Head - Artificial Intelligence

We are looking for a Head of AI / AI Subject Matter Expert to lead the AI portfolio and drive AI-led transformation for a Japanese fintech product company.

The role combines AI strategy, consulting, solution architecture, customer engagement, and technical leadership, with approximately 40% of the role remaining hands-on.

The ideal candidate will be a senior AI leader who can engage with CXO-level stakeholders, identify high-value AI opportunities, translate business problems into scalable AI solutions, and lead teams in delivering measurable outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

- Define and execute the AI strategy, roadmap, and portfolio aligned with business and product objectives.

- Lead AI-led transformation initiatives across products, platforms, and enterprise functions.

- Act as a Subject Matter Expert and trusted AI advisor for customers, business leaders, and senior stakeholders.

- Lead consulting engagements, AI assessments, solutioning, proposals, and strategic customer discussions.

- Identify high-impact opportunities for Generative AI, Machine Learning, NLP, Intelligent Automation, and AI-powered products.

- Design and review AI solutions, architectures, and implementation approaches while remaining approximately 40% hands-on.

- Lead and mentor AI/ML teams, providing technical direction and ensuring successful delivery of AI initiatives.

- Partner with Product, Engineering, Data, Business, and Technology teams to translate business requirements into scalable AI solutions.

- Evaluate emerging AI technologies, models, frameworks, and platforms and assess their applicability to business use cases.

- Establish best practices around AI architecture, model development, deployment, evaluation, governance, security, and responsible AI.

- Drive experimentation, proof-of-concepts, and rapid prototyping to validate AI use cases.

- Present AI strategies, solution approaches, business cases, and recommendations to senior leadership and enterprise customers.

- Support business development through technical solutioning, client presentations, proposals, and thought leadership.

- Track AI portfolio performance and ensure initiatives deliver measurable business and customer outcomes.

Required Skills & Experience:

- 12- 15 years of overall technology experience, with significant experience in AI/ML and consulting.

- Strong hands-on experience in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Generative AI, and/or Data Science.

- Proven experience leading AI portfolios, transformation initiatives, or enterprise AI programs.

- Strong understanding of LLMs, Generative AI, RAG, AI agents, NLP, and modern AI application architectures.

- Experience designing and implementing scalable AI solutions using Python and relevant AI/ML frameworks.

- Strong understanding of cloud AI platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.

- Experience leading technical teams while remaining hands-on with solution design and technical problem-solving.

- Strong experience in customer-facing consulting, solutioning, and stakeholder management.

- Ability to engage with CXO and senior business/technology stakeholders and communicate complex AI concepts in business terms.

- Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, communication, and leadership capabilities.

- Experience working in fintech, banking, NBFC, payments, or financial services is preferred.

- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, AI, Data Science, or a related technical discipline.

- B.Tech from a reputed institute preferred.