What is the opportunity?

We're seeking a Head of the AI Centre of Excellence (AI COE) to lead our enterprise?'wide acceleration of Artificial Intelligence. This is a senior, high?'impact role responsible for shaping the Group's AI strategy, embedding strong governance, and ensuring AI is delivered safely, responsibly, and at scale across the organisation. You will act as the central point of expertise, driving innovation, reusability, and regulatory alignment across the UK and Ireland!

In this role, you will:

• Shape and advance the Group's AI strategy, roadmap, and operating model in partnership with Group Strategy.
• Champion AI adoption, identifying and accelerating high?'value use cases that deliver customer, commercial, and risk?'reduction benefits.
• Lead the enterprise AI governance framework, ensuring compliance with GDPR, the EU AI Act, model risk standards, and internal policies.
• Lead all aspects of AI risk assessment, explain-ability, fairness, audit-ability, and model lifecycle governance.
• Build and lead a cross?'functional hub of AI specialists operating in a hub?'and?'spoke model across the Bank.
• Develop reusable AI assets, standards, frameworks, and accelerators to drive consistency and scale.
• Partner closely with Architecture, Technology, and Security on platform readiness, integration, and safe deployment.
• Work with business units to prioritise, prototype, and deliver high?'value AI use cases with clear outcome tracking.
• Lead enterprise AI capability uplift through training, enablement, and cultural change initiatives.
• Represent the organisation externally with regulators, industry bodies, and strategic partners.

What will make you stand out?

• Experience establishing or scaling Centres of Excellence.
• Familiarity with cloud and data platforms (Azure strongly preferred).
• Strong understanding of enterprise architecture patterns and modern AI delivery models.
• A postgraduate qualification in AI, Data Science, Computer Science, or equivalent industry experience.
• Ability to communicate complex AI concepts simply and credibly to senior executives, boards, and regulators.
• A track record of fostering responsible innovation and uplifting organisational AI literacy.

Essential Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in AI, machine learning, or advanced analytics within a complex regulated environment (ideally financial services).
• Demonstrated success delivering AI solutions from concept to production at scale.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, model risk management, and regulatory expectations for AI.
• Deep technical expertise across AI/ML, including generative AI, LLMs, MLOps, and responsible AI frameworks.
• Proven ability to influence executive decision?'making and operate effectively in matrixed organisations.

This is a hybrid role, based primarily in Dublin. We typically ask colleagues to spend a minimum of 8 days per month working in-person to support teamwork and connection. Specific arrangements will be confirmed by your recruiter to ensure they meet the needs of the role and team.

#li-hybrid #ij-hybrid

Why work with us?

The Bank of Ireland company culture prioritises work-life balance with an opportunity for flexible working, along with 23 days annual leave and excellent pension contributions. Family can mean different things to different people; we offer 6 months paid leave, an innovative fertility and surrogacy policy and working parent supports.

Your wellbeing is important to us; we have an employee assistance program, WebDoctor and financial wellbeing coaches available. We also encourage and support staff to pursue educational and professional qualifications to grow and enhance your career!