Chief Data & AI Officer
Interim Chief Data and AI Officer
Contract: 6 Months
Rate: £1,000 – £1,250 per day
Location: London (Hybrid – 3 days onsite)
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Interim Chief Data & AI Officer to lead the strategic evolution of data and AI capabilities for a global organisation. Reporting directly to the Chief Information Officer, this role will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the organisation's data, analytics, and AI strategy, ensuring data is positioned as a core enterprise asset and enabler of digital transformation.
This is a highly visible leadership role, requiring an executive who can quickly assess current maturity, define a clear strategic direction, and drive tangible outcomes across data governance, advanced analytics, and AI-driven decision-making.
Role and Responsibilities:
Enterprise Data & AI Strategy
- Define and lead the enterprise Data and AI Strategy, aligned to business objectives and digital transformation priorities
- Identify and prioritise high-value AI and advanced analytics use cases that deliver measurable business impact
- Establish a clear roadmap for data, analytics, and AI capability uplift across the organisation.
Data Operating Model & Governance
- Assess current data maturity, platforms, and operating model, identifying gaps and opportunities
- Design and recommend a target data and AI operating model, including governance, ownership, and decision rights
- Strengthen enterprise data governance, data quality, and ethical AI standards
AI Enablement & Innovation
- Champion the responsible adoption of AI, machine learning, and automation, embedding best practices around model governance, risk, and compliance
- Partner with technology, product, and business leaders to embed AI into core processes and decision-making
- Oversee audits and reviews of existing data and AI capabilities to ensure scalability, security, and regulatory alignment
Insight & Value Delivery
- Ensure the delivery of high-quality insights and analytics to support executive and operational decision-making.
- Translate complex data and AI concepts into clear, actionable recommendations for senior stakeholders.
- Define success measures and KPIs to track the value realised from data and AI initiatives
Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement
- Act as a trusted executive partner across the organisation, influencing at C-suite and senior leadership level.
- Collaborate effectively within a matrix organisation, aligning internal and external stakeholders.
- Promote a culture of data literacy, AI awareness, and continuous improvement across teams
Skills & Experience
- Proven experience operating at Chief Data Officer / Executive Data & AI leadership level within large, complex organisations.
- Strong background in enterprise data strategy, advanced analytics, and AI/ML adoption
- Demonstrated ability to make rapid impact in an interim or transformation environment.
- Experience designing and implementing data and AI operating models and governance frameworks
- Excellent stakeholder management skills with the credibility to influence senior leaders
- Strong communicator, able to clearly articulate complex data and AI topics to both technical and non-technical audi
- Curious, thoughtful, and outcome-driven approach to problem-solving and decision-making