Head of AI Engineering

Hastings Direct; Bexhill-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

£6k car allowance

Hybrid working

Annual performance bonus (4Cs)

Private medical insurance ( PMI )

4x salary life assurance

Pension contributions up to 10%

27 days annual leave + bank holidays

Cycle to work & tech schemes

Job summary

Hastings Direct is seeking a Head of AI Engineering to lead enterprise AI/ML platforms, MLOps and guardrails. You will shape AI roadmaps, drive scalable and compliant solutions, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver measurable business value.

The role emphasizes governance, continuous improvement, and strong stakeholder collaboration, with a hybrid working model in the UK and an emphasis on responsible AI practices.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in AI Engineering within a fast-paced tech environment.
• Strong expertise in machine learning, MLOps, generative AI, LLMs and cloud technologies (Azure).
• Proven experience implementing AI engineering standards, deployment automation and model monitoring.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills; proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Passion for innovation, data-driven decision-making and continuous learning.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI engineering, MLOps and platform teams to drive high-quality delivery and operational excellence.
• Define and maintain engineering standards, AI guardrails and Responsible AI practices.
• Oversee model development, deployment, monitoring, evaluation and continuous improvement processes.
• Drive preventative controls, automation, observability and root cause analysis to minimise technical debt and issues.
• Partner with Architecture, Risk, Compliance and business stakeholders to shape AI roadmaps.
• Provide clear reporting on progress, model performance and value realisation.
• Build, mentor and develop high-performing teams through coaching and recruitment.

Skills

Leadership

AI Engineering

MLOps

Generative AI

LLMs

Azure

Model Monitoring

Guardrails

Stakeholder Mgmt

Cloud Technologies

Job description

As a member of the CIO Technology Engineering senior leadership team, the Head of AI Engineering will lead the design, deployment, integration and continuous improvement of enterprise AI and machine learning capabilities, including ML platforms, generative AI, LLM services, feature pipelines and MLOps tooling. The role is responsible for establishing AI engineering standards, governance and best practices across the model lifecycle, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, compliant and deliver measurable business value.

About the role

• Lead AI engineering, MLOps and platform teams, driving high-quality delivery and operational excellence.
• Define and maintain engineering standards, AI guardrails and Responsible AI practices.
• Oversee model development, deployment, monitoring, evaluation and continuous improvement processes.
• Drive preventative controls, automation, observability and root cause analysis to minimise technical debt and service issues.
• Partner with Architecture, Risk, Compliance and business stakeholders to shape AI roadmaps and align delivery with strategic objectives.
• Provide clear reporting on progress, model performance and value realisation, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Build, mentor and develop high-performing teams through coaching, succession planning and recruitment.

Key requirements

• Significant leadership experience in AI Engineering within a fast-paced technology environment.
• Strong expertise in machine learning, MLOps, generative AI, LLMs, AI platforms and cloud technologies (e.g. Microsoft Azure AI/Azure ML).
• Proven experience implementing AI engineering standards, deployment automation, model monitoring and Responsible AI frameworks.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills, with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Passion for innovation, data-driven decision-making and continuous learning.

Regrettably we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

Benefits

• competitive salary and £6k car allowance
• flexible hybrid working approach - please speak to your recruiter to discuss in more detail
• competitive bonus scheme - all colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus
• physical wellbeing - as a Band 5 colleague, Hastings pay for you to receive private medical Insurance (also known as PMI). This gives you flexibility and convenience to see a specialist or consultant and allows you to decide when and where you will be seen
• financial wellbeing - as well as providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover, income protection at no extra cost, and matched pension contributions up to 10%, we are proud to provide you with an award winning package which includes - discounts, cashback, free independent mortgage advice and free access to financial wellbeing support
• mental wellbeing programme - we have the thrive mental health app, our colleague assistance programme available 24/7, our own in-house mental health first aiders, support groups and a dedicated team to make sure we are covering your needs
• there's more! - 27 days annual leave + bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell one of your weeks, access to our health care cash back plans, dental plans, discounted health assessments, Cycle to work and tech schemes, discounted and free onsite facilities, social events throughout the year and much more ….

Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status. Please also note that we have a thorough referencing process, which includes credit and criminal record checks.

At Hastings Direct, we're committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all.

Job posting end date: 27/09/2026