Programme Director, AI, Automation and Application Strategy

About the Role

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead Queen Mary University of London’s ambitious AI, Automation and Application Strategy (AAA) — shaping how emerging technologies transform the way we work, study, and research.

As Programme Director, AI, Automation and Application Strategy, you will be a senior member of the IT Services Leadership Team, reporting to the Chief Information Officer. You will lead the strategic delivery of AI, automation, and application innovation across the institution, ensuring technology is embedded at the heart of our operations, education, and research.

You will build and lead a programme that delivers measurable impact—enhancing efficiency, improving service quality, and supporting data-driven decision-making across Queen Mary.

You will play a key role in developing Queen Mary’s AI policy and governance framework, promoting safe, ethical, and innovative use of technology.

About You

You will be an accomplished IT or digital transformation leader with significant experience in developing and delivering large-scale enterprise technology or automation programmes within a complex organisation.

Educated to Master’s level (or with equivalent senior-level experience), you will ideally hold recognised qualifications in programme management (e.g. MSP, PRINCE2) and/or IT frameworks such as ITIL. You will have a strong record of strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, and delivery of technology-enabled change that improves performance and value for money.

You will demonstrate a high level of technical and business acumen, with a sound understanding of enterprise architecture, data governance, and integration—particularly within Azure or similar ecosystems. Experience with intelligent automation, low-code/no-code platforms, or AI policy development would be advantageous.

About the Department

IT Services is a key enabler of Queen Mary’s strategic ambitions, providing the digital infrastructure, systems, and innovation that underpin teaching, research, and operations. The department is focused on delivering reliable, customer-focused services while driving digital transformation through the adoption of emerging technologies, process improvement, and collaboration across the University community.

About Queen Mary

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed-term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, campus facilities and flexible working arrangements.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.

Valuing Diversity & Committed to Equality

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