At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead AI engineers, diagnose workflows, and build impactful AI products in finance.
- Company: Join a dynamic AI-first company transforming finance for underdog businesses.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, flexible work, and growth opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a small, innovative team with direct impact on meaningful projects.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by building AI solutions that reshape the finance industry.
- Qualifications: Experience in tech roles within finance, strong leadership, and product-building skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Location: to be based in the UK or Europe (Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Italy), interfacing with AI teams in Vietnam and stakeholders in the US.
Type: Full-time
Reporting line: Head of AI Platforms
About Us
We're an AI-first builder giving underdog companies a new lease of life with AI. We are launched out of Chicago Atlantic, a $3B AUM private credit/debt firm with a top tier fund performance record and deep expertise in AI roll-ups and restructurings. We've spent years inside the deals, and we've seen exactly how much value AI can create for smaller companies that lack the capabilities to compete with larger companies. Now we're building the AI systems to change that: an AI-obsessed team applying frontier AI engineering to the workflows that finance, banking, and restructuring actually run on.
We're small (a ringfenced AI team of 35 and growing), we ship, and we sit close to real capital and real operators. That's the difference between AI that demos well and AI that changes how the work gets done.
What We Are Building
Restructuring is one of the highest-stakes, most knowledge-intensive corners of finance, and one of the least touched by modern tooling. We know applied AI works here because we've already done it ourselves: we turnaround underperforming assets from $100M to >$1.1B in annual revenue, applying AI to operations and seeing the gains firsthand, giving capabilities that level the playing field for an ecosystem of smaller companies. Now we're pointing that capability at restructuring itself, building the product layer for the work that matters most: diagnosing distressed businesses, valuing assets at scale, and surfacing where value can be unlocked with AI. We've proven the core, and the product itself is ready to grow. If you want to help decide what gets built in a domain with huge upside, this is the place.
Why This Role Is For You
You've done technology inside a finance or consulting environment, and you know how hard it is to launch AI products in a fast-paced professional services setting. You think like a product builder, not just an engineer: you care about what gets used, not just what gets shipped. You want to be on the side that fixes it, building a solution that works with the domain knowledge users already have.
You'll work at the forefront of the stack: harness engineering and plugin-based solutioning, systems deployed against live workflows. You'll have the freedom to define what gets built and the proximity to clients to see your work land in weeks, owning the product decisions as much as the technical ones.
You are looking for ownership, hard problems, and immediate, visible impact. You'll join a nascent team alongside an existing Technical Product Manager, dividing and conquering problems across the entire restructuring process.
Core Responsibilities
- Lead a team of AI engineers — set direction, unblock execution, grow technical talent, and own team output
- Deploy on the ground — embed with US clients (knowledge workers, operators, finance teams) to diagnose workflows, map real user needs, and translate findings into working systems
- Build 0-to-1 — own the full lifecycle from discovery to shipped product; define what gets built, why, and how it gets measured
- Orchestrate AI systems — design and manage multi-agent workflows and platforms using LLMs; work alongside AI engineers to ship production-grade AI solutions
- Lead professional services transformation — apply AI to the high-value knowledge work that firms run on, from analysis and reporting to restructuring and portfolio monitoring; you'll learn the domain well enough to challenge and redesign it
- Own the product — drive initiative without being directed; set goals, prioritise ruthlessly, and hold the outcome — not just the delivery
- Translate between worlds — speak the language of the business on one side and engineers on the other; you're the connective tissue that stops both sides talking past each other
Must-haves
- Forward-deployed experience — you've worked directly inside client environments, not just taken requirements and handed off; you were in a technical role (engineering, data, or systems design) before moving to product
- Knowledge work and professional services experience — you've worked in or alongside professional services, and you understand the kind of complex knowledge work these firms run on
- AI agent and platform management — hands-on experience running AI agents in production: prompt engineering, agent orchestration, platform reliability, and knowing when to rebuild vs. patch
- People leadership — you've led or directly guided technical talent
- 0-to-1 builder track record — you've taken something from ambiguity to working product; you don't wait for requirements to be handed to you
- Strong independent judgment — you operate without hand-holding; you surface blockers, make calls, and move fast in ambiguous environments
Nice-to-haves
- Finance domain knowledge — working understanding of FP&A, financial modelling, or restructuring; useful but not required, you can pick up the domain on the job
- Experience in management consulting, investment banking, or finance ops in a startup
- Familiarity with AI agent frameworks
- Comfortable working across US time zones and able to travel to the US as needed
What We Offer
- Direct impact — you'll own meaningful products at a company small enough that your decisions visibly matter
- AI-native environment — work with a team of AI and data engineers who move fast and build seriously
- Flexible work — work across our hubs: Europe, US and Vietnam
- Growth — as we scale, this role grows with us; early team members shape what the company becomes
- Compensation — Base salary + equity + benefits; we'll be upfront about the full package on the first call
Hiring Process
- Apply — send your CV and two sentences on the most complex system you've built or deployed
- Intro call — we cover your background and the role; you decide if it's worth going deeper
- Interview — a real problem we've faced and how you might help solve
- Fit/teamwork interview — meet alongside the CDO and understand the team culture
- Final conversation — meet the team, ask questions
- Offer
Apply now. You'll hear back within 3–5 business days.
