Second Wave AI JobsA Head of AI at a company outside the AI industry sets how AI is chosen, governed and rolled out across the organisation. They own the strategy and the rules, decide which projects go ahead, and report to senior leaders on the results. This template is based on the 5 UK Head of AI ads we have listed (posted between 18 Sep 2026 and 19 Oct 2026). 4 of them state pay and 1 says who the role reports to.
What a Head of AI does
These are the duties that come up again and again in the ads, in our words.
- Write the AI strategy and roadmap, and get the executive team to agree it.
- Set up governance: who owns what, how projects are approved, and how risk and data protection are handled.
- Choose and prioritise AI projects, and check each one for value, risk and readiness.
- Work with technology, change and project teams so projects are resourced and delivered.
- Build staff skills and confidence, directly or through a team.
- Report results and set the measures of success.
1 of the 5 ads mentions Copilot.
Who it reports to
These are senior roles that sit close to the top. Brighton College's Director of AI is on the Senior Management Team and reports to the Head Master. The Local Pensions Partnership's Head of AI works with the Chief Technology Officer and the executive team. The workforce solutions business describes its AI Strategy Lead as its first dedicated AI leader.
Only 1 of the 5 ads states the reporting line. Put it in yours: it tells candidates how senior the job is.
How cross-functional it is
A Head of AI works with almost everyone, but the ads stress two groups: the executive team, who set direction, and the people who control risk. The Local Pensions Partnership's Head of AI chairs the AI governance forums and checks projects against risk appetite, legal duties and information governance. Brighton College's Director of AI leads the AI policies, covering academic integrity, data protection, safeguarding and ethics.
Typical pay from our ads
Of the 5 Head of AI ads we have listed (posted between 18 Sep 2026 and 19 Oct 2026), 4 (80%) state pay. The 3 that give an annual salary range run from £45,000 to £110,000. With 3 annual salaries we show the range, not a median. One contract role gives a day rate of £800 to £1,000.
| Role | Employer | Location | Advertised pay | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head of AI | Local Pensions Partnership | Preston | £90,000–£100,000 | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Head of AI (contract) | UK investment firm (via Harnham) | London | £800–£1,000 a day | 19 Oct 2026 |
| Head of AI Adoption | techUK | London | £45,000–£65,000 | 28 Sep 2026 |
| AI Strategy Lead | Workforce solutions business (via Tenth Revolution Group) | Remote | £75,000–£110,000 | 18 Sep 2026 |
More pay data: salary benchmarks. Pay counts only when the ad states it.
What good ads include
- The pay. 1 of these 5 ads leave it out.
- Who the role reports to, and which teams it works with. 4 of the 5 ads don't give a reporting line.
- Which AI tools are approved, and what the person can change about them.
- How success will be measured in the first year.
- The contract (permanent or fixed term) and the office pattern.
- Whether any coding is needed. If it isn't, say so, so people from operations, HR and L&D know they can apply.
A job description you can adapt
Replace the text in square brackets. The structure follows the ads above; the wording is ours, so you can use it freely.
[Job title, for example Head of AI]
About the role. [One or two sentences on what has happened so far, for example which AI tools you have and who uses them, and what this person will change.]
Reports to: [role and team]. Works with: [the teams named above that apply to you]. Contract: [permanent, or fixed term of X months]. Location: [office, hybrid pattern, days in the office].
Pay: £[x] to £[y] a year, plus [main benefits].
What you will do
- Write the AI strategy and roadmap and agree it with [executive team].
- Set up and chair AI governance, covering ownership, approvals, risk and data protection.
- Choose and prioritise AI projects with [technology and change teams].
- Report results to [board or executive committee] every [quarter].
How we will measure success: [two or three measures for the first year, for example usage, time saved in named processes, or benefits signed off by finance].
What you will bring
- Experience leading digital, data, technology or transformation work at senior level.
- Experience setting up governance for new technology.
- The ability to explain AI risk and value to an executive team.
- [Say if no coding is needed.]
Next: how to hire a Head of AI, including where the role sits, reporting lines and a first 90 days.
Advertise your Head of AI role
List it on Second Wave AI Jobs. We link straight to your own ad, so applications come to you.
Free to post until 31 Jan 2027, then paid. Founding employers keep launch pricing.
Questions
What should a Head of AI job description include?
What the role does, who it reports to, which teams it works with, which AI tools are involved, how success will be measured, the contract, the office pattern and the pay. Of the 5 UK Head of AI ads we have listed, 4 state pay and 1 gives a reporting line.
How much should we pay a Head of AI?
Of the 5 Head of AI ads we have listed (posted between 18 Sep 2026 and 19 Oct 2026), 4 (80%) state pay. The 3 that give an annual salary range run from £45,000 to £110,000. With 3 annual salaries we show the range, not a median. One contract role gives a day rate of £800 to £1,000.