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Search, Discovery & AI Lead

Remote
Data Scientist Machine Learning Engineer AI Researcher Artificial Intelligence Engineer
Actively hiring

Search, Discovery & AI Lead

NEXT Ltd
Remote
Data Scientist Machine Learning Engineer AI Researcher Artificial Intelligence Engineer
NEXT Ltd
Actively hiring

hackajob is partnering with NEXT Ltd to fill this position. Create a profile to be automatically considered for this role—and others that match your experience.

 

Role Overview
Customer discovery is undergoing a fundamental shift. Search is no longer limited to keyword-driven results pages; it is increasingly shaped by AI-led decision-making, conversational interfaces, and autonomous shopping agents operating both on-site and across third-party platforms.

The Search, Discovery & AI Lead is responsible for owning and evolving how customers discover, evaluate, and select products across the Next digital platforms. This includes on-site experiences as well as how Next products are interpreted, ranked, and surfaced by external AI-driven shopping environments.

This role will lead the transition toward agentic and conversational shopping, ensuring Next is technically, commercially, and operationally prepared for the next generation of ecommerce discovery.

Agentic & Conversational Commerce

  • Lead the evolution of discovery from traditional search toward agent-led and conversational shopping experiences.

  • Define how autonomous and semi-autonomous agents should interact with Next product data, availability, pricing, and business rules.

  • Partner with Product, Engineering, and Data Science teams to design and test AI-driven shopping flows that reduce friction and improve decision-making.

  • Ensure agentic shopping experiences are aligned with customer intent, brand standards, and commercial objectives.

AI-Led Search & Discovery Platforms

  • Own the strategy and performance of AI-driven discovery systems across UK and International platforms.

  • Ensure ranking, relevance, and intent modelling are optimised for modern AI-based algorithms rather than purely rules-based approaches.

  • Translate complex AI and search capabilities into clear, measurable customer and commercial outcomes.

  • Drive continuous learning and optimisation using feedback signals, behaviour data, and experimentation frameworks.

Third-Party AI & External Discovery Ecosystems

  • Own how Next products are exposed to and interpreted by third-party AI, search, and discovery platforms.

  • Ensure high-quality structured data, product signals, and feeds are optimised for use by conversational and agent-based systems.

  • Maintain alignment between on-site discovery logic and off-site AI-driven shopping experiences.

  • Work cross-functionally to ensure external platforms accurately reflect product availability, relevance, and trading priorities.

Commercial Ownership & Stakeholder Leadership

  • Define and own success metrics for agentic and AI-led discovery, including conversion, revenue contribution, engagement, and customer satisfaction.

  • Balance automation and AI decision-making with commercial control, governance, and brand consistency.

  • Act as the senior authority on discovery and agentic shopping, influencing direction across Trading, UX, Product, and Technology teams.

  • Communicate complex concepts clearly to senior stakeholders, focusing on outcomes rather than technical detail.

Skills & Experience

Essential

  • Proven experience leading ecommerce search, discovery, or AI-led shopping capabilities at scale.

  • Strong understanding of how modern AI-driven discovery systems operate, including intent modelling, ranking signals, and continuous optimisation.

  • Experience working with large product catalogues, structured data, and systems consumed by external platforms.

  • Commercially minded, with a clear understanding of how discovery impacts conversion, revenue, and customer trust.

  • Confident operating in ambiguous, fast-evolving problem spaces and shaping direction rather than waiting for definition.

  • Excellent communication skills, able to influence senior stakeholders across business and technology functions.

Desirable

  • Experience contributing to conversational commerce or agent-based shopping initiatives.

  • Familiarity with governance, control, and risk considerations associated with AI-driven decision-making.

  • Experience working in complex, multi-market ecommerce environments.

Personal Attributes

  • Strategic, curious, and future-focused, with a pragmatic approach to delivery.

  • Comfortable owning a critical, evolving capability with high visibility and accountability.

  • Data-led and outcomes-driven, with a strong bias toward measurable impact.

  • Credible, calm, and influential when working across senior teams.

 

hackajob is partnering with NEXT Ltd to fill this position. Create a profile to be automatically considered for this role—and others that match your experience.

 

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