Head of AI

We are looking for a hands-on and visionary Head of AI to lead Ovivio's AI program, based in Almere. In this role, you will drive both our external AI product innovations-embedding AI into the platform used by daycare centres and schools-and our internal AI enablement track, including training, telemetry, and our internal knowledge hub. You will set the strategy, run the roadmap, and deliver outcomes that move the needle for customers and colleagues alike.

This position requires a technical foundation in AI and (data) engineering, combined with the leadership skills to translate strategy into shipped results. You will lead a team of three AI/Data Engineers and collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, Sales, and the broader business across multiple countries. You will report directly to the VP Engineering and work side-by-side with the CFO and VP Product, who co-sponsor Ovivio's AI program at board level).

Key Responsibilities

AI Evangelism, Strategy & Program Leadership

Be Ovivio's AI evangelist-inspire colleagues across every team, country, and seniority level to embrace AI and reshape how they work

Own and evolve Ovivio's AI strategy and roadmap across customer-facing innovation and internal enablement, and translate it into a prioritized backlog, quarterly milestones, and measurable outcomes

Report progress, risks, and impact to the AI Board and the broader leadership team

Establish AI governance, responsible-AI principles, and a clear framework for evaluating and prioritizing use cases

External AI Product Innovation

Identify, prototype, and ship AI-powered features in Ovivio's SaaS platform for daycare and primary education

Partner closely with Product and Engineering to embed AI capabilities into the customer experience

Define success metrics for AI features and track adoption, quality, and business impact post-launch

Stay close to customers, the market, and emerging models to keep Ovivio's AI product offering ahead of the curve

Internal AI Use & Enablement

Drive AI adoption across all functions-identify high-value use cases and roll out tooling that lifts productivity

Design and run the internal AI training program so every Ovivian can use AI effectively and responsibly

Build and maintain the internal AI knowledge hub-patterns, prompts, playbooks, and reusable components

Set up telemetry and reporting on AI usage, adoption, savings, and quality across the organization

Team Leadership & Delivery

Lead, coach, and grow a team of three AI/Data Engineers, setting clear goals and high standards

Act as the connective link between AI champions across the business-aligning the different teams, sharing what works, and turning local wins into company-wide practice

Stay hands-on where it counts-review architecture, unblock the team, and ship alongside them when needed

Foster a delivery culture of fast iteration, rigorous evaluation, and continuous learning

AI Platform, Data & Responsible AI

Define the technical foundation-model choice, AI tooling, data pipelines, and integration patterns

Partner with Engineering and Security on data governance, privacy, and safe deployment of AI in production

Ensure all AI work meets relevant regulatory requirements (GDPR, EU AI Act) and Ovivio's responsible-AI principles

Monitor the rapidly evolving AI landscape and bring proven advances into Ovivio in a timely, controlled way

Above all, we are looking for an AI evangelist a senior leader who inspires. You make people excited about what AI can do, you turn skeptics into early adopters, and you build the kind of momentum that gets a whole company moving in the same direction. You teach as naturally as you ship, and you'd rather coach a team into using AI well than enforce it from above ("support, not punish").

You combine that energy with serious technical depth and commercial judgment. You thrive in an international SaaS environment, bring product, engineering, and business teams together around a clear AI agenda, and are equally comfortable shaping strategy with the AI Board or rolling up your sleeves to pair with an engineer on a tough problem and ship it. You bring strong people together and get the best from them, but you stay close to the work reviewing architecture, unblocking delivery, and setting the pace by example rather than directing from a distance. You are curious, pragmatic, and confident in asking the right questions. A fast-moving landscape and shifting priorities energize rather than deter you.

Must have: 10+ years in senior technology roles product, engineering, or AI/data leadership with a mix of hands-on and people-leadership experience

Track record of personally leading an AI initiative end-to-end in the last 2-3 years: from strategy through shipping to real-world adoption

Proven ability to drive change and adoption inside an organization getting non-technical teams to actually use new tools and ways of working

Strong product judgment able to decide which use cases are worth pursuing, which to kill, and how to sequence them

Enough technical depth to set direction for an AI/data engineering team, review architecture, and earn engineers' trust

Deep working knowledge of modern AI tooling LLMs, RAG, evaluation, prompt engineering, agentic patterns, and how AI gets safely into production

Excellent communicator and storyteller comfortable on stage, in a board room, in a Teams channel, and at an engineer's desk

Pragmatic, outcome-oriented mindset with a strong grounding in responsible-AI and data-privacy practices

Fluent in English

Strong plus: Experience leading AI in a SaaS or subscription-based business

Background that combines product and engineering (e.g., technical PM, ex-engineer who moved into product, or engineering leader with strong product instincts)

Experience designing and running a company-wide enablement or productivity program (training, tooling, knowledge hub)

Nice to have: MBA, strategy, or consulting background useful for the change-management and board-facing dimensions of this role

Familiarity with the EU AI Act, GDPR, and AI in regulated or sensitive-data domains

Exposure to childcare, education, or public-sector domains

A relevant degree in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, or a related field

Certificate of Conduct (VOG)

Because we work with sensitive (personal) data and are active within the childcare sector, a valid Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag - VOG) is required for everyone who joins Ovivio. The VOG will be requested by us as part of the hiring process once an offer of employment has been made. Ovivio covers the costs of the application.

Focus on your personal and professional growth, with plenty of opportunities to further develop your talents;

Opportunity to shape Ovivio's AI agenda end-to-end, from product features to company-wide enablement;

A collaborative, fast-paced environment with global exposure;

Competitive compensation and benefits package;

26 vacation days to recharge your batteries;

A Gaiyo card and a travel allowance of €0.40 net per kilometer;

A monthly work-from-home allowance to make remote working comfortable;

A strong emphasis on maintaining a healthy work-life balance;

A one-time net compensation of €200 for setting up or improving your home office;

The opportunity to purchase ergonomic office furniture for a healthy workspace

Do you want to lead an AI program that shapes both the products millions of parents and teachers use every day and the way an entire SaaS company works? At Ovivio, you will own our AI agenda end to end turning ambitious ideas into shipped product features and real productivity gains across the business. Full-time / Part-time · Almere / Hybride About Ovivio Ovivio is a leading and innovative SaaS (Software as a Service) company focused on childcare and primary education in The Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. Our goal is to empower professionals to focus on their primary task: "the development of the new generation." Our smart, user-friendly, and flexible software platform supports daycare centres and schools in areas like planning, personnel management, child development, and parent communication. We are a fast-growing international company with a social purpose. With over 200 employees, we relieve and support organizations through our smart, user-friendly, and flexible products. We now serve more than 1 million children aged 0 to 12. AI is already woven into how we work and what we build. We're not starting from zero our AI Lab is up and running, with a dedicated team that explores new ideas, tests them in the real world, and turns the promising ones into working solutions for both our people and our customers. @media only screen and (max-width: 767px) { #block-1 { padding-top: 25px !important; padding-bottom: 25px !important; } }, At Ovivio, we offer you the opportunity to play an important role in the future of education and childcare. You will work on innovative products used daily by millions of users. We believe in a flexible work culture, where collaboration and personal development are at the core. You will have the freedom to implement your ideas, grow in your field, and make an impact in a fast-growing SaaS environment.