[Job ad] LISA CEO

By Ryan Kidd @ 2025-02-09T00:18 (+5)

Overview

• Job Title: Chief Executive Officer
• Company Name: London Initiative for Safe AI (LISA)
• Location: Old Street, London
• Duration: Full-time
• Salary Range: £95-125k (more may be available for an exceptional candidate)
• Application Deadline: Monday 24th February

We are looking for a Chief Executive Officer with experience as a senior manager, start-up founder, or executive to lead LISA's high-performing, agile team in London. Interest in AI safety, especially large-scale and catastrophic risks from AI, is critical; previous experience of the field or funding ecosystem is desirable.

About LISA

The London Initiative for Safe AI (LISA) is a London-based charity (with UK Charity registration number: 1211693) dedicated to advancing education in artificial intelligence (AI) safety for the public benefit (including through research), and contributing to the safe development, use, governance, and regulation of AI.

Currently, LISA’s primary project is an AI safety co-working space in London, which hosts a wide range of researchers, programmes, and events. This office currently houses resident organisations (such as Apollo Research and BlueDot Impact), programmes (such as ARENA, the MATS extension, Pivotal Research, LASR Labs, PIBBSS Fellowship, and Catalyze Impact), and individual researchers affiliated with more than 50 other organisations and universities.

LISA aims to provide members with the resources, community, and support needed to positively impact the safe development and deployment of advanced AI systems. Please see our theory of change for more details.

About the role

Responsibilities

• Lead LISA in its mission of improving the safety of advanced AI systems and growing the London AI safety community, though education and research (broadly defined);
• Enhance and maintain LISA’s reputation as a leading home for AI safety research in London by developing LISA’s future vision, deciding and prioritising amongst competing opportunities to shape its growth;
• Lead a team of (currently) five full-time staff, responsible for their performance/duties, well-being, and professional development;
• Raise funds for LISA’s operations, widening the donor base and developing revenue streams. Produce strategy documents and impact analyses;
• Develop LISA’s relationships with key stakeholders, including funders, office member organisations, external partners and key commercial suppliers;
• Coordinate LISA’s admissions process for new office members and organisations, with scope to develop new programmes;
• Report to LISA’s board of trustees. Ensure the safety and sustainability of LISA through effective risk management;
• Stay up to date with AI safety and governance developments, and the AI-related political landscape.

Skills and experience

An excellent candidate will bring the following, though we encourage you to apply even if you are not sure that you sufficiently meet all of the following criteria:

• Experience of strategic leadership, including leading organisations, creating a “theory of change”, and managing stakeholders;
• Experience fundraising for nonprofits, particularly from Open Philanthropy, Survival and Flourishing Fund, Longview Philanthropy, Founders Pledge, Foresight Institute, government initiatives, or similar;
• Substantial knowledge of AI safety, especially large-scale and catastrophic risks from AI, for example publishing AI safety/governance research, or evaluating grants for AI safety projects;
• Strong project and people management experience;
• Strong financial and risk management skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills and a curious mindset;
• Experience in representing organisations at a senior level, public communication or education (broadly defined), and in conveying sometimes complex and nuanced material in an accessible manner;
• Experience maintaining a collaborative, non-partisan space for education, debate and research where a wide range of evidence-based perspectives are valued;
• An awareness of laws and regulations that apply to UK charitable companies.

Requirements

• Indefinite and unrestricted right to work in the UK (sponsorship may be possible for the right candidate)
• Willing to work from Old Street, London, and to undertake some international travel for conferences, fundraising, etc.

Benefits

• £95-125k Salary (more may be available for an exceptional candidate)
• 25 days of holiday, plus bank holidays
• Company laptop provided
• Daily lunches and dinners
• Private pension contributions

Hiring process

Please apply here. Applicants will be evaluated through first round interviews, a written work test, and second round interviews.