AI Operations Champion

Reporting to the Head of Operations Transformation, The AI Operations Champion plays a critical role in embedding AI-enabled automation into day-to-day operational delivery across Waystone. The role acts as the bridge between Operations teams and technology, ensuring that manual, repetitive processes are identified, prioritised, and systematically removed through the application of AI and automation.

The AI Operations Champion is responsible for owning automation outcomes within their operational area, supporting use-case discovery, contributing to solution design, and ensuring that automated processes are adopted, governed, and sustained in BAU. The role is central to delivering operating leverage, improving scalability, and future-proofing both Waystone's operating model and its people.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Decision Making & Judgment

• Act as the primary operations representative for AI-led automation initiatives within the assigned business area.
• Identify, assess, and prioritise manual, repetitive, and error-prone operational activities suitable for automation.
• Contribute to the design of AI and automation solutions, ensuring they are operationally sound, scalable, and aligned with agreed standards and guardrails.
• Exercise judgment in determining when automation is appropriate versus when process redesign or data remediation is required.
• Support benefit identification and value tracking to ensure automation initiatives deliver measurable, repeatable impact.

Curiosity & Learning

• Maintain a strong understanding of Waystone's AI and automation tooling, patterns, and capabilities.
• Actively seek opportunities to improve existing processes through the application of AI, automation, and reusable components.
• Stay informed on emerging AI use cases relevant to fund administration, operations, and client servicing.
• Participate in training, accreditation, and knowledge-sharing initiatives related to AI-enabled operations.

Enthusiastic Teamwork

• Work collaboratively with Operations, Technology, Risk, Compliance, and the AI & Automation CoE to deliver automation outcomes.
• Support colleagues in understanding how AI-enabled automation changes roles, workflows, and responsibilities.
• Contribute to cross-functional initiatives aimed at improving operational efficiency and scalability.
• Assist with ad hoc projects and pilots where capacity permits.

Courageous Leadership

• Champion a shift from manual process execution to process ownership and design, encouraging teams to embrace new ways of working.
• Act as a visible advocate for AI-enabled automation within Operations, challenging legacy practices constructively.
• Share lessons learned, success stories, and improvement opportunities with peers and leadership.
• Support the change management required to embed automation into BAU operations.

Self-Responsibility

• Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of end-to-end operational processes within the assigned area.
• Document automation opportunities, process changes, and ownership models clearly and accurately.
• Ensure automated processes have clear BAU ownership, controls, and escalation paths.
• Take accountability for the ongoing performance and effectiveness of automated processes within Operations.

Selfless Customer Service

• Ensure AI-enabled automation enhances service quality, accuracy, and timeliness for internal and external stakeholders.
• Support consistent standards for operational delivery as automation is introduced and scaled.
• Work with relevant teams to ensure automation aligns with regulatory, risk, and control requirements.

REQUIREMENTS

Experience

• Strong operational experience within financial services or a similar regulated environment.
• Demonstrated experience improving or redesigning operational processes.
• Exposure to automation, workflow tools, AI use cases, or process digitisation is highly desirable.
• Ability to work effectively across functions and influence without direct authority.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate operational problems into structured improvement opportunities.
• Analytical mindset with attention to detail and a focus on outcomes.
• Proficient in standard productivity tools; experience working alongside automation or low-code platforms is an advantage.

Education

• A third-level qualification in Business, Finance, Technology, or a related discipline is desirable.