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Head of AI-Assisted Engineering
Description
A client of byteSpark.ai is seeking a Head of AI-Assisted Engineering to join a forward-thinking bank based in Dubai, in a role that is as much about building a new way of working as it is about delivering software. The context is deliberate and worth stating plainly: this bank currently runs an offshore engineering team of 35 and is bringing that function back onshore to Dubai as a lean team of 8, with AI-assisted development tools as the engine that makes that ratio not just viable but genuinely more powerful. The person hired into this role will report directly to the CEO, own the build of this centre of excellence from the ground up, and be accountable for delivering across mobile and web banking applications, internal tooling, and compliance and governance platforms. The right candidate will have strong engineering leadership credentials in a regulated environment, a hands-on and current working knowledge of tools like Claude, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, and GitHub Copilot, and the maturity to operate with significant autonomy at the most senior level of the organisation. This role will not suit someone who has read about AI-assisted engineering. It is built for someone who has already changed how they work because of it and is ready to build a team and a practice around that shift.
Requirements
1. A minimum of 8 to 12 years of software engineering experience with at least 4 years in an engineering leadership role with direct team and delivery accountability
2. Demonstrable hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools such as Claude, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, or GitHub Copilot as an active and deliberate part of their engineering practice, not as an occasional experiment
3. Proven ability to lead a small lean engineering team to deliver disproportionate output through tooling strategy, sprint discipline, and strong engineering culture
4. Experience building or significantly shaping a new engineering function, practice, or centre of excellence from scratch
5. Strong working knowledge of agile sprint methodology with evidence of consistently high delivery velocity in a lean team context
6. Experience delivering across multiple product types including consumer-facing mobile and web applications and internal operational or compliance tooling
7. Demonstrated ability to operate with direct accountability to a CEO, CTO, or equivalent executive and translate technical strategy into business outcomes
8. Experience working within a bank, financial institution, or similarly regulated environment with an understanding of compliance, audit, and governance constraints in software delivery
9. Ability to define the hiring bar and assess engineers specifically for their capacity to thrive in an AI-assisted development environment
Desirable
1. Experience leading or playing a senior role in an offshore to onshore engineering transition
2. Familiarity with banking-specific compliance and regulatory frameworks relevant to the UAE or GCC
3. Experience with VS Code plugins, agentic coding workflows, or emerging AI development tooling beyond mainstream tools
4. A track record of evangelising AI-assisted engineering practices to senior non-technical stakeholders
5. Bilingual proficiency in English and Arabic
6. Exposure to open source contribution or personal projects that demonstrate continuous self-directed learning in AI-assisted development
Role Highlights
💰 Compensation
AED 48-55k per month + visa and medical (family)
📍 Location
Dubai
💼 Work Location Type
Onsite
📈 Job Level
Lead
⌛ Experience
12+ Years
🏢 Department
Engineering
🏭 Industry
Finance
🔹 Sub-Industry
Banking
Getting StartedA few quick details so we know how to reach you
How did you hear about us? *
Which country's passport do you hold? *
Email *(Please ensure the email matches the one mentioned in your CV or resume)
LinkedIn Profile URL *
Please mention your notice period *
Final DetailsSalary expectations and any supporting credentials
1. Where does your salary sit today (so we can help it move up tomorrow)?*
Enter your monthly salary in your local currency
2. What's the number that'll make you say this is worth it?*
Per month, in the currency mentioned
3. Which of the following AI-assisted development tools do you actively use as part of your regular engineering practice today?*
Select all that apply. We will explore how you use each of these in the screening call
4. How would you describe the role AI-assisted tools play in how you work today?*
Be honest. This is not a test with a right answer. It helps us understand where you are on this journey
5. Have you ever led or been a senior contributor to transitioning an engineering function from an offshore or outsourced model to an onshore team?*
This is a core part of the mandate for this role so your honest answer here matters
6. Which of the following best describes your experience working in a regulated industry?*
Select the option that most accurately reflects your primary sector experience
7. Describe how your use of AI-assisted development tools has changed the way your team builds software. What specifically is different today compared to two years ago?*
Be specific and practical. We are not looking for a vision statement. We want to understand what has actually changed in how you and your team work day to day
8. How many engineers have you directly led at any one time, and what was the size and nature of the product portfolio your team was responsible for?*
Keep it concise. One to three sentences covering team size, product types, and delivery context is enough
9. When you think about hiring the 8 engineers who will form this new onshore team, what are the two or three things you would look for beyond standard technical skills that would tell you someone will thrive in an AI-assisted engineering environment?*
This question is about your hiring philosophy, not a list of tools. We want to understand how you think about what makes someone genuinely effective in this way of working
10. This role involves reporting directly to a CEO and building something that does not have a finished template. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your comfort with that level of ambiguity and direct executive accountability?*
1 means you prefer a well-defined role with established processes and a technical manager above you. 10 means you are energised by open mandates and direct CEO accountability
Not rated yet
11. Is there a GitHub profile, personal project, open source contribution, or any other work you would like to share that demonstrates how you are currently working with AI-assisted development tools?
This is optional but encouraged. A link to a repo, a write-up, a side project, or anything that shows your current practice in action is worth more than a CV bullet point
Upload ResumeHelp us get to know you better by sharing your most recent resume
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Have a question? Check here for quick answers

This role is being recruited by byteSpark.ai on behalf of a client. byteSpark.ai is a talent and recruitment platform and is not the employer for this position. We are acting as the recruitment partner for a bank based in Dubai that is building a new onshore engineering centre of excellence. The identity of the hiring client will be shared with candidates at the appropriate stage of the process, once mutual interest has been established.

This role is based in Dubai, UAE. It is a full-time onshore position and is central to the client's decision to bring their engineering function back to Dubai from an offshore model. Candidates must be based in Dubai or genuinely open to relocating to Dubai before starting. This is not a remote or hybrid-first role, though the working model will be shaped in part by the person hired into it.

Given the seniority and novelty of this role the process is designed to be thorough but efficient. It runs in four stages. First, your application and questionnaire responses are reviewed by the byteSpark.ai team. Shortlisted candidates are invited to an initial screening call with a byteSpark.ai consultant where we will explore your hands-on experience with AI-assisted development tools, your leadership approach, and your appetite for the mandate. This is followed by a deeper role-specific discussion which may include a practical or strategic exercise relevant to the centre of excellence build. Final stage candidates will meet directly with the CEO of the hiring bank for a closing conversation.

We aim to provide an initial update within three to five business days of receiving your application. This role has a specific and carefully defined profile so the shortlisting process will be deliberate rather than fast. We will not progress applications quickly at the expense of getting it right, and we appreciate your patience. Every application will be reviewed properly.

Absolutely. Your application and everything you share through byteSpark.ai is treated with complete confidentiality. The identity of the hiring bank will not be disclosed until mutual interest has been confirmed and you have consented to being put forward. Your current employer and any other third parties will not be contacted at any stage without your explicit permission. We are aware that candidates for a role like this are often currently employed in senior positions and we handle every application with the discretion that warrants.