Senior AI Engineering Manager | Contract or Perm

We are seeking a Senior Engineering Manager to lead the development of next-generation AI/ML platform services. This role is ideal for a hands-on technical leader who thrives at the intersection of AI, cloud, and large-scale engineering management. You’ll be guiding a team in designing, building, and scaling secure, reliable, cloud-native AI platform services that will serve as the foundation for advanced AI adoption across multiple products and partner ecosystems. Key Responsibilities Oversee the design and architecture of scalable, fault-tolerant services on Microsoft Azure. Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and act as an escalation point for complex challenges. Translate business requirements into actionable features and drive delivery through a Scrum team. Manage platform backlogs, release planning, and continuous service enhancements. Embed security and compliance practices into platform design, ensuring data protection and regulatory adherence. Lead and grow a high-performing development and test team, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Collaborate with cross-functional teams on AI model deployment, training, and tooling development. Identify and mitigate technical, operational, and security risks. Support team performance reviews, professional growth, and career development.AI & Cloud Expertise Hands-on experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and balancing performance, cost, and scalability. Understanding of RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), agent orchestration, prompt engineering, and tool calling. Familiarity with standards such as Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent2Agent (A2A). Knowledge of ML algorithms (regression, classification, clustering, deep learning). Awareness of AI ethics and regulations (NIST AI RMF, EU AI Act), with a commitment to responsible AI. Proficiency with Python and frameworks such as PyTorch and TensorFlow. Experience with orchestration frameworks (AI Foundry, Semantic Kernel) and AI coding tools like GitHub Copilot.Core Skills & Qualifications 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 3–5 years in technical leadership roles. Strong track record in building cloud-native or AI platform services. Deep knowledge of Azure PaaS services (e.g., Functions, AKS, API Management). Expertise in RESTful API design, lifecycle management, and security. Proven success in team management, mentorship, and performance management. Skilled in Agile delivery, stakeholder communication, risk management, and resource planning. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to design scalable technical solutions. Experience collaborating across globally distributed R&D teams.Why This Role? This is an opportunity to shape the direction of AI platform engineering at scale, leading a team at the cutting edge of cloud and AI technology. You’ll play a pivotal role in building the foundational services that enable innovation across multiple industries, working in a collaborative and forward-looking environment. If you are a proven engineering leader who is passionate about AI, cloud-native development, and driving teams to deliver impactful solutions, we’d love to hear from you