In the four years since its establishment by the Nuffield Foundation, the Ada Lovelace Institute has grown into a dynamic and reputed organisation, comprised of policy experts, skilled researchers and communications professionals dedicated to ensuring that data and AI work for people and society. As our team expands beyond 20 staff, we are now in a position to recruit a Head of Operations and Strategic Development, who will ensure the operation of a responsible, resilient, equitable and sustainable organisation.  

The role 

This new position will work closely with Ada’s Senior Leadership Team to help the organisation navigate some of the big opportunities and challenges it faces: building financial sustainability over the long-term, improving processes and structures to enable effective working, deploying resources strategically to support both long-term and responsive work, and mainstreaming anti-oppressive and equitable approaches to organisational culture and ways of working.

The Head of Operations and Strategic Development will support Ada’s Director in the development and implementation of Ada’s organisational strategy. This will include leading on organisational development, management, resource planning, and evaluation. The position also oversees Ada’s interface with the central HR, Finance and Office services of the Nuffield Foundation. You’ll be a key connector and integrator throughout the organisation, and will build relationships with each member of the team in order to be the first to know when practices, processes or implementation isn’t working well.

You will work collaboratively with Human Resources colleagues to ensure Ada is best utilising its people in order to deliver on its mission (and making it a great place to work). This will include planning resourcing and implementing recruitment and onboarding strategies, and ensuring effective performance management processes are in place, identifying and addressing learning and development needs.

Working with central Finance colleagues, you will oversee all aspects of budgeting, forecasting, accounting and financial oversight, developing reporting tools and processes to support good financial management, planning and accountability. You will own and lead the implementation of all external grants (ensuring compliance with reporting frameworks and deadlines), and work with Ada’s Directorates to budget and forecast resources, identify gaps, needs and opportunities for additional fundraising. You’ll work closely with Ada’s Director to strategically map and target fundraising opportunities, and manage relationships with key funders and supporters of the organisation.

You will also work with Ada’s Impact and Research Practice Directorate to ensure a cohesive programme of internal communications, effective and consistent information sharing and consistent and equitable practices.

Finally, you’ll be a leader in the organisation on diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-oppression, working with the SLT and the Anti-Oppression Working Group. As an advisor to Ada’s Senior Leadership Team, you’ll play a critical role in shaping the organisation as a whole, thinking strategically about Ada’s resources and partnerships to facilitate growth, sustainability and effective operations. You will also support the Director in all aspects of organisational governance and Board management.

About you

You will have broad strategic leadership and operational management experience (including governance, finance and human resources), gained in a non-profit, research institute and/or similar knowledge based organisation.

You will have highly developed organisation management and strategic planning skills,and will be used to working in a matrix framework.

You will have strong influencing skills and can act as a trusted advisor to colleagues. You will also demonstrate curiosity and passion about the issues that arise at the intersection of technology and society. 

For further information about the role, please download the full job description. 

About the Ada Lovelace Institute 

The Ada Lovelace Institute is an independent research institute funded and incubated by the Nuffield Foundation since 2018. Our mission is to ensure data and artificial intelligence work for people and society. We do this by building evidence and fostering rigorous debate on how data and AI affect people and society.  We recognise the power asymmetries that exist in ethical and legal debates around the development of data-driven technologies and seek to level those asymmetries by convening diverse voices and creating a shared understanding of the ethical issues arising from data and AI. Finally, we seek to define and inform good practice in the design and deployment of AI technologies.    

The Institute has emerged as a leading independent voice on the ethical and societal impacts of data and AI. We have built relationships in the public, private and civil society sectors in the UK and internationally.

Our research takes an interconnected approach to issues such as power, social justice, distributional impact and climate change (read our strategy to find out more), and our team have a wide range of expertise that cuts across policy, technology, academia, industry, law and human rights.  We value diversity in background, skills, perspectives and life experiences. As part of the Nuffield Foundation, we are a small team with the practical support of an established organisation that cares for its employees. 

How to apply

The closing date for applications is 09:30am (BST) on Monday 31st October, with interviews scheduled to take place on Tuesday 8th November 2022.

You will be required to complete some questions as part of this application process, and you are also required to upload an up-to-date copy of your CV. The Applied platform lets you save an application and resume it ahead of submitting before the application deadline. 

Should you need to make an application in a different format or require any adjustments as part of the application process, please get in touch with us: recruitment@nuffieldfoundation.org

Our benefits package includes: 

• 28 days holiday per annum and all public holidays (with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days). 

• Pension scheme that offers employer contributions of up to 11%. 

• Life assurance scheme. 

• We offer family leave policies that provide an enhanced level of pay 

• Cycle to work scheme and loans towards season tickets. 

• Opportunities for learning and development (and time off for reading/development)

• Wellbeing support including an employee assistance provider.