Data & AI Product Owner (IT)

Job title: Data & AI Product Owner Contract Length: 1 year Location: London (hybrid) IR35: Inside Sector: Oil & Gas / Energy Role Summary We are seeking an experienced Data & AI Product Owner with a strong consulting mindset to lead the vision, strategy, and delivery of AI-powered products and enterprise data platform capabilities. This role will sit at the intersection of business, data, and technology, helping stakeholders identify high-value opportunities, define product strategies, and deliver Data & AI solutions that generate measurable business outcomes. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving product direction while acting as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders on AI, analytics, data strategy, and digital transformation. A key requirement for this position is strong hands-on experience delivering enterprise data platforms, particularly within Databricks environments. The successful candidate must possess practical knowledge of modern data platform concepts and be able to confidently discuss and lead delivery across areas such as data ingestion, Change Data Capture (CDC), Medallion Architecture, data pipelines, data governance, and Lakehouse design. This is not purely a strategic Product Owner role; candidates must have a proven track record of delivering data platform initiatives and working closely with Data Engineers, Architects, and AI teams to drive successful outcomes. Key Responsibilities

• Define and own the vision, strategy, roadmap, and value realization plan for Data & AI products.
• Partner with business stakeholders to identify and prioritise opportunities across AI, GenAI, Data Analytics, Automation, and Data Platform initiatives.
• Act as a trusted advisor, translating business challenges into scalable data and AI-driven solutions.
• Lead product discovery activities, business case development, value estimation, and prioritisation.
• Define and manage product roadmaps, backlogs, user stories, acceptance criteria, and release plans.

* Drive delivery of AI use cases involving: o Microsoft Copilot o AI Agents o RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) o Knowledge Assistants o Intelligent Automation o Predictive Analytics o Generative AI Solutions

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Data Engineers, AI Engineers, Architects, and Delivery teams.
• Lead stakeholder engagement activities and influence strategic decision-making at senior leadership level.
• Ensure Data Governance, Security, Compliance, and Responsible AI principles are embedded throughout the product lifecycle.
• Define, monitor, and report on KPIs, business outcomes, adoption metrics, and ROI.
• Drive organisational adoption of Data & AI capabilities through effective change management and stakeholder engagement.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Extensive experience working as a Data Product Owner, AI Product Owner, Product Manager, Product Lead, or Management Consultant.
• Strong background delivering enterprise Data & AI programmes and digital transformation initiatives.
• Proven experience translating business requirements into data and AI product strategies.

* Deep understanding of: o Generative AI o Agentic AI o Machine Learning o Data Analytics o Enterprise Data Platforms * Experience with AI ecosystems including: o Microsoft Copilot o Azure AI Foundry o GitHub Copilot o Claude o Databricks Mosaic AI o MLflow o AI Agents o Knowledge Assistants * Strong practical experience with modern cloud data platforms and Lakehouse architectures. Databricks & Data Platform Expertise (Essential) Candidates must have demonstrable hands-on experience delivering enterprise-scale data platforms using Databricks and related technologies. They should be able to clearly articulate and provide practical examples of:

• Data ingestion frameworks and patterns.
• Change Data Capture (CDC) methodologies.
• Medallion Architecture (Bronze, Silver, Gold).
• Data Lakehouse architecture and platform design.
• Batch and real-time data processing.
• Data modelling and transformation strategies.
• Data quality, governance, lineage, and observability.
• Enterprise-scale data platform delivery and optimisation.

The successful candidate must be capable of engaging credibly with engineering and architecture teams, challenging technical decisions where appropriate, and ensuring platform delivery aligns with business objectives. Preferred Experience

• Experience within large enterprise environments.
• Experience delivering Data & AI products within energy, commodities trading, manufacturing, supply chain, financial services, or similarly complex sectors.
• Previous experience leading AI transformation and AI adoption programmes.
• Exposure to Prompt Engineering, AI Governance, and Responsible AI frameworks.
• Consulting, advisory, or strategy delivery experience.
• MBA or equivalent commercial and consulting experience.

Key Competencies

• Product Strategy & Roadmap Development
• Data Platform Delivery
• Databricks & Lakehouse Technologies
• AI & Generative AI Solutions
• Stakeholder Management
• Business Case Development
• Value Realisation & ROI Measurement
• Digital Transformation
• Agile Product Delivery
• Executive Communication & Influencing

Success Measures

• Increased adoption of Data & AI capabilities across the organisation.
• Delivery of scalable, high-performing enterprise data platform solutions.
• Successful implementation and adoption of AI and GenAI products.
• Demonstrable business value, productivity gains, and operational efficiencies.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and user satisfaction.
• Delivery of strategic Data & AI initiatives aligned to business priorities.

Ideal Profile A hybrid Product Owner, Data Platform Specialist, Management Consultant, and AI Strategist who combines strong commercial and stakeholder management skills with practical experience delivering modern data platforms. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable presenting to executive stakeholders, shaping product strategy, defining AI use cases, and discussing technical concepts such as Databricks, data ingestion, CDC, Medallion Architecture, Lakehouse platforms, and enterprise data engineering delivery. LA International is an award-winning partner of choice for many of the world's most influential companies and government organisations. Holding Enhanced Government Security Accreditation, we are recognised as the European market leader in the delivery of Security Cleared talent to organisations that demand the very highest levels of security, compliance and assurance. A multiple award-winning organisation, having secured the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade over consecutive years. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of background or identity, and we encourage candidates who may not meet every listed requirement to still apply. If you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure a fair and accessible experience. Please Note: If a high volume of applications is received, only candidates shortlisted will be contacted.