AI Change and Adoption Manager

AI Change and Adoption Manager – Hybrid Working London/Home

The AI Change and Adoption Manager will lead the change approach for the AI Centre of Excellence, helping Sainsbury’s turn AI ambition into confident, responsible and measurable adoption across the business. The  role is focused on building awareness, trust and confidence in AI, shaping the narrative and engagement approach, and ensuring colleagues understand how to use AI safely and effectively in everyday ways of working, leading to meaningful adoption of AI across the business.

Working across Data & Analytics, Technology, Change & Transformation and wider business teams, the AI Change and Adoption Manager role will deliver practical change activity including stakeholder engagement, communications, readiness planning, champion networks, communities of practice and adoption measurement. It requires someone who can operate with autonomy in a fast-paced, matrixed environment, influence senior stakeholders, manage ambiguity and bring strong change management, facilitation, communication and organisational skills, alongside curiosity and confidence in AI.

What I am accountable for

• Define, own and deliver Change Management & Adoption methodologies for the AI Centre of Excellence and for AI more widely across Sainsbury’s.
• Support the Head of AI CoE in delivering all aspects of the change plan, including stakeholder analysis, change impact assessment, training, business readiness, communications and engagement.
• Lead and implement the vision and narrative on the case for change that resonates with colleagues at all levels for AI.
• Drive the adoption of AI across Sainsbury’s.
• Build the profile and presence of the AI CoE across Sainsbury’s, so colleagues know what it does, what it offers and how to work with it, owning its internal presence from the intranet and knowledge base through to guidance and FAQs.
• Showcase AI success across the business, running a proactive communications and storytelling plan, including events, showcases and success stories, that builds awareness, confidence and appetite for AI at every level, from the shop floor to the Board.
• Diagnose the cultural and behavioural barriers that exist in relation to AI and create change interventions to address them.
• Foster collaboration by building and running an AI community of practice and a network of AI champions, and by running company-wide AI events to share learning across the business.
• Define and track success measures focused on adoption, cultural outcomes and sentiment, using adoption KPIs and simple dashboards to monitor readiness and adjust change activity where needed.
• Ensure plans are value-driven, driving KPIs on outputs, impacts and benefits to provide tangible, measurable outcomes, and manage these throughout the change management process.
• Produce high-quality change materials, including presentations, training material and written communications.
• Support responsible and safe AI adoption, working closely with AI Governance and Assurance so that change and compliance stay aligned.
• Provide challenge, guidance and support to senior stakeholders and colleagues across the business as a Business Change subject-matter expert, influencing at all levels on AI strategy and deliverables.

What I need to show

• Familiarity with AI tools and maturity models, and being AI-fluent.
• Ability to innovate and implement change, combining strategic and analytical perspectives with a pragmatic approach, coming up with the most successful ways of delivering the change to the business and our colleagues
• Excellent communication, relationship, facilitation and motivational skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think strategically.

What I need to know

• Highly experienced in specific Change Management roles
• Evidence of successfully delivering large-scale change initiatives of significant complexity, with multiple stakeholders and broad impact, within technology, AI or a similar space.
• Evidence of delivering and embedding cultural change and/or organisational change.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership and manage projects from start to finish.
• Strong focus on execution and ability to manage ambiguity.

Essential

• Highly experienced in Change Management roles and delivering AI-driven change initiatives.
• Evidence of successfully delivering large-scale change initiatives of significant complexity, with multip…