The Alan Turing Institute was founded in 2015 with a clear and compelling purpose: ‘To make great leaps in data science and artificial intelligence research in order to change the world for the better.’ It is named in honour of Alan Turing (1912-1954), whose pioneering work in theoretical and applied mathematics, engineering and computing are considered to be some of the key disciplines comprising the fields of data science and artificial intelligence.

Five universities – Cambridge, Edinburgh, Oxford, UCL and Warwick – and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are Founder Members of The Alan Turing Institute. Eight additional universities – Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Queen Mary University of London, and Southampton – joined the Institute in 2018. The Institute now works with a further 25 universities through its Turing Network Development Awards.

The Institute is largely funded through grants from its university partners and from strategic and other partnerships including Accenture, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, GCHQ, Lloyd's Register Foundation, MI5 and the UK Ministry of Defence to name only a few. It is underpinned by world-leading academic excellence and is unique in bringing together academia, industry, the government and the third sector on a national scale.

Looking forward, The Alan Turing Institute aims to be the world's leading organisation in reaping the benefits of the data science and AI revolution to solve societal challenges.

This is a critical time as the UK seeks to build a sustainable advantage against global competitors. Key regulations, standards and policies around these technologies are now being shaped, with the Turing well-placed to play a central role in realising this future.

The Alan Turing Institute is seeking to appoint a new Director and CEO to lead the Institute through the next ambitious phase outlined in its five-year strategy (2023-2028), while remaining responsive and agile to new strategic opportunities in this fast-moving space. Reporting to the Chair of Trustees, the Director and CEO is responsible for the effective leadership and management of the Institute, and for ensuring sufficient income for the Institute’s long-term sustainability and for the delivery of its Scientific and Innovation Strategy. As the public face of the Institute, the Director will play a leading role in managing relationships with shareholders, strategic partners, government, academia and the commercial and third sectors, and will promote the Institute nationally and internationally as the UK national institute for data science and AI.

Candidates will possess significant senior executive leadership experience and a proven record of achievement and success in a relevant context. Alongside experience of leading a complex organisation, candidates are expected to bring demonstrable experience and success in leading organisational and cultural change. Experience leading a commercial organisation through the practical translation of research into commercial innovation, while not essential, is highly desirable. The successful candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and demonstrable ability to build and develop effective working relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders across academia, commercial, public and third sectors. The appointee will also demonstrate a clear commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in relation to every aspect of the Institute’s activity and more widely as the national institute for data science and AI.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This is a permanent appointment. We offer a competitive salary along with a benefits package that includes a defined contribution pension scheme, private health and 30 days annual leave.

The Alan Turing Institute is based at the British Library, in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter.

We are currently assessing the results of our hybrid working trial, which ran for six months. We will soon publish a long-term workplace policy: as a guide, we anticipate this will be between 2-4 days per month. Some roles may require the jobholder to spend a greater number of days in the office, but the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

For an informal and confidential conversation about the role, please contact Tom Mellor at [email protected] or +44 (0)20 7340 6282.

The closing date for applications is 09:00 GMT, Tuesday 28th February 2023.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Alan Turing Institute is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated fairly. In accordance with the Equality Act, we welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Reasonable adjustments to the interview process will be made for any candidates with a disability.

Please note all offers of employment are subject to obtaining and retaining the right to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check.

Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from [email protected].