Machine Learning Manager (AI)

Role Summary We are seeking an AI & Machine Learning Manager with strong hands-on expertise in AI/ML engineering, Generative AI, data science and enterprise solution delivery. The role requires a techno-functional leader who can engage business stakeholders, identify high-value AI opportunities, shape solution architecture and guide engineering teams through development, deployment and adoption. The candidate must combine sound technical judgement with business understanding. They will lead the end-to-end delivery of secure, scalable and production-ready AI solutions, while remaining close enough to the technology to review designs, challenge implementation choices and guide teams on engineering standards. Key Responsibilities AI Strategy & Business Alignment • Work with business leaders and domain teams to identify, assess and prioritise AI/ML opportunities based on business value, feasibility, risk and expected return. • Translate business problems into clear AI use cases, functional requirements, solution options, delivery plans and measurable success criteria. • Define AI roadmaps and support business cases, proof-of-concept assessments and the transition of successful pilots into production solutions. AI/ML Solution Design & Delivery • Lead the design, development, testing and deployment of machine learning, deep learning, NLP, predictive analytics and Generative AI solutions. • Guide the development of LLM-based applications, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), AI agents, conversational systems and intelligent automation solutions. • Provide hands-on technical direction across the AI lifecycle, including data preparation, feature engineering, model selection, evaluation, integration and production release. • Review solution designs, model approaches, code quality and deployment plans; resolve technical issues and guide teams on sound engineering practices. Architecture, Platforms & MLOps • Define and govern scalable AI solution architectures across cloud and enterprise platforms, with attention to performance, reliability, security and cost. • Establish MLOps practices for model versioning, experiment tracking, CI/CD, deployment, monitoring, drift detection, retraining and lifecycle management. • Promote reusable components, model-serving patterns, prompt templates, evaluation frameworks and AI accelerators to improve delivery quality and speed. • Work with data engineering, cloud, application, security and infrastructure teams to ensure reliable integration with enterprise systems and data platforms. Techno-Functional & Stakeholder Leadership • Act as the bridge between business stakeholders and technical teams, ensuring that business needs are reflected in solution design and delivery. • Lead discovery sessions, requirement workshops, solution walkthroughs, demonstrations and design discussions with business and technology stakeholders. • Explain technical options, trade-offs, limitations, risks and expected outcomes in clear business terms, including to senior management. • Drive user adoption, change management and the integration of AI solutions into business processes. Team Leadership & Delivery Management • Lead, mentor and develop AI engineers, ML engineers, data scientists and solution architects; set clear technical and delivery expectations. • Own delivery planning, estimation, prioritisation, sprint execution, dependencies, risks and issue resolution across AI initiatives. • Track delivery milestones, model quality, system performance, user adoption and business impact; drive corrective action where required. • Build a culture of technical ownership, experimentation, documentation, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. AI Governance, Risk & Responsible AI • Embed responsible AI principles, privacy, security, explainability, fairness and human oversight into AI solution design and delivery. • Establish controls for model validation, data usage, access, auditability, monitoring and change management in line with enterprise policies and applicable regulations. • Work with risk, legal, compliance and information security teams to assess AI risks and support governance reviews before and after deployment. Requirements • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Engineering or a related discipline. • Substantial professional experience in AI/ML engineering, data science, Generative AI or enterprise technology delivery, including experience leading technical teams or complex initiatives. • Strong hands-on knowledge of machine learning, deep learning, NLP, predictive modelling and Generative AI, with the ability to guide implementation decisions. • Strong programming proficiency in Python and practical experience with relevant AI/ML libraries and frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow or scikit-learn. • Practical experience designing and delivering LLM-based applications, including prompt engineering, RAG, embeddings, vector search and AI agent patterns. • Working knowledge of model evaluation, validation, deployment, monitoring, model drift and lifecycle management. • Experience with MLOps concepts and tools for experiment tracking, model registry, CI/CD, deployment and production monitoring. • Ability to elicit and analyse business requirements, define functional and non-functional needs, and convert them into technical designs and delivery plans. • Experience working with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams, managing expectations, explaining technical trade-offs and presenting solution recommendations. • Strong problem-solving, communication, documentation, delivery management and team leadership skills. Preferred Qualifications & Experience • Experience with Microsoft Azure AI Services, Azure OpenAI, Azure Machine Learning, Azure AI Foundry, Databricks or Microsoft Fabric; equivalent AWS or Google Cloud experience is also relevant. • Hands-on exposure to LangChain, LlamaIndex, Semantic Kernel, vector databases and agentic AI frameworks. • Experience with MLflow, Azure ML, Kubeflow, Databricks Model Serving or comparable MLOps platforms. • Experience delivering enterprise solutions in BFSI, insurance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing or other regulated environments. • Knowledge of Responsible AI frameworks, model risk management, explainability, fairness testing and AI governance. • Relevant cloud, AI engineering, machine learning or Databricks certifications. Core Technology Landscape Python | PyTorch | TensorFlow | scikit-learn | NLP | Deep Learning | Predictive Analytics | Generative AI | LLMs | Azure OpenAI | Azure AI Foundry | Azure Machine Learning | Databricks | MLflow | RAG | Embeddings | Vector Databases | LangChain | LlamaIndex | Semantic Kernel | AI Agents | Prompt Engineering | MLOps | Model Serving | Git | CI/CD | Azure DevOps | Cloud Platforms | Power BI | Microsoft Fabric