance: A track record of delivering major ERP implementations while simultaneously managing a pipeline of rapid, tactical fixes for specific business units.
• AI & Innovation: Demonstrable interest or experience in applying AI/LLMs to business processes. You don't need to be a data scientist, but you must know how to prompt, scope, and deploy AI tools to solve operational inefficiencies. We would also be looking for someone with 10+ years of solid mid to senior level experience.

Success Metrics (the first 12 months)

• AI Adoption: High active-user rates for Gemini across the global network.
• Value Dashboard: Creation of a "Value Realisation" dashboard for the COO/CIO, tracking the tangible impact of AI and systems on agency performance.
• System Stability: A clear, socialised 2-year roadmap for all back-office strategic applications.
• Project Delivery: Successful delivery of at least two major strategic initiatives (e.g., M&A integration or a new OpEx framework) within the new governance framework.

ABOUT YOU

• A passion for all things creative and advertising.
• Resilience to keep going in a fast paced environment.
• Thrive on working in a high energy and fast paced environment, where no two days are the same.
• Be proactive with a can-do attitude - be eager to get your sleeves rolled up and learn.
• Strive for excellence - be proud of your work and have meticulous attention to detail.
• Friendly and approachable.
• Build rapport and able to quickly establish excellent working relationships.
• Live and breathe the agency’s values.
• Strives for excellence.
• Can do attitude.
• Approachable and personable.
• Builds rapport and is able to quickly establish excellent working relationships.
• Team player.

VCCP DE&I STATEMENT

We believe that DE&I is about creating a strong culture of inclusion within our agency, where everyone can thrive and be their authentic self. VCCP is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or ethnicity. If you require any adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know via joinus@vccp.com.

CRIMINAL RECORDS INFORMATION

As part of our onboarding process, you will be required to complete a Criminal Records Declaration regarding any unspent convictions. For roles in finance, HR, Legal, IT or senior management, we may be required to verify your declaration with a basic DBS check, as well as an Adverse Finance and ID check.