AI Engineer

Smart4 Cloud Limited; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Smart4 Cloud Limited is seeking a senior AI architect to own the long-term AI-driven architecture and its evolution. You will map end-to-end operations, identify gaps, and define a Payments automation roadmap, integrating with financial systems and ensuring robust controls.

You will design agentic AI layers, build reusable frameworks, and partner with Compliance, Infrastructure, and the AI Center of Excellence to enable scalable, future-ready platforms.

Qualifications

• Experience in AI governance and risk management.
• Strong architectural thinking for scalable platforms.
• Ability to translate business/finance requirements into technical roadmaps.
• Comfort working in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.

Responsibilities

• Own the long-term AI architecture and evolution toward AI.
• Assess and map end-to-end operations including reconciliations, reporting & controls, and audit.
• Identify bottlenecks and capability gaps.
• Define a Payments automation roadmap.
• Design the AI System with integration to financial systems and control/reporting frameworks.
• Design and implement an agentic Payments layer to automate workflows and enable migration to future state architecture.
• Represent Payments in the AI Center of Excellence and ensure cross-team alignment.
• Classify automation by risk tier before development and ensure audit logging and access controls.
• Develop reusable frameworks, templates, and workflows; create documentation and standards to scale adoption.
• Build dashboards and metrics to measure cost reduction and ROI; train Payments teams on AI-enabled workflows and tools.
• Collaborate with Payments Backend, Infrastructure, Compliance, and AI COE; translate business requirements into technical roadmaps.
• Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Skills

LLM orchestration

Multi-agent systems

AI risk management

Bridging business and engineering

Tools

Spring AI/Python-based orchestration

Workflow engines (n8n)

AI APIs (Anthropic/Claude)

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Own the long-term architecture and evolution toward an AI

Assess and map end-to-endoperations, including:

• Reconciliations
• Reporting & controls
• Audit

Identify:

• Operational bottlenecks
• Capability gaps

Define a Payments automation roadmap based on:

• Operational impact
• Regulatory risk
• Scalability

Design the AI System, including:

• Integration with financial systems
• Control and reporting frameworks

Design and implement an agentic Payments layer that:

• Operates alongside the current stack
• Automates workflows today
• Enables gradual migration to a future-state architecture
• Evaluate and simplify the existing Payments technology stack
• Represent Payments in the AI Center of Excellence, ensuring alignment across teams

AI Governance & Risk Management

Classify all automation by risk tier before development

Ensure each solution includes:

• Named Process Owner
• Documented data flows
• Access controls
• Full audit logging
• Design automation that preserves control integrity in regulated environments

Platform & Capability Building

• Develop reusable frameworks, templates, and workflows
• Create documentation and standards to scale adoption
• Build dashboards and metrics to measure:
• Cost reduction
• ROI
• Train Payments teams on AI-enabled workflows and tools

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

Work closely with:

• Payments Backend teams
• Infrastructure & platform teams
• Compliance & audit teams
• AI Center of Excellence

Translate business and finance requirements into technical solutions and roadmaps

Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders

Technical Expertise

Strong understanding of:

• LLM orchestration
• Multi-agent systems
• AI failure modes in high-stakes environments

Proficiency in:

• Spring AI/Python-based orchestration
• Workflow engines (n8n or equivalent)
• AI APIs (Anthropic/Claude or similar)

Systems & Architecture Thinking

Strong architectural thinking for scalable, future-ready platforms

Ways of Working

Operates effectively in fast-paced, ambiguous environments

Strong ownership mindset with a bias for execution

Ability to bridge business and engineering domains