Director, AI Strategy & Implementation

Te Tūranga –The opportunity 

An opportunity to work with New Zealand’s award-winning public media company. RNZ aims to strengthen Aotearoa and the Pacific through informative, challenging and entertaining content.

RNZ is looking for a Director of AI Strategy & Implementation to lead the responsible use of AI in public media. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI in journalism, ensuring ethical adoption while driving efficiency and innovation.

You’ll work with a team committed to ethical journalism and technological innovation, playing a key role in establishing AI strategies, governance frameworks, and best practices for the wider sector.

Te Mahi – About the job

Reporting to the Chief Performance Officer, you'll work with editorial and technology leaders to lead the responsible use of AI in public media in Aotearoa. 

Strategy & Governance

• Develop and implement an AI strategy aligned with public media values—transparency, fairness, and accountability.
• Establish AI ethics and governance frameworks to guide responsible AI adoption.
• Conduct AI readiness audits to assess workflows, infrastructure, and workforce capabilities.
• Monitor AI advancements, regulatory changes, and industry best practices to refine AI strategies.
• Identify and manage risks to RNZ posed by AI.

Implementation & Oversight

• Lead cross-functional AI groups across editorial, technology, legal, and HR teams.
• Oversee pilot programs for AI integration (e.g., transcription, metadata generation, content recommendations).
• Evaluate AI tools and vendors to ensure compliance and alignment with RNZ’s needs.
• Develop policies ensuring human oversight in AI-assisted production.

Training & Employee Engagement

• Design and implement AI literacy programs for staff.
• Organize training sessions and workshops for journalists, editors, and content creators.
• Promote innovation through AI hackathons and idea-sharing forums.

Audience Transparency & Ethical AI Use

• Ensure clear communication with audiences about AI usage to maintain trust and credibility.
• Develop guidelines for AI-generated or AI-assisted content with ethical considerations.
• Work with audience research teams to use AI insights responsibly without compromising editorial integrity.

Budget & Resource Management

• Develop and manage budgets for AI initiatives, including technology investments and training.

Ōu Pūkenga - About You

• Proven experience in AI strategy, digital transformation, or technology leadership.
• Strong understanding of ethical AI use, particularly in media and journalism.
• Ability to balance innovation with responsibility.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
  

Ngā Hua: What we offer

• A friendly, welcoming and inclusive team.
• Development and regular training opportunities for our people.
• Will match an employee’s KiwiSaver contribution up to 4%.
• Additional leave provisions for some roles and the option to buy extra leave
• Comprehensive parental leave over and above standard legislation
• RNZ supports work/life balance for our people including working from home initiatives where possible.
  
• Comprehensive wellbeing support including access to a confidential support, guidance and counselling service.
  

Te Ahurea – Our Culture

At RNZ we are committed to fostering an inclusive and constructive culture. This means creating a place where our people feel like they belong and can do their best work. We do this through our attitudes; Be Bold, Better Every Day and Extend Manaakitanga. 

This is a 12 month fixed term full-time role and we are open to location for the right person.

To apply for this role please complete your application on our careers site, including your covering letter and a CV. If applying through Seek you will be able to view and download a copy of the job description for this role after clicking Apply. 

Applications close: Friday 4 April, 2025 unless filled prior. 

If you'd like to speak to someone about this role, please get in touch with the recruitment team on jobs@rnz.co.nz

RNZ is committed to the principles and practices of Equal Employment Opportunity and welcomes applicants reflecting New Zealand’s cultural and ethnic diversity.