AI Product Engineering Lead

Network Finance • Recruiting & Staffing • Executive Search • SQL • C# • 7 days ago

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Salary

≈ $32k – $82k per year (Estimated)

Location

In office (Johannesburg)

Seniority

Staff

Employment

Full-Time

First seen by Alion on Oct 10, 2026. Network Finance scores C on the Alion truth index.

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Network Finance

Founded in 1987, Network Finance is a specialized recruitment and talent solutions agency operating as a key division of Network Recruitment (part of ADvTECH Group). Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, the company provides executive search, permanent placement, and contract staffing tailored specifically to the finance, accounting, auditing, taxation, and actuarial sectors. Through its niche industry focus and global network spanning Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, it enables corporate clients and multinational enterprises to source highly qualified financial leaders and Chartered Accountants.

networkfinanceinternational.com • HQ: Johannesburg, South Africa • Executive Search • Recruiting & Staffing • 5000+ employees • Est. 1987

Tech stack of Network Finance

An innovative technology organisation is seeking an AI Product Engineering Lead to take ownership of the intelligence layer within a rapidly growing product environment. This role combines AI engineering, product strategy, software development, and technical leadership, making it ideal for someone who enjoys balancing hands-on delivery with long-term product vision.

The successful candidate will be responsible for designing and delivering AI capabilities that help organisations automate work, improve processes, and make more informed decisions. You will work closely with product owners, engineers, and users to ensure that AI solutions create measurable business value while remaining reliable, governed, and scalable.

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced AI professional who wants to influence product direction, mentor teams, and remain actively involved in development and implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the development and evolution of AI capabilities within a production environment.
Define and drive the AI roadmap alongside product stakeholders.
Design and implement intelligent solutions that support business processes and operational decision-making.
Evaluate and improve AI outputs through testing, monitoring, and validation frameworks.
Develop AI-powered solutions using .NET and Microsoft AI technologies.
Build organisational knowledge systems and intelligent retrieval mechanisms.
Implement learning loops, feedback frameworks, and continuous improvement processes.
Drive AI engineering standards, best practices, and technical governance.
Mentor team members and contribute to growing organisational AI capability.
Partner with users, stakeholders, and product owners to ensure solutions deliver measurable value.
Support AI solution deployment, optimisation, and ongoing operational success.

Job Experience and Skills Required

Relevant qualification in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or a related field.

Extensive experience developing commercial software solutions using C# and .NET.
Proven experience building and deploying AI-enabled applications.
Strong exposure to Microsoft AI technologies and cloud platforms.
Experience delivering production-grade AI solutions rather than proof-of-concept projects.
Experience working closely with product teams and business stakeholders.
Background in Agile product development environments.
Experience leading technical direction and mentoring development teams.
C# and ASP.NET Core development.
Azure OpenAI and Microsoft AI technologies.
Azure AI Foundry and modern AI development frameworks.
Agent-based AI and intelligent workflow solutions.
Model Context Protocol (MCP).
AI evaluation, testing, and governance.
Event-driven architectures and API-first development.
Azure cloud services and deployment practices.
Security, auditability, and governed AI solutions.
Strong product thinking and business process understanding.
Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
Ability to translate complex business challenges into practical AI solutions.
Strong communication and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
Leadership and mentoring abilities.
Ownership mindset with a focus on delivering measurable outcomes.
Ability to balance innovation, governance, and operational reliability.
Passion for emerging AI technologies and their practical application.

Apply Now!

For more exciting IT vacancies, visit:

https://www.networkrecruitmentinternational.com/it-jobs

We also specialise in recruiting for:

Software Developers (Back-End, Front-End, Full Stack)
Mobile Developers
Business & Systems Analysts
BI & SQL Experts
UI/UX Professionals
Data Scientists & Data Analysts
Big Data Professionals
Cloud Experts
Infrastructure Specialists
DevOps & SecOps Engineers
Cybersecurity Specialists
SEO / Digital Designers

If you have not received feedback within two weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful. Your profile will remain in our database for future opportunities.

For more information, contact:

Caitlin Ferley

Recruitment Consultant

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlin-ferley-b94a80218

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