Research director jobs

Title: Director of Data Science, AI & Research

Reporting To: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Hybrid, working from home and our office based in West London

Salary: £95,000 - £100,000 per annum, dependant on experience 
We aim to be transparent about remuneration at MHI. As a charitable organisation, salaries for this role are predetermined and not negotiable. Please consider the advertised salary before applying.

Hours of Work: 40 hours per week, inclusive of a daily 1 hour paid lunch break

Contract: Permanent

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave per year, plus public holidays;
• Company electronic devices;
• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme;
• Private health insurance after completion of probation;
• Eligibility for a Blue Light discount card

Closing Date: 20th April 2026. We will be interviewing on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close the job advert early if we receive a high number of applicants

Job Purpose

The Director of Data Science, AI and Research leads our outstanding Data Insights Team which has expertise across data engineering, analytics, data science, machine learning, generative AI, and psychology, and works to provide insights which enhance our services and which we share with others in the sector, policy makers and politicians, service users and the general public.

The Director of Data Science, AI and Research works directly with the CEO and plays a central role in leading the strategy and development of the organisation, and is responsible for key external relationships across government, the mental health sector, funders, and researchers.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing and leading MHI's long-term data insights strategy, including developing and managing external data insights partnerships with academic researchers (e.g., IGHI at Imperial College London), government (e.g., Department of Health and Social Care), and other stakeholders in the sector (e.g., CTL, and other mental health charities), and policy makers.
• Member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to development and delivery of organisational strategy, and acting as MHI spokesperson/representative where relevant.
• Leading many of MHI’s key external relationships, including those with key supporters and funders such as The Jensen and Lori Huang Family Foundation, Google, the Wellcome Trust, and AWS.
• Recruiting, retaining, and managing members of the Data Insights Team
• Analysis and reporting of service data and data insights, to support decision making within MHI, to help develop new products, and for external use (e.g., media, funders, keyword partners).
• Writing funding applications to support the data insights work, and managing relationships with funders including annual reporting and updates.
• Managing relationships with external contractors who support the Data Insights Team (e.g., AWS, AWS suppliers, AI and data engineering support).

Person Specification

Essential

Strong experience with recruiting, retaining, and managing data professionals /  scientists.
Experience with developing data and organisational strategy at a senior level.
Deep understanding of data analytics, data science, AI and machine learning, and qualitative approaches.
Experience engaging with a broad range of  senior internal and external stakeholders.
Demonstrable knowledge and experience in mental health / psychology / neuroscience.
Excellent attention to detail, rigour, and thoroughness.
This role is subject to eligibility to work in the UK, plus satisfactory background and reference checks. 

We understand that AI is increasingly part of everyday life, and you might choose to use it when putting together your application. While AI can be a helpful tool, we ask that anything you submit reflects your own skills, experiences, and perspective. We value authenticity and integrity, and we want to see what you uniquely bring to our team and why our mission resonates with you personally.