Associate Director – AI Innovation Lab, Human-centered Design

Kyndryl

Associate Director leading human-centered AI innovation engagements at Kyndryl, which runs mission-critical technology systems for global businesses. Guiding workshops, prototypes, validation and executive decisions.

Posted 9/4/2026full-timeLondon • 🇬🇧 United KingdomSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading customer innovation engagements, translating business priorities into design challenges, and guiding multidisciplinary teams through complex projects. Proficient in connecting technical delivery with business intent while fostering strong executive relationships.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Customer Innovation LeadershipMultidisciplinary Team ManagementBusiness AcumenGenerative AI Systems UnderstandingWorkshop Facilitation

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

DesignInnovationConsultingPrototypingResearchValidationOutcome MeasurementHuman-AI SystemsService DesignProduct Development

Soft Skills

Executive PresenceFacilitation SkillsConsulting Judgment

Tools & Technologies

FigmaFigJamMiroGenerative AI Tools

Certifications & Qualifications

Bachelor's DegreeMaster's DegreeMBA

Industry Keywords

Customer EngagementDesign SprintInnovation LabCreative AgencyBusiness Development

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead customer innovation engagements end to end, from challenge framing and executive workshops through prototype direction, evidence and decision
Serve as strategic customer contact and trusted advisor to senior leadership
Shape the brief, engagement arc and success measures with customers and account teams
Connect immersion, co-design, workshops, build, test and post-Lab follow-through
Lead CIOs, CTOs, COOs and leadership teams through ambiguity, challenge and decisions
Translate business priorities, user needs and operational realities into opportunities, value hypotheses and design challenges
Define roles, knowledge, decisions, handoffs, exceptions, control and accountability across human-AI systems
Direct creative technologists, designers, researchers and engineers through focused build cycles
Define testing evidence using research, realistic scenarios, synthetic personas and system evaluation
Connect evidence and recommendations to executive next steps such as sprints, pilots or transformation initiatives
Turn validated work into reusable methods, patterns, components, prompts, agent states, policies, evaluation sets and reference builds
Build complementary strengths across design, consulting, AI and business strategy; set quality standards and coach teams
Own engagement architecture, outcomes, customer relationship and path to durable business value
Connect business intent and intended experience to technical delivery
Keep approximately 10% of capacity for moonshots in human-AI collaboration, embodied AI and adaptive interfaces

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in design, HCI, business, engineering, computer science, architecture or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
10+ years in design, innovation or consulting
3+ years leading multidisciplinary teams and owning senior customer or executive relationships
Portfolio with case studies of engagements led end to end
Business-level fluency in English
Executive presence and facilitation skills
Business acumen and consulting judgment
Significant experience leading service, product, experience or innovation work from research through validation and outcome
Experience shaping and running complex customer workshops, Lab engagements or consulting programs
Understanding of generative and agentic AI systems
Experience aligning designers, creative technologists, researchers, engineers, industry experts and commercial teams
Willingness to travel to customer sites and Lab locations
Preferred: Master's degree or MBA
Preferred: consultancy, innovation lab, product studio or creative agency background
Preferred: Figma, FigJam or Miro; workshop and design-sprint facilitation; generative AI tools
Preferred: digital, spatial or physical prototyping and responsible AI governance, risk and model evaluation familiarity
Preferred: business development proposal, pitch and thought-leadership experience

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible, supportive environment
Well-being prioritized
Hybrid-friendly culture
Be Well programs supporting financial, mental, physical, and social health
Personalized development goals
Continuous feedback
Certifications with Microsoft, Google, and Amazon
Coaching and hands-on learning experiences
Cutting-edge learning opportunities
Career path tools and in-demand skills development