At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and deployment of AI systems, turning challenges into impactful solutions.
- Company: Dynamic tech firm focused on innovative AI applications.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a chance to shape AI strategy.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team and grow your career in a fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI technology and drive real business impact.
- Qualifications: 15-20 years in software engineering with hands-on AI experience.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 £ per year.
Reports to: CEO
Manages: Small team of prompt engineers, data scientists and software engineers (3 to 4 people in year one)
The Role
We are looking for an AI Systems Architect/Head of AI to own the design, build and deployment of AI systems across the business. This is an implementation-focused role for someone who can translate operational, commercial and trading challenges into working, production-grade solutions. This is not an advisory or strategy-only position. The successful candidate will be hands-on, building systems end to end while operating as a senior technical and commercial leader within the business. The ideal profile is a highly capable senior software engineer with 8 to 20 years of experience building production systems at scale, who has spent the last several years moving deeply into AI and LLM-based systems. AI is now their primary focus, but their credibility comes from engineering excellence and a track record of delivering complex systems in commercially demanding environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the architecture and deployment of AI systems across the business, including model selection, tooling, infrastructure and integration with core business systems.
- Work closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to identify high-impact AI opportunities across operations, trading and commercial functions.
- Design, build and deploy AI solutions from prototype through to production, including prompt engineering, data pipelines, evaluations, integrations and operational rollout.
- Provide engineering capability across the algorithmic trading and software development estate, including building, deploying and supporting trading algorithms, internal tooling and development systems.
- Hire, lead and grow a high-performing technical team.
- Operate as a peer to the senior leadership team, translating technical capability into commercial outcomes and owning key architectural and implementation trade-offs.
- Ensure AI systems are robust, scalable, measurable and commercially effective.
Required Experience
- 15 to 20 years of experience building and operating production software systems at scale.
- Demonstrable experience delivering multiple successful production systems in commercially demanding environments.
- 1 to 3 years of hands-on experience with LLM-based systems, including agentic workflows, RAG architectures, evaluations, integrations and fine-tuning.
- Strong software engineering capability across the full stack, with deep understanding of production infrastructure and deployment.
- Experience leading and scaling small technical teams.
- Commercial fluency and the ability to engage effectively with senior business leadership.
- Remains highly hands-on technically, capable of coding, debugging, prompting, evaluating and deploying systems directly.
- Comfortable operating within industrial, asset-intensive or operationally complex businesses.
What Makes Someone Successful in This Role
- Strong architectural instinct with the ability to design systems from first principles and select the right abstractions early.
- Systems thinker who understands businesses as interconnected flows of data, decisions, people, cost and time.
- Pragmatic and delivery-focused, with a strong bias toward shipping working solutions rather than endless pilots.
- Curious and continuously learning, staying current with emerging AI tooling, models and research.
- Able to move fluently between deep technical detail and executive-level strategic conversations.
- Strong track record of delivering measurable business impact through technology.
- Commercially minded and outcome-oriented, focused on adoption and operational value rather than technical novelty.
Head of AI employer: Mint Selection
As a leading innovator in the AI space, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic work culture that encourages creativity and collaboration. Our employees benefit from hands-on experience in cutting-edge AI projects, with ample opportunities for professional growth and development within a supportive team environment. Located in a vibrant area, we offer a unique blend of technical challenges and commercial impact, making us an exceptional employer for those looking to make a meaningful contribution in the field of artificial intelligence.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of AI
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the AI field and let them know you're on the hunt for a Head of AI role. Attend industry events, webinars, or meetups to meet potential employers and showcase your expertise.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your past projects, especially those involving AI systems. This will give you an edge when discussing your hands-on experience during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your coding and system design skills. Be ready to discuss your approach to building scalable AI solutions and how you've tackled challenges in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role and our company values.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of AI
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Hands-On Experience:Make sure to highlight your hands-on experience with AI systems and production software. We want to see how you've built and deployed solutions in real-world scenarios, so don’t hold back on the details!
Tailor Your Application:Take a moment to tailor your application specifically for this role. Use the job description as a guide to showcase how your skills and experiences align with what we’re looking for. It’ll make your application stand out!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, clarity is key! Keep your language straightforward and avoid jargon unless it’s relevant. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the point.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Mint Selection
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends and technologies in AI, especially LLM-based systems. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with building and deploying these systems, as well as any challenges you've faced and how you overcame them.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Since this role involves managing a small team, be prepared to talk about your experience leading technical teams. Share specific examples of how you've motivated your team, handled conflicts, or driven projects to success. This will show that you're not just a tech whiz but also a great leader.
✨Connect Tech to Business Outcomes
The company is looking for someone who can translate technical capabilities into commercial success. Think of examples where your technical decisions led to measurable business impacts. Be ready to discuss how you can identify high-impact AI opportunities that align with the company's goals.
✨Be Hands-On and Pragmatic
This isn't just a strategy role; they want someone who can get their hands dirty. Prepare to discuss your approach to building production-grade solutions and how you prioritise shipping working systems over endless pilots. Show them you're all about delivering results!
