Head of AI Enablement/AI Architect

This is a senior contract opportunity for someone who can take ownership of the firm’s AI enablement strategy, helping define how AI is adopted, governed and Embedded across the business.

The successful candidate will combine a strong technical background in software engineering or solutions architecture with the ability to influence senior stakeholders, challenge existing thinking and make key architectural and strategic decisions.

This is not a traditional programme management role. The business needs someone who understands enterprise AI at a technical level and can provide the direction, expertise and leadership required to develop its AI capabilities., * Define and drive the firm’s enterprise AI strategy and roadmap, aligning technology capabilities with wider business objectives.

• Establish and develop an AI Centre of Excellence, creating the frameworks, processes and structures needed to support organisation-wide adoption.
• Lead AI enablement initiatives, including internal champion networks, training programmes and adoption strategies.
• Work closely with senior business and technology stakeholders to identify opportunities for AI adoption and challenge requirements where appropriate.
• Establish AI governance frameworks, working alongside Risk, Compliance and Information Security teams.
• Define appropriate model risk controls, AI risk registers, evaluation frameworks and guardrails.
• Provide technical oversight of enterprise AI architecture, including LLM platforms, RAG implementations, agentic workflows and integration patterns.
• Evaluate AI technologies and platforms, making recommendations around architecture, scalability, security and long-term suitability.
• Ensure AI solutions incorporate appropriate identity management, access controls, observability and monitoring.
• Present recommendations and defend architectural decisions at senior stakeholder level.

• 10+ years’ experience within technology, with a strong background in software engineering, solutions architecture or enterprise architecture.
• Proven experience in applied AI, Generative AI or enterprise AI platform development.
• Previous experience within financial services, ideally asset management, investment banking or another regulated financial institution.
• Experience establishing AI enablement functions, Centres of Excellence or enterprise-wide AI adoption programmes.
• Strong understanding of enterprise LLM platforms including Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, Claude and Microsoft Copilot.
• Knowledge of RAG architecture, vector databases, agentic AI and tool-calling patterns, including MCP.
• Understanding of service architecture, REST APIs, gRPC, protobuf and API gateway patterns.
• Experience with Azure or AWS cloud architecture, Entra ID, SSO and RBAC.
• Knowledge of LLM evaluation, guardrails, observability and performance monitoring.
• Understanding of AI governance frameworks, including NIST AI RMF, EU AI Act and model risk policies.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to challenge senior decision-makers.

The Ideal Candidate

You will be a technically credible AI leader who can operate at both strategic and architectural levels. You must be comfortable setting direction, challenging requirements and making decisions rather than simply delivering against someone else’s roadmap.

Previous experience in a senior AI architecture, AI platform or enterprise technology leadership position would be highly relevant.