Head of AI Governance (Qualified Lawyer)
Global Remit - Professional Services Firm | London | Hybrid – 3 days per week in the office
Salary Guide (Feel free to ask me more): £150,000 – £180,000 base
A global professional services firm is looking to hire a Head of AI Governance to join its Privacy and AI Office in London.
The successful candidate, who must be a qualified lawyer, will help shape how the organisation governs the use of AI across the business, with a particular focus on building practical, scalable and commercially sensible controls around responsible AI adoption.
The firm is particularly interested in candidates who have worked in-house, or in a role with close exposure to an in-house environment, and who can point to real experience helping an organisation develop its approach to AI governance, and who has activley built a compliance and governance framework.
The opportunity
AI is already changing how professional services firms operate, advise clients and manage information. This role is designed to ensure that innovation happens in a controlled, responsible and legally robust way.
You will take a leading role in developing the firm’s AI governance programme, working with stakeholders across legal, privacy, compliance, risk, technology and client-facing teams. The focus will be on turning regulatory expectations and internal risk requirements into practical frameworks, policies and processes that can be applied across a complex global organisation.
This is not an advisory role. The firm is looking for someone who can help build, improve, and embed a governance model — someone comfortable moving between strategic discussions, policy development, and hands-on implementation.
Key focus areas
The role will involve:
- Leading the development of a global approach to AI governance and responsible AI use
- Designing practical controls, policies and processes for the adoption and oversight of AI tools
- Helping the business assess and manage risks relating to generative AI and other emerging technologies
- Working closely with privacy, risk, compliance, legal and technology stakeholders to embed AI governance into existing business processes
- Advising on the impact of evolving regulation, including the EU AI Act, GDPR and broader responsible AI standards
- Supporting the review of client requirements relating to AI use, data handling and technology governance
- Helping senior stakeholders respond to questions from clients around the firm’s approach to AI governance
- Translating complex legal and regulatory developments into clear, practical guidance for the business
- Supporting the continued maturity of the firm’s AI governance framework as regulation, technology and client expectations evolve
The ideal candidate
The ideal candidate is a qualified lawyer with a strong grounding in privacy, data protection, governance, compliance or technology risk.
You do not need to be full-time on AI Governance right now, but you should be able to demonstrate meaningful exposure to AI, responsible technology or emerging technology governance. Experience helping to create, build out or mature a compliance or governance framework would be highly relevant.
The firm is particularly interested in candidates with:
- A background in privacy, data protection, compliance, governance or technology risk
- Practical exposure to AI governance, responsible AI, generative AI or emerging technology risk
- Experience working in-house, or closely with in-house legal, privacy or compliance functions
- A strong understanding of GDPR, the EU AI Act and broader AI regulatory developments
- The ability to build frameworks, policies and processes that are clear, practical and capable of being adopted across a business
- Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to advise senior internal stakeholders
- A commercial, pragmatic style, with the ability to balance innovation, risk and regulatory expectations
Why this role?
This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of a developing area within a sophisticated global organisation.
The successful candidate will have the chance to shape how a major professional services firm approaches AI governance at a time when expectations from regulators, clients and internal stakeholders are changing quickly.
The role will suit someone who enjoys building new capability, working across functions and bringing structure to a fast-moving area of legal and regulatory risk.
The role is based in London and operates on a hybrid model, with 3 days per week in the office.