AI Engineering Manager

Leeds Building Society; Leeds; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Annual bonus

Matched pension up to 10%

26 days holiday

Colleague Mortgage and Saver products

2 days volunteering per year

Job summary

Leeds Building Society is seeking a senior AI engineering leader to drive the delivery of AI solutions from concept to production. You will lead a multidisciplinary team of AI Engineers and AI Platform & Operations Engineers, shaping standards and ensuring robust deployments.

Collaborating with architecture, security, risk and data teams, you’ll balance pace with control, coach talent, and foster an inclusive culture while delivering measurable business impact.

Qualifications

• Strong, visible people leader who drives performance, change and engagement.
• Proven track record delivering AI/ML or data-intensive solutions into production.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Foundry, Copilot and the Azure AI stack with quality standards.
• Experience establishing engineering and operational standards across multiple teams.
• Deep understanding of end-to-end AI/software/data lifecycle, deployment to live service.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of AI Engineers and AI Platform & Operations Engineers.
• Deliver AI solutions from proof of concept to production, balancing speed with governance.
• Collaborate with architecture, security, risk, data and platform teams to maintain risk appetite and high standards.
• Coach, mentor and nurture talent to drive high performance across the AI estate.

Skills

People leadership

AI production

Azure AI stack

Microsoft Foundry

Engineering standards

End-to-end AI lifecycle

Communication

Tools

Microsoft Foundry

Copilot

Azure AI

Job description

How you'll help us live our purpose

We've been helping our members save for their future and buy their own home since 1875. Join us and you'll play a big role in helping us to put home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation.

How you'll make a difference

Your exceptional leadership capabilities will inspire and empower, as you lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of AI Engineers and AI Platform & Operations Engineers. You'll be accountable for delivering AI solutions from proof of concept into production, primarily using Microsoft AI capabilities and related technologies. Working closely with the AI Lead and colleagues across architecture, security, risk, data and platform teams, you'll balance pace with control and ensure our AI estate operates within risk appetite and to consistently high professional standards.

We're proud of our inclusive culture and you'll preserve and elevate this; inspiring people through authentic role modelling of our behaviours, while deliberately and consistently driving high performance as you coach and nurture talent.

What will you bring to the role?

• Strong, visible people leader who role models, cares, connects and coaches to drive performance, change, positive engagement and deliver against challenging objectives.
• A strong record of delivering AI, machine-learning or data-intensive solutions into production in an enterprise environment.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Foundry, Copilot and the wider Azure AI stack, with the technical depth to set standards and assure quality.
• Experience establishing engineering and operational standards, reusable patterns and consistent ways of working across multiple teams.
• A strong understanding of the end-to-end AI, software and data lifecycle, including deployment, monitoring, live service and continual improvement.
• Clear communication and influencing skills, with the ability to connect technical and non-technical audiences at every level.

In return, you'll get the best from us:

• Hybrid working – 2 days per week in the office
• Annual bonus up to 12%
• Matched pension contributions up to 10%
• 26 days holiday, plus bank holidays and holiday purchase scheme
• Colleague Mortgage and Saver products
• 2 days' volunteering per year

We'll give you a place to belong with the support to learn, develop and shape a meaningful career.

Why choose us?

Our business is centred around our people. Our colleagues are at the heart of everything we do, as shown by our Inclusive Employers Gold accreditation in 2023 and 2025. We’re committed to equal opportunities regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability or gender identity.

You’ll be joining a truly purpose-focused culture which helped us win the Leading with Purpose award at the 2023 Business Culture Awards. This recognises how we’ve embedded our purpose with our colleagues, and the actions we’ve taken to put home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation.

We’re devoted to creating a culture and workplace that is representative of the communities we serve. If you’d like to work with us but are unsure if you meet the full criteria for a role, please contact the recruiter so we can find out more about your skills and experience. We’re committed to supporting you to be at your best – to discuss any reasonable adjustments we could make, please contact us on [e-mail].

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