Head of Advanced AI Engineering in Bristol

LOCATION: Bristol

HOURS: Full-time - 35 hours

Working Pattern: Our work style is hybrid, involving spending at least two days per week, or 40% of our time, at one of our office sites. Colleagues with disabilities can be supported with workplace adjustments including hybrid working expectations in line with our Flexibility Works policy.

Responsibilities: We're looking for a Chief Engineer to lead our new Advanced AI Engineering team, reporting to the Group Director of Data & AI Architecture. This role sits at the forefront of Agentic AI adoption within the Data & AI Unit of the Chief Technology Office, where we define and lead the Group's Data and AI technology strategy and incubate new AI‑driven products and capabilities. You’ll be leading a team of applied research and development engineers to evaluate emerging AI technologies, build and deliver MVPs, and enable their transition into engineering at scale, with a focus on creating industry‑leading AI‑powered products and services that drive customer engagement and service excellence. Acting as a senior leader and thought partner at Platform, CIO and Group level, you will be accountable for solving critical business and technology challenges, ensuring the delivery of high‑quality conversational AI across channels with strong safety, reliability and auditability, while shaping technical direction, driving applied research and prototyping, and working closely with senior collaborators and engineering teams to align AI innovation with business strategy and ensure effective adoption at scale.

Why Join Us: We’re a pioneering, fast‑changing business that's shaping finance as a force for good. If you want a role where you can have an impact and do the best work of your career, this is the place for you.

Qualifications: Proven experience leading research and development and/or software engineering activities in complex enterprise environments. Recognised expertise in GenAI and Agentic AI technology, with experience creating novel solutions to real-world problems and successfully delivering AI systems to production. Deep expertise in software engineering, application development and solution architecture, grounded in hands‑on experience. Hands‑on experience using AI‑SDLC tooling (e.g. GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor) to accelerate individual and team engineering productivity. Experience of working in a regulated environment and managing reliability, security, safety and explainability risks. Experience of acting as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and influencing business strategy.

Benefits: We also offer a wide‑ranging benefits package, which includes:

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%
• An annual bonus award, subject to Group performance
• Share schemes including free shares
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping and 30 days' holiday, with bank holidays on top
• A range of wellbeing initiatives and generous parental leave policies

EEO & Disability Policy: We offer reasonable workplace adjustments for colleagues with disabilities, including flexibility in office attendance, location and working patterns. As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee interviews for a fair and proportionate number of applicants with a disability, long‑term health or neurodivergent condition through the Disability Confident Scheme.