AI & Automation Lead

Salary: £58,000 - 58,000 per year

• Significant experience leading or delivering AI, automation, digital transformation, data or technology initiatives within a complex organisation
• Practical experience developing, configuring, integrating or assuring AI-enabled solutions and moving prototypes into controlled operational use
• Strong understanding of AI governance, including ownership, evaluation, monitoring, documentation, human oversight and lifecycle management
• Practical knowledge of responsible AI principles, including privacy, transparency, fairness and bias, accessibility, intellectual property and human oversight
• Experience working with security, data protection, governance, risk and technical specialists to identify and manage AI-related risks
• Strong understanding of the Microsoft AI ecosystem and the practical considerations involved in deploying, monitoring and maintaining AI services
• Software development skills, including experience designing, building, testing and maintaining AI or automation solutions using appropriate development practices
• Strong strategic and analytical thinking, including the ability to identify where AI can create value and where it may introduce risks or unintended consequences
• Experience turning broad opportunities into clear priorities, business cases, delivery plans and measurable outcomes
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, including the ability to explain technology, cost, architecture and risk to technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively, build trust and navigate competing priorities
• Experience managing suppliers, partners or delivery teams and assessing value for money
• Experience coaching, developing or line managing colleagues in a technical environment
• We also welcome experience managing Microsoft AI licensing, consumption or capacity models; knowledge of data governance; experience with agentic AI or multi-agent approaches; and familiarity with CRM, supporter engagement, fundraising, digital or operational transformation
• Experience in a charity, purpose-led or similarly complex organisation, introducing new AI capabilities or ways of working, and an interest in how responsible technology can support our mission are desirable
• You must have the right to work in the UK; we are unable to offer sponsorship

• Lead our AI and automation roadmap, turning opportunities into practical solutions that support productivity, supporter engagement, fundraising, decision-making and operational efficiency
• Prioritise use cases, develop business cases, coordinate pilots and implementations, and contribute directly to solutions where appropriate
• Establish governance to support responsible scaling of AI, working across data, security, privacy and technology
• Ensure clear ownership, human oversight, robust testing and monitoring, and effective risk management
• Build confidence and capability through practical guidance, training and adoption support
• Oversee suppliers, delivery resources, platform costs and benefits
• As the capability grows, lead and develop colleagues in the AI and automation area

• Agentic AI
• AI
• CRM
• Support
• Security

More:

We are WWF-UK, a global conservation charity with millions of supporters and hundreds of projects around the world. Our mission is to restore nature and prevent catastrophic climate change, building on more than 60 years of work to protect wildlife and the natural world through science, integrity and collaboration. This is our first dedicated AI & Automation Lead role, reporting to our Director of Technology. The salary is £58,000 per year. The UK-based role is hybrid, with at least 40% of contracted hours spent each month at our Living Planet Centre head office in Woking, Surrey. We offer annual leave starting at 26 days and rising to 31 days, plus bank holidays; flexible working; an employer pension contribution of 7.5%, rising to 10% with employee contribution; learning and development; and wellbeing initiatives. We are committed to an inclusive workplace, welcome applicants from all backgrounds and identities, and are a Disability Confident employer. We are also committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and others who may be vulnerable, with role-appropriate recruitment checks that may include external vetting. Applications are made through our website with an application form, CV and supporting statement; the closing date is 8 November 2026.

last updated 43 week of 2026