Artificial Intelligence development and implementation

Job overview

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking an exceptional leader to drive the safe, scaled adoption of artificial intelligence across our clinical and corporate services. As Associate Director of AI Implementation, you will build and lead the Trust's AI programme — establishing our AI centre of excellence, owning the delivery pipeline, and ensuring AI is adopted responsibly, governed rigorously, and delivers measurable benefit to patients and staff.

This is a rare opportunity to shape one of the most ambitious AI programmes in the NHS, working at board level, across the Thames Valley system, and in direct partnership with national and industry leaders.

Main duties of the job

• Lead BHT's AI implementation programme, building a managed centre of excellence that governs how AI is adopted safely across clinical and corporate services
• Own the AI pipeline from ideation to benefits realisation, ensuring every initiative has measurable outcomes and a clear delivery owner
• Establish and lead a formal AI PMO, setting delivery standards and coaching project managers across the wider digital portfolio
• Manage the enterprise AI tool portfolio — including large language model, productivity and meeting-governance platforms — ensuring coordinated, coherent deployment at scale
• Contribute to the capital business case for AI investment and represent the programme at board and Capital Management Group level
• Shape BHT's contribution to the Thames Valley APC pathway orchestration layer, positioning the Trust as a lead voice in regional AI infrastructure
• Build and lead the AI Implementation team, scaling the function as the programme matures
• Drive a transformation-first culture — working with clinical and operational leaders to reimagine workflows before deploying technology
• Lead BHT's MHRA regulatory engagement, working towards a framework-level approach to AI clinical safety assurance
• Deliver regular assurance reporting to the Finance and Business Performance Committee, Non-Executive Directors and board-level governance forums

Working for our organisation

Why colleagues think we are

What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?

As part of our BHT family, you’ll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.

Alongside NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme, you'll have access to NHS discount schemes.

We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.

What do we stand for?

Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.

Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.

We are working hard to increase diversity at all levels within the trust. We believe a diverse workforce can have a positive effect on both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes.

We welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities and care-experienced candidates.

We make employment decisions by matching our service needs with the skills and experience of candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Person specification

Education

Essential criteria

• Educated to master's level or equivalent senior leadership experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development in digital health, AI or transformation

Desirable criteria

• Project or programme management qualification, e.g. MSP, APM or PRINCE2 Practitioner
• Postgraduate qualification in health informatics, data science or clinical informatics

Experience

Essential criteria

• Substantial senior leadership experience in NHS digital transformation or an equivalent complex healthcare environment
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale technology implementations, e.g. EPR, AI tools or clinical systems
• Experience designing and managing benefits realisation frameworks
• Experience holding or setting a significant budget and managing financial delivery within it
• Experience as a line manager, including recruitment, appraisal and development of a team
• Experience managing multi-supplier and partner relationships, e.g. consultancies and technology vendors
• Experience establishing or leading a PMO in a complex programme environment, including coaching project managers and setting standards across a wider portfolio
• Understanding of NHS clinical safety frameworks (e.g. DCB0129, DCB0160) and information governance requirements
• Understanding of MHRA regulatory requirements and the medical device framework as it applies to AI in clinical settings

Desirable criteria

• Experience engaging with regulators or national bodies on AI or medical device governance at a programme or framework level
• Experience deploying AI or automation tools in a clinical or NHS operational setting
• Knowledge of EPR strategy and systems, e.g. System C CareFlow or Epic
• Experience working with Integrated Care System or regional digital programmes

PPE requirements: Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust requires all colleagues to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with our infection prevention and control procedures.

COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations remain the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the viruses when working in our healthcare settings. We encourage our staff to be vaccinated when recommended.

Application deadline: This post will close on the closing date stated at midnight, however if we receive a large number of applications or there is a change in circumstance, we may be required to close a job before the advertised date.

Application information: If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records (ESR) system.

Shortlisting: The monitoring and safeguarding sections are not made visible to the shortlisting panel. The safeguarding section may be made visible to the interview panel, dependent on the role being recruited into.

Travel expenses: It is Trust policy that travel expenses for interviews will not be reimbursed.

Smoking: All Trust sites are NO SMOKING. Smoking in all areas of the buildings and premises is prohibited.

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