Head of AI-Assisted Engineering

About the role

A banking client of byteSpark.ai is looking for a senior Head of AI-Assisted Engineering to establish and lead a modern engineering function in Dubai. The mandate is broader than software delivery: this person will shape a new operating model where AI-enabled development is central to how the team works and scales.

The bank is moving from a 35-person offshore engineering setup to a lean onshore team of 8 in Dubai. The success of that shift depends on using AI development tools to increase productivity, maintain quality, and create a more capable engineering organisation. The role reports directly to the CEO and is expected to build the centre of excellence from the ground up.

This leader will be responsible for delivery across mobile and web banking products, internal systems, and compliance/governance platforms. The ideal candidate brings deep engineering leadership experience in regulated environments, real hands-on use of AI-assisted coding tools, and the confidence to operate with high autonomy at the most senior level.

Core responsibilities

You will define how the new engineering team is structured, how it hires, how it delivers, and how it uses AI tooling to produce strong output with a small headcount. You will also oversee delivery across customer-facing banking applications as well as internal and regulatory systems.

Requirements

The role calls for a seasoned engineering leader with a strong background in software delivery, a practical track record of using AI tools in day-to-day development, and experience creating or transforming an engineering function. Success in this position also depends on strong agile execution, the ability to manage senior stakeholders, and familiarity with the constraints of banking or similar regulated industries.

Role details

Location: Dubai, UAE

Work mode: On-site

Employment type: Full-time

Level: Lead

Department: Engineering

Industry: Finance / Banking

Experience: 12+ years

Compensation and benefits

The package is AED 48,000 to AED 55,000 per month, plus visa and family medical coverage.

Additional requirements and preferences

• At least 8 to 12 years of software engineering experience, including 4 or more years in an engineering leadership role with direct delivery ownership.
• Regular, practical use of AI-assisted development tools such as Claude, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, or GitHub Copilot.
• Proven ability to get exceptional output from a small, lean team through sound tooling decisions, disciplined sprints, and strong engineering habits.
• Experience building a new engineering capability, practice, or centre of excellence from the beginning.
• Solid command of agile sprint delivery and evidence of high velocity in a lean team environment.
• Background delivering both consumer-facing mobile/web products and internal operational or compliance software.
• Comfort working directly with a CEO, CTO, or equivalent executive and turning technical direction into business impact.
• Experience in a bank, financial institution, or another heavily regulated environment, with awareness of compliance, audit, and governance requirements.
• Ability to set hiring standards and evaluate engineers for success in an AI-assisted development model.

Preferred profile

• Previous involvement in an offshore-to-onshore engineering transition.
• Understanding of banking compliance and regulatory expectations in the UAE or GCC region.
• Exposure to VS Code extensions, agentic coding workflows, or newer AI development tools beyond the mainstream options.
• Experience advocating for AI-assisted engineering to senior non-technical audiences.
• Strong English and Arabic communication skills.
• Open-source contributions or self-driven personal projects that show ongoing learning in AI-assisted development.

Who should apply

This opportunity is best suited to a senior engineering leader who has already integrated AI into the way they build software, is comfortable in regulated financial environments, and is ready to create a high-performing team and engineering model from scratch.

Note

The source information did not specify openings, application deadline, start date, or notice period.