AI Adoption Director

Apply for the AI Adoption Director role at Santander . IT STARTS HERE Santander ( is evolving from a global, high‑impact brand into a technology‑driven organization—and our people are at the heart of this journey. Together, we are leading a customer‑centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible. Country: Spain. Our mission is to help more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk culture, and all our professionals at every level are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management. Within the Chief Data & Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAIO) division, we are building a world‑class AI & Data team to transform how more than 170 million customers engage with one of the world’s largest banks. Artificial Intelligence is at the core of our strategy—and this role is one of the most transformative for accelerating executive‑level adoption of AI across the Group. This opportunity allows you not only to join an exceptional organization but also to lead initiatives with real impact on how our most senior leaders work and make decisions. The Difference You Make Director of AI Adoption for the Executive Leadership (Madrid). What You Will Be Doing Define the AI Adoption Strategy for Executive Leadership Develop a comprehensive adoption strategy across three levels: Level 1: Senior executives; Level 2: Chiefs of staff and executive offices; Level 3: Executive assistants and support roles Identify high‑impact opportunities across productivity, automation, information management, decision‑making and operational efficiency Translate strategic opportunities into deployable, prioritised, and scalable use cases Establish a methodological and operational framework to ensure coherent, accelerated, and secure adoption across all levels Design, coordinate, and deploy AI Solutions Partner with internal AI, data, technology, and operations teams to design tailored AI solutions for Executive Leadership Oversee the full solution lifecycle: functional definition, prototyping, iteration, validation, deployment, and ongoing support Ensure all solutions comply with corporate standards on security, regulatory requirements, data protection, and Responsible AI Drive practical and strategic tooling, including generative AI assistants, executive productivity enhancers, and automation systems Lead Change Management and Adoption Programs Design and implement onboarding, training, and hands‑on adoption programmes tailored to different executive audiences Promote a culture of effective AI use, ensuring tools and solutions become part of daily workflows Identify adoption barriers, operational frictions, and capability gaps—and activate plans to mitigate them Provide personalised support for critical executive profiles where AI adoption has the highest strategic impact Manage stakeholders and align initiatives with business strategy Serve as the main interface between Executive Leadership and technical teams, ensuring clarity, proper prioritisation, and execution speed Translate strategic and operational needs into clear product and functional requirements Build business cases, prioritise the initiative portfolio, and ensure projects generate measurable and scalable value Governance, impact tracking, and best practices Ensure compliance with corporate standards for Responsible AI, security, model governance, and regulatory requirements Define KPIs for adoption, maturity, impact, and user satisfaction, with regular reporting to Executive Leadership Promote the standardisation of tools, methodologies, and best practices for AI use across executive teams What You’ll Bring Professional Experience 10+ years of combined experience in transformation, consulting, innovation, digitalisation, AI, or corporate‑level change management Proven experience working with Executive Leadership or C‑level stakeholders Demonstrated success leading large‑scale digital or AI transformation initiatives – ideally in banking or other regulated industries Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and coordinating technical and business areas Skills And Competencies Strategic vision with the ability to simplify complex technologies for executive audiences Strong influence, communication, and transversal leadership skills Exceptional change‑management capabilities, especially within executive environments Impact‑driven mindset with focus on results, adoption, and scalability Strong understanding of AI tools and executive‑productivity use cases Education University degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, Data Science, or related fields (Required) Postgraduate training in leadership, transformation, or innovation (Preferred) Languages Professional fluency in English and Spanish (Required) We Value Your Impact Global career pathways and mobility opportunities Hybrid, flexible working models Access to hundreds of learning opportunities, including exclusive content through Santander Open Academy Competitive compensation, performance‑based rewards, and a holistic well‑being programme Preferential banking terms, family‑friendly benefits, and employee support services Local Compliance Santander is proud to be an equal‑opportunity organisation. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. What To Do Next If this sounds like the right challenge for you, we encourage you to apply and take the next step in your journey with us. Seniority level: Director | Employment type: Full‑time | Job function: Project Management, Strategy/Planning, and Finance #J-18808-Ljbffr