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, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a small, high-performing team and shape the future of AI in business.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI technology and drive real change in a fast-paced environment.
- 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 in London 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 in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the AI field, attend meetups, and connect with industry leaders on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your AI projects, especially those that demonstrate your hands-on experience. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on both technical and commercial aspects of AI. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled real-world challenges and delivered impactful solutions 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 your relevant experience and passion for AI.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of AI in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Hands-On Experience:Make sure to highlight your hands-on experience with AI systems in your application. We want to see how you've built and deployed production-grade solutions, so share specific examples that demonstrate your technical skills and leadership in this area.
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic CV and cover letter! Tailor your application to reflect the key responsibilities and required experience mentioned in the job description. We love seeing candidates who take the time to connect their background with what we’re looking for.
Be Commercially Minded:We’re looking for someone who can translate technical capabilities into commercial outcomes. In your application, emphasise your understanding of how AI can drive business value and share any relevant experiences where you’ve made a measurable impact.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
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.
✨Connect Tech to Business Outcomes
This position is all about translating technical capabilities into commercial success. Think of examples where your technical decisions led to measurable business impact, and be ready to explain how you can do the same for the company.
✨Be Hands-On and Pragmatic
Demonstrate your ability to get into the nitty-gritty of system design and implementation. Discuss your approach to building production-grade solutions and how you prioritise shipping working systems over endless pilots.
