Role comes with remit to develop and implement initiatives designed to ensure technology is used ethically and securely, and serve as the department’s primary expert on matters of AI assurance

HM Revenue and Customs is seeking to appoint a leader to ensure that “assurance and ethics” are embedded in the use of artificial intelligence throughout the organisation.

The remit of the role is to “ensure AI assurance and ethics is delivered at scale in HMRC, including developing, implementing, and overseeing ethics and assurance policies, codes of conduct, and compliance programmes to ensure adherence to laws, regulations and organisational values”.

The chosen applicant will be expected to serve as the “departmental expert on AI assurance and ethics” and help set “capability and culture across HMRC”, according to the job advert.

In order to do so, the successful candidate will “be expected to forge strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, specifically in the analytical and risking community”.

The work will involve “dealing with the complexity and uncertainty that comes with working in an emerging and fast-moving field”.

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Key duties of the position will include “championing and embedding a culture of AI assurance and ethics within the department” and ensuring that security and ethical considerations are factored in to procurement decisions and the implementation of new technology products.

The AI ethics chief will also be tasked with setting a “clear roadmap” to delivering on their objectives, and then “tracking and reporting on progress and issues, as well as monitoring program effectiveness and ethical culture, [and] identifying areas for improvement”.

The postholder will create and lead internal “training and awareness campaigns to educate employees at all levels on expected behaviours, available resources, and how to handle complex situations”.

The role will be based in HMRC’s regional hub in Salford. It offers a salary of up to £74,018 and involves the management of “a small team of direct reports as well as leading a matrix team across the wider analytical community”.

Applications are open until 11.55pm on 7 December.