AI Lead

AI Lead – Banking (Contract, Dubai / Saudi Arabia Hybrid)We’re supporting a major banking transformation programme in the Middle East and are looking for an experienced AI Lead to drive the delivery of an AI-driven hyper-personalisation initiative. The role requires a balance of technical depth, leadership capability, and client-facing confidence.You’ll act as the local face of the project, representing a distributed team of data engineers and data scientists (based primarily offshore) and working closely with senior business and technology stakeholders within the bank. The ideal candidate will be based in Dubai and willing to travel to Saudi Arabia weekly, or already located in Saudi.Key responsibilitiesLead the design and delivery of AI-based hyper-personalisation solutions within retail bankingManage a team of around seven data engineers and data scientists, ensuring alignment across strategy, delivery, and stakeholder prioritiesAct as the primary on-site representative for the programme, building strong relationships with client stakeholders and steering project outcomesTranslate business needs into scalable AI models and data-driven customer strategiesOversee technical implementation, ensuring quality and consistency across data pipelines, models, and deployment workflowsContribute to ongoing roadmap development and provide technical guidance to both internal and client teamsRequirementsProven experience leading AI, ML, or data science projects in the banking or financial-services sectorStrong background in AI-driven personalisation, recommendation systems, or customer analyticsHands-on technical capability in Python, ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, etc.), and data engineering principlesExcellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, able to bridge the gap between technical delivery and business valueComfortable working in cross-functional, distributed teams across multiple geographiesWillingness to travel to Saudi Arabia on a weekly basis (if Dubai-based)Contract detailsLocation: Dubai or Saudi Arabia (travel to Saudi Arabia once a week) Duration: Initial 6 months, strong likelihood of extensionDay rate: Competitive, tax-free (aligned with Dubai / Saudi contract market)Start: Immediate or within 4 weeksTo discuss this opportunity in confidence, please apply with your CV or reach out directly for further details.