Head of AI Transformation - Systems, Insights and Automations

Working as part of the leadership team, reporting into the CEO, you will lead the effective use of technology, automation, AI and business intelligence to improve decision-making, increase operational efficiency and support the delivery of TRN’s strategic objectives. You have permission to disrupt.

“This is not a maintenance role. We are looking for someone who enjoys challenging existing ways of working, driving adoption of new technologies and using data, automation and AI to help build a more effective, scalable business.”, Transformation Leadership

• Translate business objectives into operational driving commercial impact through systems, intelligence and automations
• Design and optimise the operating systems, workflows, automation and data infrastructure that enable TRN to scale efficiently.
• Identify and deliver process improvements and cost savings, with authority to mandate adoption.
• Influence leaders and their teams to adopt and adhere to best practice

AI & Automation Leadership

• Own TRN’s AI and automation strategy.
• Build and maintain an AI-first operating model across all of TRN
• Identify and implement AI agents, copilots and automation workflows that eliminate manual work.
• Establish AI governance, standards and best practice.
• Measure and report AI-driven productivity gains.
• Maintain an AI opportunity pipeline and transformation roadmap.

Business intelligence and Insights

• Develop a single source of truth for business performance.
• Design and maintain our business dashboards.
• Create consistent insights, trends, risks and opportunities through data.
• Support leadership decision-making through predictive and forward-looking analysis.
• Improve data quality and accessibility across the organisation.
• Lead the development of KPI frameworks across departments.

CRM & Systems Management

• Act as primary lead expert and administrator for HubSpot and Hivebrite: data integrity, permissions, workflows, pipelines, reporting.
• Build dashboards and performance metrics; identify automation opportunities.
• Deliver training and drive consistent adoption across sales, marketing, support and operations.
• Manage third-party integration partners.

Governance and compliance

• Oversee company documentation and SharePoint.
• Run business reviews and ensure operational information is accurate and accessible.
• Lead operational change projects end to end.
• Own governance and quality management processes.
• Ensure documentation of key processes

Supplier & Contractor Management

• Primary point of contact for suppliers, service providers and consultants; monitor performance against SLAs.
• Lead procurement and contract administration.

Reporting & Performance

• Leadership dashboard accuracy .
• Own budgeting and expenditure monitoring for business systems.
• Use HubSpot reporting to inform business decisions.
• Drive continual improvement across the business, * Comfortable with conflict, a disruptor Able to challenge senior stakeholders, enforce standards, and hold a line without needing the CEO to fight the battle. Diplomatically direct - not passive, not aggressive.
• Finishes things. A demonstrable track record of seeing change through to adoption, not just diagnosing problems and writing recommendations that gather dust.
• Intellectually curious about technology. Actively seeks out tools and automation that make things faster and better; not intimidated by technical vendors or jargon.
• High standards, low ego. Sets the bar and enforces it - but doesn’t need to be the most important person in the room to do so.
• Commercially aware. Understands that operational decisions have direct revenue impact; connects what they’re doing to business performance, not just process tidiness.
• Operates well with ambiguity. Asks the right questions to get moving, rather than waiting for everything to be defined before acting.

Success is measured by:

Business Efficiency

• 40% reduction in manual administrative effort.
• Minimum 10 hours per employee per month saved through automation.
• Reduction in key process cycle times.

Systems

• Core platform adoption above 90%.
• Reduction in duplicate data.
• System uptime and reliability.
• Governance and compliance adherence
• Documentation in place

AI & Automation

• Number of automations deployed.
• Measured productivity gains delivered.
• AI utilisation across departments.
• Annualised cost savings achieved.

Commercial Impact

• Cost savings delivered.
• Revenue opportunities enabled through systems improvements.
• Operational capacity created without additional headcount.

Data & Reporting

• Leadership dashboard accuracy.
• Reporting delivery within agreed SLAs.
• Data quality score improvement.

Do you have experience in AI?, Essential

• Proven experience in an operations, business management, or process improvement role, ideally with authority to drive change.
• Experience supporting or operating at senior leadership level.
• Project/change coordination experience - leading initiatives, not just attending them.
• Hubspot systems experience.
• Practical experience using AI tools to automate work (e.g. HubSpot AI features, workflow automation, Copilot/ChatGPT-style tools) - not just awareness of them.
• Comfortable owning data strategy at a business level - able to direct IT/technical vendors and hold them accountable, without needing to be the one writing the code.
• Strong stakeholder management - including the confidence to challenge senior colleagues on process adherence.
• Strong organisational, planning, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and business systems.

Desirable

• HubSpot certifications or equivalent CRM expertise.
• Background in compliance, quality management, or governance.
• SME environment experience.

Pulled from the full job description

• Flexitime
• Sick pay
• Bereavement leave
• Free fitness classes
• Paid volunteer time
• Health & wellbeing programme
• Free flu jabs

The Recruitment Network (TRN) is the largest and fastest growing global community for recruitment businesses. This is a massive industry and we are internationally recognised as a community for driving the agenda and influencing the industry and helping our Members transform their business through development, insights and strategy execution. We make a difference every day to businesses, teams and individuals..