AI Research & Development Lead

Shape the Future of AI in Financial Services

We are seeking an exceptional AI Research & Development Lead to lead a high-impact AI research function within a rapidly scaling digital financial services organisation.

This is a rare opportunity for a leader who thrives at the intersection of frontier AI research and real-world business impact. Beyond delivering projects, you will define research priorities, explore emerging technologies, and transform cutting-edge AI advances into scalable solutions that improve customer experiences, operational efficiency, decision-making, and product innovation.

You will lead a team of researchers and AI specialists, build a culture of technical excellence, and ensure that promising ideas evolve from experimentation into production-ready capabilities.

Role Impact:
Define the AI Research Vision
Establish the technical strategy and long-term research agenda for AI innovation.
Identify emerging technologies and evaluate their potential application to complex business challenges.
Drive the adoption of novel AI techniques that create measurable competitive advantages.

Lead Applied Research and Innovation
Develop new algorithms, models, and data-driven methodologies across a range of AI disciplines.
Translate business problems into machine learning systems, optimisation frameworks, and advanced analytical solutions.
Prototype, validate, and iterate rapidly to assess value and feasibility.

Build Production-Ready AI Solutions
Design, evaluate, and deploy robust AI systems capable of operating at scale.
Ensure research outcomes are practical, responsible, and aligned with operational requirements.
Balance innovation with governance, compliance, and responsible AI principles.

Collaborate Across the Organisation
Partner with product, engineering, analytics, and business stakeholders to convert research into meaningful outcomes.
Influence strategic decision-making through technical expertise and evidence-based recommendations.
Drive alignment between research initiatives and broader business goals.

Advance AI Thought Leadership
Monitor developments across the global AI landscape and selectively incorporate relevant breakthroughs.
Foster partnerships with academic institutions, industry groups, and research communities.
Contribute to publications, presentations, and external forums where appropriate.

Build and Develop a World-Class Team
Recruit, mentor, and grow high-performing researchers and technical specialists.
Foster a culture of curiosity, experimentation, scientific rigour, and accountability.
Create an environment where innovation is encouraged and excellence is expected.

Essential Qualifications:
Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, or another highly quantitative discipline.
Significant experience in AI, machine learning, data science, or a closely related field.
Proven success leading high-performing technical, research, or advanced analytics teams.
Demonstrated track record of delivering AI initiatives that generated meaningful business value.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capability with the ability to tackle complex, ambiguous challenges.

Technical Expertise
Experience across several of the following areas is highly desirable:
Large Language Models (LLMs)
Generative AI
Optimisation and Decision Science
Speech and Audio AI
Causal Inference and Causal AI
Neuro-symbolic Systems
Advanced Machine Learning and Statistical Modelling
AI Evaluation and Responsible AI Frameworks

Preferred Qualifications
Research contributions through peer-reviewed publications, conference papers, workshops, or recognised industry forums.
Experience bridging research, product development, and commercial implementation.
Ability to influence senior stakeholders and communicate complex technical concepts clearly.

Why This Opportunity Matters
This role offers the chance to define how advanced AI is researched, developed, and applied within a highly dynamic technology environment. You will lead work that moves beyond experimentation—shaping innovative solutions that create lasting business impact while helping establish the next generation of AI capabilities.