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Job Description
Application Manager
Department: IT & Change
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Manchester, UK
Description
This is a newly created, strategically important role responsible for managing the full lifecycle of AI tools and business applications across the organisation. As AI adoption accelerates and programme-led application stacks continue to grow, this role provides the structure, governance, and expertise needed to evaluate, implement, configure, and sustain new tooling responsibly — balancing innovation with due diligence.
The AI & Applications Manager will act as the central point of coordination between the business, IT, Legal, Infosec, the DPO, and programme stakeholders including the AI adoption team — ensuring that every tool in the organisation’s portfolio has been properly assessed, approved, adopted in a controlled and compliant manner, and continues to deliver value in service.
About the role
- Monitor and assess feature releases across AI platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini), with a focus on security, data handling, and data leakage risks
- Maintain a live register of all AI tools in use across the organisation, conducting ongoing reviews for compliance and fitness for purpose
- Lead proof-of-concept and pilot programmes, defining success criteria and managing the transition of approved tools from evaluation to production
- Own the evergreening programme for Buy applications, tracking vendor release cycles and coordinating testing, approval, and deployment of updates
- Act as the internal subject matter expert and first point of contact for all AI tool queries
- Translate business requirements into structured evaluation and procurement briefs, managing a formal intake process for all requests
- Lead cross-functional due diligence working with DPO, Infosec, Legal, and IT to ensure tools meet data, security, and contractual standards
- Monitor regulatory developments including the EU AI Act, UK AI Framework, and GDPR, assessing impact on tooling decisions
- Define and enforce acceptable use policies for AI tools across the organisation
- Contribute to the organisation's AI and technology roadmap, reporting to senior leadership on adoption progress, risks, and opportunities
- Benchmark the organisation's AI maturity against industry peers and best practice
- Manage the decommissioning of tools that are superseded, fail compliance, or no longer deliver value
About you
- Proven experience managing SaaS applications or a business application portfolio through their full lifecycle
- Hands-on experience evaluating and implementing AI or automation tools in a business environment
- Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional due diligence processes involving Legal, Infosec, and Procurement
- Strong stakeholder management — comfortable engaging at all levels from operational teams to senior leadership
- Working knowledge of mainstream AI platforms including Claude, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot, with an understanding of their capabilities, data handling practices, and enterprise licensing models
- Familiarity with AI-powered legal tooling such as Harvey or Luminance, and how these are applied in contract review, due diligence, and legal research workflows
- Familiarity with data privacy principles and GDPR compliance in a UK/EU context, with exposure to information security frameworks such as ISO 27001 or SOC 2
- Knowledge of EU AI Act obligations or UK AI governance guidance
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills — able to assess vendor claims and cut through noise
- Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences
- Commercially aware — able to assess ROI, total cost of ownership, and contractual risk
- Naturally curious about technology and proactive in keeping up with the AI landscape, with the confidence to influence decision-making without direct authority