AI Director / VP of AI

Lucidya; Saudi Arabia; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the MENA region seeks a visionary VP of Engineering - AI to lead their AI capabilities and product innovations. This high-impact role involves shaping technical vision, managing cross-functional teams, and driving the successful execution of AI-driven features aligned with business objectives.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in AI and machine learning technologies.
• Strong leadership skills to manage high-performing teams.
• Ability to translate complex AI concepts into practical applications.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the technical strategy for AI to meet business objectives.
• Lead innovation in classical machine learning and Generative AI.
• Manage team resources, hiring, and budget for project goals.

Skills

Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI

Machine Learning

Technical Leadership

Team Management

Collaboration

Education

Advanced Degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Lucidya is an innovative SaaS company dedicated to transforming the world of customer experience and content analysis through the power of Machine Learning, Big Data, and now Generative AI technologies. Our platform helps organizations across the MENA region unlock actionable insights from unstructured data sources—social media, surveys, contact centers, and more—enabling them to understand their customers like never before.

As part of our mission, we are looking for a visionary VP of Engineering - AI to lead our engineering efforts in advancing our artificial intelligence capabilities and product offerings.

As the VP of Engineering - AI, you will shape Lucidya’s technical vision and drive execution across customer-facing AI features, AI infrastructure platforms, and cutting-edge research in GenAI and classical ML. Reporting directly to the CTO, you will lead multiple cross-functional engineering teams, scale AI innovations, and ensure that high-level company KPIs are met.

This is a high-impact leadership role that combines strategic direction, deep technical engagement, and organizational mentorship.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive the technical strategy for AI in alignment with Lucidya’s business and product objectives.
• Lead research and innovation in both classical machine learning and Generative AI (e.g., LLMs, RAG, fine-tuning).
• Translate cutting-edge AI research into scalable, production-grade features and platform capabilities.
• Build, scale, and mentor high-performing teams of engineers, data scientists, and AI researchers.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across engineering teams.
• Oversee the development, deployment, and integration of AI models within Lucidya’s SaaS products.
• Partner with Product and Platform Engineering teams to prioritize and deliver impactful AI-driven features.
• Ensure the scalability and reliability of AI infrastructure in collaboration with platform teams.
• Establish and enforce best practices across software development, MLOps, data governance, and responsible AI.
• Track and report on key technical and business KPIs to ensure AI initiatives deliver measurable value.
• Communicate technical progress, strategic direction, and key milestones to executive leadership.
• Manage team resources, hiring, and budgeting to meet project goals and organizational needs.
• Monitor industry trends and assess emerging AI technologies for adoption and differentiation.
• Champion internal R&D programs to explore and validate new AI methods and approaches.