Director General for Emerging Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Job summary

The Director General for Emerging Technology & Artificial Intelligence will maximise opportunities and manage risks to ensure successful implementation and scaling of emerging technology for the UK's advantage.

The DG will lead the UK Government’s strategy, investment and regulation for emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, robotics, engineering biology and advanced materials. The role is responsible for joining up and aligning strategies across these interlinked domains, ensuring that policy, investment, and regulatory approaches are coherent and mutually reinforcing. The DG will balance innovation and risk, ensuring the UK remains globally competitive while safeguarding national security and public trust. The DG will oversee the implementation of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the AI Security Institute, and the development of AI regulation, and will lead DSIT’s work on online safety and digital harms.

For more information please see the attached candidate pack.

Job description

As DG for Emerging Technology & AI, you will:

Lead implementation of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, delivering key milestones including the delivery of AI Growth Zones, expansion of public sector compute capacity, and delivery of AI skills programmes. You will coordinate across departments and industry to ensure the UK’s AI ecosystem is supported by infrastructure, talent and investment.

Oversee major programmes in quantum, semiconductors and robotics, including the National Quantum Strategy, the Semiconductor Strategy and emerging tech missions. You will manage delivery partnerships, direct funding to priority areas, and ensure programmes are aligned with national resilience and economic growth objectives.

Oversee the AI Security Institute, ensuring its status as a globally recognised centre of excellence for evaluating frontier AI systems. While the opportunities of AI for the UK are massive, in this role you will also be responsible for monitoring risks and challenges and working with government departments and regulators to manage these.

Lead DSIT’s work on online safety and digital harms, working closely with Ofcom and the Home Office to support implementation of the Online Safety Act, develop new policy as technology evolves and new evidence of harms emerges, striking the balance between safety, innovation and freedom of expression.

Represent the UK internationally on emerging tech governance, including follow-up to the 2023 AI Safety Summit. You will lead bilateral and multilateral engagements, shape global standards and secure strategic partnerships with allies and leading firms.

Lead a multidisciplinary team of 500 staff, including policy professionals, technical experts, analysts and programme managers. You will foster collaboration between civil servants and AI researchers, build inclusive capability, and support staff working on sensitive and high-pressure issues such as online harms and national security.

Advise ministers, Parliament and senior officials, providing clear, evidence-based recommendations on emerging technology policy, investment and regulation. You will be a visible leader across government and in public discourse, shaping the UK’s narrative on responsible tech leadership.

Person specification

To help you succeed in this role you will be able to demonstrate the following (essential) skills and experience:

• Senior leadership experience shaping technology, digital or economic policy at national or international scale;
• Strong judgement and decision-making ability in complex and fast-moving environments, including managing strategic, national or international risks;
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, highly specialist and multidisciplinary teams, including bridging cultures and supporting ways of working across policy, analytical and technical colleagues to build inclusive, high-performing functions;
• A track record of successfully building credibility with expert communities and appropriately immersing intellectually in diverse fields of interest, showing proven capability to learn and a drive towards curiosity;
• Proven experience engaging senior stakeholders such as ministers, regulators or industry and international stakeholders on contested or high-profile issues;
• Track record of delivering complex, cross-cutting programmes involving policy, investment and regulation;
• Commitment to inclusive leadership and building high-performing teams across diverse professional discipline.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £174,000, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £50,407 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

The recruitment process is being undertaken by Russell Reynolds Associates on behalf of the DSIT.

Please click the advert link at the top of this page to apply using job reference number 2602-042L. You will be asked to register your details, answer any application questions and upload your CV and Statement of Suitability (covering statement).

Should you wish to speak with someone before submitting an application, or if you have difficulty in accessing the online platform, please contact responses@russellreynolds.com in the first instance, quoting reference number 2602-042L.

All applications will be acknowledged and considered by the selection panel.

Your submission should include:

• Your CV, with educational and professional qualifications and full employment history, including an explanation of any gaps in your employment history.
• A Statement of Suitability (no longer than two pages) explaining your personal skills, qualities, abilities and experience relevant to the requirements of the job in support of your application with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.
• A completed diversity questionnaire DSIT is committed to equal opportunities. All data is reported in an anonymous and aggregate format and will not be seen by anyone assessing your application.
• A declaration of interest form.

The closing date for applications will be 23:55 GMT on Sunday 22 March 2026

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Russell Reynolds
• Email : responses@russellreynolds.com

Recruitment team

• Email : responses@russellreynolds.com

Attachments

Candidate Pack - DSIT, DG ET & AI Opens in new window (pdf, 2157kB)