Head of AI
Hybrid or remote-based with travel to Preston.

Salary: £90,000 - £100,000 DOE | 37 hours per week
A glance at the role:
Shape how AI is introduced, governed and scaled across one of the UK’s leading pension administration organisations. As Head of AI, you will build the strategy, capability and operating model that turns emerging technology into measurable improvements for colleagues, clients and members.
Working with the Chief Technology Officer, Executive team and stakeholders, you will identify, prioritise and deliver AI opportunities that support LPPA’s strategy, operational efficiency, service improvement and member and client outcomes.
You will establish the governance, standards and processes required for responsible AI adoption, while building organisational capability and confidence across internal and third-party solutions.
You will develop the AI team and work with suppliers, partners and the wider pensions industry to advance the use of AI.

A bit about us:

Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA) is a multi-award-winning organisation and one of the UK’s leading pension administration companies. We support more than 1,500 employers and 700,000 members of Local Government, Police and Firefighter pension schemes, keeping members informed and providing employers with ongoing education and support.

What we can offer you:

• Competitive salary £90,000-£100,000 DOE + inclusion in annual bonus scheme
• 30 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays and 2 additional concessionary days and 1 day for your birthday, with the option to ‘buy and sell’ leave.
• Access to an excellent pension scheme (Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contributions.
• Access to Health or Dental Plan and an Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme
• Free Car Parking in Preston City Centre

What you’ll be doing:
Strategic Leadership & AI Direction
• Develop LPPA’s AI strategy, roadmap and implementation plans, aligned with business, technology and transformation priorities.
• Advise Executive and senior leaders on AI opportunities, risks, trends, ethics and investment priorities.
• Shape LPPA’s AI operating model, with clear ownership, governance and accountability.
• Identify AI, automation and analytics opportunities that improve efficiency, colleague experience and member and client outcomes.
• Monitor AI developments, regulation and industry expectations, translating them into practical recommendations.
• Partner with business and technology teams to embed AI-enabled working and realise benefits.
AI Governance, Risk & Assurance
• Maintain AI governance, risk, assurance and controls, ensuring responsible, secure and ethical implementation.
• Chair AI governance forums, supporting effective prioritisation, oversight and escalation.
• Embed standards for responsible AI, human oversight, data protection, cyber security and transparency.
• Assess AI initiatives for value, risk, complexity, security, compliance and readiness.
• Ensure AI adoption aligns with LPPA’s risk appetite, legal obligations, information governance and policies.
• Establish processes for the assessment and assurance of third-party AI capabilities, products and services.
• Monitor regulation and best practice to maintain proportionate AI governance.
Leadership & People Management
• You will establish and grow LPPA’s AI function, recruiting and developing the specialist capability required to deliver our ambitions, creating a high-performing, inclusive and collaborative culture.
• Set clear objectives, priorities and performance expectations, ensuring alignment with LPPA’s strategic goals.
• Coach and support team members, developing AI, technical, professional and leadership capabilities.
• Lead workforce and capability planning for the AI function, identifying future skills and development needs.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, resilience, innovation and service excellence.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels, ensuring clarity, alignment and shared understanding of priorities.
Delivery, Adoption & Benefits
• Lead the evaluation, prioritisation and delivery of AI initiatives, ensuring resources are focused on the highest-value opportunities.
• Work closely with technology, change and project delivery teams to ensure AI initiatives are well governed, appropriately resourced and effectively delivered.
• Establish and manage a clear AI implementation pipeline, assessing potential value, feasibility, risk and resource requirements.
• Drive AI adoption, training and awareness across LPPA, supporting colleagues to use AI tools confidently, safely and effectively.
• Oversee AI capability within existing and future software solutions, including Microsoft Copilot, Civica UPM, UiPath, 8x8 and the LPPA data warehouse.
• Define measures of success for AI initiatives, tracking benefits, adoption, risks and lessons learned.
Stakeholder, Supplier & Industry Engagement
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across LPPA to understand business challenges and identify appropriate AI-enabled solutions.
• Act as a trusted advisor on AI opportunities, risks and implementation approaches.
• Work with external partners, suppliers and the wider pensions industry to understand best practice and emerging use cases for AI in pensions administration.
• Manage supplier and third-party relationships relating to AI capability, ensuring solutions are aligned to LPPA’s strategic, commercial, technical and governance requirements.
• Communicate complex AI concepts clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, supporting informed decision-making at all levels.
• Promote organisation-wide AI literacy and awareness, helping colleagues understand the opportunities, risks and responsible use of AI.

