Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer

Sanabil Studio; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Meaningful equity

Premium gear, day one

Mentorship that matters

Accelerated curve

Job summary

Sanabil Studio, via TradePay, seeks an on-site Leader to own AI-enabled product development across credit, risk, and fraud. You’ll translate complex data into decision tools, drive architecture from pilot to scale, and build a scalable data/ML platform while ensuring security and reliability.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams and lead a high-performing engineering and data group in Riyadh, shaping risk, fintech, and merchant growth strategies.

Qualifications

• Shipping AI/ML-powered products into production.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals are required.
• Experience in fintech, lending, BNPL, payments, risk or underwriting.
• Proven leadership of engineering/data teams in fast-paced environments.
• Willing to base in Riyadh or relocate as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI-enabled product development across credit, fraud and risk.
• Translate data into decision tools to improve accuracy and lower losses.
• Define architecture and roadmap from pilot to scale.
• Build and operate a modern data/ML platform with pipelines and monitoring.
• Establish standards for code quality, CI/CD, observability, and docs.

Skills

AI/ML in prod

Software fundamentals

Fintech/payments

Data platforms

Team leadership

Tools

MLOps

Cloud platforms

KYC tooling

Job description

Sanabil Studio is a venture builder that blends industry expertise, technology, and startup know-how to turn bold ideas into real businesses. We take concepts from zero to launch, and when a venture proves its potential, we back it with seed funding and hands‑on support to help it scale.

TradePay, a Sanabil Studio company, is redefining how B2B commerce operates by enabling suppliers and distributors to offer flexible payment terms to business merchants through a seamless Stock-Now-Pay-Later solution.

Backed by Sanabil Studio, TradePay combines technology, financing infrastructure, and operational expertise to help businesses unlock working capital, improve cash flow, and scale more efficiently across industries.

THE ROLE

What you’ll own here.

• Lead the development of AI-enabled products across credit decisioning, fraud and risk monitoring, dynamic limit management, and inventory and cashflow intelligence.
• Translate complex, real‑world data into decision tools that improve accuracy, reduce loss rates, and responsibly expand access to finance.
• Drive a responsible AI approach, including model monitoring, drift detection, explainability, and human-in-the-loop workflows where required.
• Own the architecture and engineering roadmap from pilot through MVP to scale, ensuring systems are secure, scalable, and maintainable.
• Build and operate a modern data and ML platform covering ingestion, feature pipelines, training, serving, experimentation, and monitoring.
• Define AI work streams, milestones, and measurable outcomes; including approval lift, loss reduction, time-to-decision, and merchant growth impact.
• Establish technical standards across code quality, CI/CD, observability, reliability, and documentation.
• Make pragmatic build‑versus‑buy decisions across infrastructure, data providers, scoring components, KYC tooling, and payment rails.
• Hire, develop, and lead a high‑performing engineering and data team in Riyadh.
• Build strong security and privacy foundations that can withstand audits and support future licensing requirements.
• Partner closely with Risk, Operations, Finance, Legal/Compliance, and Partnerships teams.

THE PROFILE

You’re probably a fit if…

• You have proven experience shipping AI/ML-powered products into production; not just prototypes.
• You bring strong software engineering fundamentals alongside hands‑on experience in machine learning and data platforms.
• You have experience in fintech, lending, BNPL, payments, risk, fraud, or underwriting, and understand the importance of correctness in these environments.
• You have a track record of turning complex datasets into real‑world decision tools with measurable business impact.
• You have hired, mentored, and led teams in fast‑paced, ambiguous environments.
• You take full ownership of outcomes and maintain high standards for reliability, security, and scalable architecture.
• You communicate clearly with engineers, executives, and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• You are based in Riyadh or open to relocation; this is an on‑site leadership role.
• Bonus: Experience with credit bureaus, alternative data, open banking signals, cloud‑native architectures at scale, regulated environments, or GCC fintech products.

THE ENVIRONMENT

What working here actually looks like.

• Builder Role, Real Scope: You won’t be maintaining an existing system; you’ll define the architecture, build the team, and own outcomes from day one.
• AI at the Core: AI is central to how TradePay operates, from underwriting to risk monitoring and merchant intelligence, and you will lead that effort.
• Close to the Top: You will work directly with the CEO and leadership team in Riyadh, with fast feedback loops and real influence on company direction.

What You Get From Us

• Competitive pay: A package that reflects your seniority and the market.
• Meaningful equity: Real upside tied to the long‑term value you help create.
• Premium gear, day one: Fully set up and ready before your first day.
• Mentorship that matters: Learn from people who have built and scaled ventures.
• An accelerated curve: You’ll learn more here in 12 months than most roles offer in three years.