Senior Manager - Software Engineering AI - Crawley Job details Hours: Full time, 37.5 per week, Monday - Friday. Location: Hybrid remote working, with 3 days a week in our VHQ, Crawley based on operational requirements. Contract: Permanent Closing Date: 18th April 2025 In a nutshell At Virgin Atlantic Airways, we believe that everyone can take on the world, and it's our vision to become the most loved travel company. As we embark on this next exciting stage of our journey, we're harnessing our spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation to challenge the status quo. As the Senior Manager of Software Engineering - AI, you will lead a team of AI software developer to design, develop, and deliver cutting-edge AI-driven digital solutions. Your focus will be on building scalable, innovative products that leverage Generative AI to enhance customer experiences and deliver significant business value. With demonstrable technical software engineering or development management experience, you will oversee complex AI projects, guiding them from concept to implementation. Proficiency in Python and JavaScript, along with experience in building prototypes on LLM API platforms like OpenAI, Databricks and Anthropic, will be crucial to your success in this role. In addition to leading teams, you will work closely with stakeholders across the organisation to drive AI initiatives that align with Virgin Atlantic's customer experience goals. You'll proactively identify opportunities to maximise business value by leveraging Generative AI, and you'll own problems end-to-end, ensuring both your team and our customers succeed. Thriving in dynamic and ambiguous environments, you'll demonstrate high agility, frequently switching between projects while maintaining a strong sense of ownership and prioritisation. Your leadership will be key to delivering AI projects that push the boundaries of what's possible. Day to day Some of your key responsibilities will be: Manage and mentor a team of software engineers specializing in AI technologies. Ensure the team delivers high-quality, scalable AI solutions aligned with business goals Drive AI Product Development - Oversee the development and delivery of AI-driven products and prototypes, leveraging platforms such as OpenAI and Databricks. Work with cross-functional teams to ensure successful integration of AI into digital products, enhancing user experiences. Ensure that solutions are robust, secure, observable and scalable. Strategic AI Roadmap - Define and execute the AI engineering strategy in alignment with the company's broader digital transformation objectives. Proactively identify opportunities to leverage Generative AI for business growth, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Regularly evaluate emerging AI technologies and tools to keep Virgin Atlantic at the forefront of AI innovation. Stakeholder Management & Communication - Collaborate with senior leadership, product teams, and other stakeholders to ensure AI initiatives meet business needs and strategic goals. Clearly communicate complex technical concepts and progress updates to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Build strong relationships across the organization to foster support for AI initiatives About you The skills and experience we are looking for you to bring are: Demonstrable 8 years of technical software engineering or development management experience, with a focus on AI or data-driven products. Proficiency in Python and/or JavaScript, with experience in delivering prototypes on LLM API platforms (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Databricks). Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional technical projects with multiple stakeholders. Strong understanding of Generative AI technologies, and their applications in digital solutions, including multi-agent architectures and evaluations. Ability to thrive in dynamic, fast-paced environments with frequent context switching. Excellent problem-solving skills and a proactive attitude toward owning projects end-toend. Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills Be yourself - Our differences make us stronger Our customers come from all walks of life and so do our colleagues. That's why we're proud to be an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. At Virgin Atlantic, we believe everyone can take on the world - no matter your age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs. We celebrate difference and everything that makes our colleagues unique by upholding an inclusive environment in which we can all thrive. So that everyone at Virgin Atlantic can be themselves and know they belong. To make your journey with us accessible and individual to you, we encourage you to let us know if you'd like a little extra help with your application, or if you have any individual requirements at any stage along your recruitment journey. We are here to support you, so please reach out to our team, (recruitmentfly.virgin.com) feeling confident that we've got your individual considerations covered. Our recipe for leadership At Virgin Atlantic, our leaders empower teams to thrive through collaboration, innovation, and excellence. Explore our Leadership Recipe and discover the 20 core ingredients that define what it means to lead with us, driving our mission to be the most loved travel company and achieve sustainable profit. Want to learn more? Click here