AI Innovation Manager

AI Innovation Manager – Global Financial Services | 6 Months Contract | Hybrid (Central London)

Our client, a global financial organisation, is urgently seeking an AI Innovation Manager to join a high‑impact programme driving enterprise‑wide AI and automation adoption. This is a 6‑months contract, operating within the Enterprise Innovation Lab — inside the Enterprise LoB AI & Automation programme.

The role is to identify high‑value AI opportunities, test cutting‑edge tools, build rapid prototypes, validate them with real users, and hand successful pilots into delivery teams for productionisation. This role blends commercial engagement, hands‑on AI build, and structured experimentation.

Role Overview

• Lead and manage a pipeline of rapid prototypes, delivering and iterating at pace.

• Operate with high autonomy in a self‑sufficient mini‑team (Manager + Specialist).

• Scout and test frontier AI tools from outside the organisation’s stack.

• Work directly with Commercial and Operations teams to uncover real business problems.

• Translate ambiguous challenges into practical AI/automation solutions with measurable value.

• Ensure pilots deliver clear commercial outcomes and evidence‑based results.

Key Responsibilities

Opportunity Identification & Commercial Framing

• Build and manage a pipeline of AI/automation opportunities across Enterprise Commercial, Operations, and partner functions.

• Quantify commercial value (revenue, cost, risk, speed) and define success criteria before build begins.

• Pressure‑test ideas with frontline teams to validate feasibility.

• Build hands‑on alongside the Specialist using the existing Global Payments tech stack.

• Run structured pilot tests with real users and report results transparently to leadership.

• Iterate quickly on feedback and close underperforming pilots early with clear rationale.

Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Manage relationships with senior Commercial and Operations leaders.

• Engage partner functions early (Credit, Compliance, Marketing, etc.) to avoid governance bottlenecks.

• Present findings, recommendations, and commercial outcomes confidently to stakeholders.

Tool & Technology Scouting

• Own the Lab’s tool & tech radar — track emerging AI/automation platforms worth testing.

• Evaluate new tools side‑by‑side against the incumbent stack (capability, cost, security, integration effort).

• Apply external tools to real use cases and share findings across the organisation.

Skills & Experience Required

AI Delivery & Experimentation

• Strong understanding of where AI can be applied to commercial business challenges.

• Demonstrated experience building AI‑enabled prototypes, agents, or automations.

• Solid awareness of LLM strengths, limitations, and risks.

• Fast learner, curious, and comfortable in ambiguous environments.

• Independent operator able to manage workload with light‑touch direction.

Stakeholder Engagement

Strong commercial acumen — able to size opportunities and defend value cases.

Comfortable working directly with business teams (Commercial, Operations).

Skilled at gathering requirements, demonstrating solutions, and incorporating feedback.

Confident presenting to senior stakeholders.

Problem Solving & Solution Design

Consulting‑style toolkit: structured problem solving, storytelling, crisp executive communication.

Ability to translate ambiguous challenges into practical AI/automation opportunities.

Strong analytical skills and sound judgement balancing value, risk, complexity, and speed.

Experience assessing technology options against business outcomes and implementation effort.

Transparent, evidence‑based reporting.

Desirable Experience

Background in payments, fintech, or financial services.

Experience in consulting (strategy/digital) or technology environments.

Exposure to Salesforce, AI agent frameworks, AI coding tools, data platforms, AWS.

ML fundamentals (features → predictions) and ability to support model‑adjacent pilots. Experience training non‑technical users on new tools.