You’ll need:
• Significant leadership experience within AI, technology, digital transformation, automation, innovation or a related field.
• Proven experience of developing and delivering AI, data, automation or technology strategies in a complex organisation.
• Experience of establishing governance, risk, assurance or control frameworks for emerging technologies.
• Strong understanding of responsible AI, ethical AI use, human oversight, data protection, cyber security and organisational risk.
• Strong practical understanding of AI technologies, their organisational applications and the conditions required for their safe and successful adoption.
• Experience of leading, developing and managing technical or specialist teams.
• Strong people leadership skills, including coaching, performance management, prioritisation and capability development.
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders and cross-functional delivery teams to drive technology-enabled change and improvements.
• Experience of managing suppliers, third-party technology partners and external relationships.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex technical issues clearly.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to balance innovation with robust governance, security, ethics and operational delivery.
• Experience of identifying, prioritising and delivering technology, AI or automation use cases that deliver measurable business outcomes.

Nice to have:
• Experience of using or implementing automation tools such as UiPath or similar platforms.
• Experience of Microsoft AI tools and the wider Microsoft technology stack.
• Experience of developing AI literacy, training programmes or organisational adoption initiatives.
• Experience working in pensions, financial services, public sector, regulated environments or member-focused service organisations.
• Understanding of data warehousing, analytics, predictive modelling or AI-enabled decision support.

Information Security Specialist (Hybrid)
Hybrid Working with 2 days in Preston, Lancashire
£45,000 - £50,000 per annum, plus benefits | 37 hours a week


A glance at the role:

Join LPPA as our Information Security Specialist and take a leading role in strengthening how we govern, assess and assure information security risk across the organisation. Working within Risk & Governance, you will provide specialist advice and constructive challenge on security risks, controls, third-party assurance, incidents and organisational resilience. You will work closely with Technology, project teams and business owners, translating complex technical information into clear business risks and assurance for senior leaders and governance forums. You will also take responsibility for LPPA’s ISO 27001 reaccreditation process.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join our fast-paced, collaborative and member-focused business. You will be part of a friendly, welcoming and sociable work culture, with opportunities for continuous personal and professional development and support to reach your full potential.

A bit about us:

Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA) is a multi-award-winning organisation and one of the UK’s leading pension administration companies. We strive to deliver the best experience for over 1,500 employers and more than 738,000 members of Local Government, Police and Firefighter pension schemes, keeping them fully informed about their pensions whilst working closely with employers to continuously educate and support them.


What we can offer you:

• Competitive salary of £45,000 - £50,000 per annum
• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays and 2 additional concessionary days and 1 day for your Birthday, with the ability to ‘buy and sell leave.
• Access to an excellent pension scheme (Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contributions.
• Access to Health or Dental Plan
• Access to our Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme for when you might need some support.
• The opportunity to earn through our Employee Referral Scheme.
• Access to our bespoke Reward Discount Scheme – ‘Your Perk Site.’
• Opportunities to attend Wellbeing webinars and social events.
• Daily free fruit and snacks available to you in our office.
• Free Car Parking in Preston City Centre


What you’ll be doing:
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of LPPA’s information security management framework, policies, standards and supporting procedures.
• Maintain LPPA’s information security risk profile, ensuring risks are recorded, assessed, owned, monitored and reported through the appropriate governance arrangements.
• Provide authoritative advice and constructive challenge to Technology, project teams and business owners on security risks and their treatment.
• Lead the information security assurance programme, including control reviews, evidence gathering, thematic assessments and remediation monitoring.
• Assess the design and operation of key information security controls, identify weaknesses and recommend proportionate improvements.
• Lead supplier and third-party security due diligence, reviewing security evidence, certifications, contractual controls, risk assessments and remediation activity.
• Lead the governance and oversight of information security incidents, including assessment, documentation, escalation, investigation and post-incident review.
• Produce information security reports, dashboards and assurance updates for senior management, governance committees and Boards.
• Support business continuity, disaster recovery and operational resilience activity, including cyber incident response and recovery exercises.
• Coordinate with external security advisers, testing providers, auditors and assurance partners.



What we need from you:
• Substantial practical experience in information security governance, security risk management, security assurance or a comparable specialist role.
• Demonstrable experience of leading information security risk assessments or assurance reviews and presenting clear findings and recommendations.
• Experience of assessing technical and organisational security controls, supporting or leading security incidents, and undertaking third-party security due diligence.
• Strong knowledge of information security governance, risk management and assurance principles, with a good understanding of cyber threats, vulnerabilities and common technology risks.
• An understanding of identity and access management, logging and monitoring, vulnerability management, encryption, network security, cloud risk and secure configuration.
• The ability to evaluate conflicting or incomplete evidence, reach a reasoned conclusion and translate technical issues into clear business risks.
• Confidence to challenge technical and senior stakeholders, alongside high standards of integrity, discretion, evidence management and professional judgement.



Nice to have:
• Experience of recognised standards or frameworks such as ISO/IEC 27001, the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework or equivalent.
• Experience within pensions administration, financial services, local government or another regulated environment.
• Experience of cloud security, Microsoft security environments, security testing, audit liaison or cyber exercise coordination.


Qualifications and professional development

• A relevant information or cyber security qualification, or progress towards one, would be desirable.
• Membership of a relevant professional body would be desirable.



Working with and upholding our values:

• Working together
• Committed to excellence
• Doing the right thing
• Forward thinking