Head of Development and AI

Role OverviewHave you got what it takes to succeed The following information should be read carefully by all candidates.We are seeking an exceptional Development, Automation and AI Manager to lead our development team whilst driving automation initiatives and AI/ML integration across our technology organisation. This is a strategic leadership role for someone who can bridge cutting‑edge technology with tangible business outcomes.Key ResponsibilitiesLead and mentor a development team of 8‑15+ engineers (staff and third‑party), fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvementDrive automation initiatives across the organisation, identifying opportunities for efficiency gains through intelligent automationIntegrate AI/ML capabilities into existing systems and develop new AI‑powered solutionsEstablish and maintain coding standards, architectural decision‑making processes, and technical debt managementCreate and execute technical roadmaps aligned with business objectivesImplement DevOps and SRE best practices across distributed systemsManage stakeholder relationships and translate complex technical concepts into business valueEssential Experience & SkillsTechnical LeadershipProven track record leading development teams of 8‑15+ engineersExperience with code reviews, architectural decision‑making, and technical debt managementAbility to establish coding standards and best practices across teamsAI/ML ExpertiseStrong understanding of machine learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit‑learn)Experience with LLM integration (OpenAI, Anthropic, open‑source models)Knowledge of RAG architectures, prompt engineering, and vector databases (Pinecone, Weaviate)Experience with MLOps tools and monitoring model performance in productionAutomation ArchitectureDeep knowledge of automation tools including GitHub Actions, Terraform, and AnsibleExperience with business process automation (RPA) tools like AppianWorkflow orchestration experience (Airflow, Prefect)Ability to build custom automation frameworks using Python or similar languagesFull‑Stack DevelopmentSolid software engineering background with proficiency in Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, or GoExperience with modern frameworks (React, Node. xpwpeyx js, Django, FastAPI)Knowledge of microservices architecture, API design (REST, GraphQL)Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and cloud‑native development patternsDevOps & SRE PracticesExperience implementing CI/CD pipelines and DevOps methodologiesKnowledge of infrastructure monitoring (Datadog), log aggregation, and incident managementUnderstanding of SLO/SLA definition and observability best practicesStrategic & Business AcumenAbility to align technical initiatives with business objectives and articulate ROIExperience creating technical roadmaps and conducting cost‑benefit analysesTrack record presenting to C‑suite executives with data‑backed recommendationsStrong project delivery experience managing complex initiatives on time and within budgetSoft SkillsExcellent stakeholder management and communication skillsAbility to bridge technical and non‑technical teamsExperience facilitating cross‑functional workshops and building consensusSkilled at driving organizational change and managing adoption of new technologiesAdditional Valued ExperienceVendor and tool evaluation expertiseData‑driven decision making using metrics, KPIs, and analyticsChange management experience including training programme developmentInnovation mindset with experience running proof‑of‑concepts and hackathonsUnderstanding of build‑vs‑buy decisions and total cost of ownership analysisPlease do apply via email in the first instance.#J-18808-Ljbffr