Head of Applied AI Engineering

Valmont Talent; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Valmont Talent is seeking a Head of Applied AI Engineering for London, in a hybrid role. The candidate will shape AI architecture and build production tools to enhance broking, placement and operations.

You will work with engineers, brokers, underwriters and operations to convert complex slips and records into trusted data and streamlined workflows. The role requires strong architecture and hands-on AI experience, with 10+ years in software or solution architecture, and exposure to

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software engineering or solution architecture, with lead roles.
• Experience with broker or reinsurance systems, data, and accounting workflows.
• Hands-on AI coding tools in production delivery, with value judgment.
• 2+ years hands-on AI development with at least one production LLM system.

Responsibilities

• Build AI applications for document ingestion, placement support, contract administration, claims and client service.
• Design LLM solutions using retrieval, agents, tool calling and workflow automation with human approval.
• Transition prototypes to production and measure time, cost, and accuracy impacts.
• Set architecture, data integration and governance standards including privacy and audit trails.
• Expand AI capability as the program scales.

Skills

Architectural leadership

Brokerage & reinsurance knowledge

AI development

LLM deployment

Python

REST APIs

Cloud AWS

Stakeholder influence

Tools

Claude Code

GitHub Copilot

Cursor

Python tooling

Job description

Head of Applied AI Engineering | London (Hybrid)

We’re recruiting for a newly created, hands-on role with a rapidly growing Insuretech powered by a $2BN GWP Global Insurance Group that is growing 100% YOY that has already become a multi-unicorn.

You will have large autonomy within the position where they work quickly, are perceived as a strong challenger brand with a reporting line upto the CEO.

You’ll shape its AI architecture and build production tools that make broking, placement and operations faster and more reliable.

This is a role for someone who still enjoys writing code. You’ll work with engineers, brokers, underwriters and operations teams to turn complex slips, endorsements, submissions and accounting records into trusted data and useful workflows.

What you’ll do

• Build AI applications for document ingestion, placement support, contract administration, claims and client service.
• Design LLM solutions using retrieval, agents, tool calling and workflow automation, with human approval for material decisions.
• Take prototypes into production and measure their impact on time, cost and accuracy.
• Set architecture, data integration and governance standards, including evaluation, privacy, audit trails and model monitoring.
• Grow the organisation’s AI capability as the programme expands.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Architecture: 10+ years in software engineering or solution architecture, including Lead architect or technical lead roles.
• Broking and reinsurance: Experience of broker or reinsurance systems and data: slips and endorsements, contract set-up, technical accounting, premium and claims processing, and reconciliation.
• AI-assisted engineering: Hands-on use of AI coding tools (such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot or Cursor) in professional delivery, with a clear view of where they add value and where human judgement is essential.
• Hands-on AI: 2+ years of hands-on AI development, with at least one LLM-based system you built running in production, including evaluation and guardrails. A portfolio of completed work is required.
• Document intelligence: Proven experience extracting structured, validated data from complex documents such as contracts, slips or financial statements.
• AI depth: Strong understanding of LLMs, RAG, embeddings, vector search, agents and tool calling.
• Engineering: Strong Python, REST APIs, relational databases and integration patterns.
• Cloud: Strong cloud experience, ideally AWS.
• Influence: Ability to work with brokers and operations teams to understand their work and win their trust in what you build.

You will be a part of an entrepreneurial environment where the role is a hybrid position where our client has one of the best offices in London to work from.