The Ada Lovelace Institute is recruiting to the newly created position of Associate Director, Data & AI Law and Policy to join our senior leadership team and develop a comprehensive strategy for informing and influencing public policy, regulatory initiatives and legislative debates on data and AI policy and regulation, in the UK and beyond. 

In the past five years, AI and other tech regulation has become politically palatable, practically achievable and even commercially desirable in jurisdictions around the world. The year 2022 alone has seen a significant global uptick in proposals for the regulation of AI technologies, online markets, social media platforms and other digital technologies, such as the European Union Directive on AI liability, a forthcoming AI regulation whitepaper in the UK, and similar initiatives in jurisdictions such as Canada and Brazil. At the same time, data regulation is being reformed and iterated in the UK, EU and beyond.  

In order to meet this opportunity, the Ada Lovelace Institute seeks an ambitious and expert thinker and leader on data and AI regulation, law and policy to design and execute our strategy for informing policy developments with research, evidence and the views of the public.  

The role 

This role will lead the Data and AI Law and Policy Directorate, developing and refining a comprehensive strategy for informing and influencing public policy, regulatory initiatives and legislative debates on data and AI policy and regulation, in line with Ada’s mission and values, using research, public engagement, convening and synthesis. 

You will develop, oversee and execute research programmes in the field of data and AI law and policy, including in both short-term/responsive and long-term/proactive contexts. Working with European and UK policy colleagues, you will develop joined-up policy strategies that are aligned with Ada’s research, expertise and mission, whilst identifying opportunities for Ada to influence law and policy development in jurisdictions beyond the UK and EU. 

As a member of Ada’s Senior Leadership Team, you will think strategically about Ada’s research portfolio, policy positioning, growth, sustainability and effective operations. You will work with colleagues on the SLT and throughout the organisation to shape Ada’s growth and influence, while also supporting the Director in executing their responsibilities related to governance, fundraising, staff management, Board reporting and financial and strategic management. 

About you

You will have extensive experience of influencing and informing policy through with think tanks, public sector bodies, the private sector or non-profit organisations and will be confident engaging with actors in government, industry and public affairs on policy and regulatory matters. 

Being an expert on data and AI law and policy (or having transferrable expertise on technology policy), you will be able to act as an authoritative, persuasive and measured expert on data and AI law and policy, representing the Ada Lovelace Institute publicly at policy fora, events, parliamentary committees and in the media. 

With your effective leadership skills, you will develop the new Data & AI Law and Policy Directorate, build relationships with government, industry and civil society, and become a trusted member of the Senior Leadership Team.  

You will have the ability to develop and promote approaches to data and AI governance which consider and prioritise individual and societal rights, wellbeing and outcomes. You will also be curious and passionate about the issues that arise at the intersection of technology and society, and committed to approaches that reduce harms and increase benefits, particularly for people adversely affected by emerging technologies. 

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 24th October 2022, with interviews taking place on Thursday 3rd 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.