Technical Product Manager / Forward Deployed Engineer — AI & Finance in Watford employer: Chicago Atlantic
Join a dynamic AI-first company that empowers underdog businesses in finance with cutting-edge technology. Our collaborative work culture fosters innovation and ownership, allowing you to make a direct impact on meaningful products while working alongside a talented team of AI engineers. With flexible work arrangements across Europe and the US, and ample opportunities for professional growth, this is an exciting place to advance your career in a rapidly evolving field.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Technical Product Manager / Forward Deployed Engineer — AI & Finance in Watford
✨Join Product Management Meetups
Get involved in local product management meetups or workshops. These events are perfect for meeting industry folks, sharing ideas, and staying updated on trends. Plus, you never know who might be hiring—it's a fantastic way to make connections that could lead to a job at places like Chicago Atlantic!
✨Show Off Your Product Sense
Create case studies or mini-projects showcasing your product management skills, and share them on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn. This not only puts your skills on display but also boosts your visibility in the product community. Imagine how impressed the hiring team at Chicago Atlantic would be by your initiative!
✨Utilise Online Communities
Dive into online product management communities like Product Coalition or Mind the Product. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights. These platforms are goldmines for networking and finding hidden job opportunities—many companies often scout talent from within these circles.
✨Leverage Your University Network
If you’ve recently graduated or are still in uni, tap into your alumni network for connections in product management. Many universities have their own job boards and affinity resources to help graduates land roles. Don't forget to keep an eye out for job openings at Chicago Atlantic through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Technical Product Manager / Forward Deployed Engineer — AI & Finance in Watford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Technical Product Manager / Forward Deployed Engineer — AI & Finance, let your passion for developing products shine through in your cover letter. Share specific examples of products you've managed, how you solved user needs, and any successful outcomes you've achieved. This is your chance to showcase your understanding of the product lifecycle!
Highlight Your Cross-Functional Skills:Product management isn't just about understanding the product; it’s about collaborating with different teams! Make sure to emphasise your experience working with developers, designers, and marketers. Use your CV to showcase your ability to bridge gaps between these areas, and include relevant experiences that demonstrate your communication and leadership skills!
Include Your Metrics and Achievements:In a full-time product management application, data speaks volumes! Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Did you increase user retention by a certain percentage? Launch a product ahead of schedule? Include these metrics in your CV to paint a picture of your impact and effectiveness in previous roles.
Tailor Your CV to the Role:Make sure your CV is tailored for the Technical Product Manager / Forward Deployed Engineer — AI & Finance position at Chicago Atlantic. Use keywords from the job description and ensure your relevant experiences are front and centre. Highlight any certifications or relevant training you’ve completed that will make you stand out as a strong candidate for the role. And remember, we’re excited to see your application on our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Chicago Atlantic
✨Understand the Product Life Cycle
As a product management candidate, we need to get our head around the complete product life cycle. Be prepared to discuss real-world examples of how you’ve managed product development from ideation to launch. Bring specific insights on tools like JIRA or Trello that can help streamline these processes.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Skills
Product management is all about collaboration. We should be ready to highlight how we’ve worked across teams—think marketing, engineering, and design. Prepare to discuss scenarios where you had to mediate differing opinions and how you got everyone on board with a shared vision.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In a full-time role, we can expect to encounter case study questions during our interviews. Practise solving hypothetical product problems on the spot, such as prioritising features for a new app or improving user engagement metrics. This will show our analytical thinking and decision-making skills.
✨Know Your Metrics
Let’s face it, numbers are our best friends in product management. We should prepare to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) and how we've used analytics to inform product decisions. Dive into examples where data has driven our strategy for improvements or justified product changes.
