Head of AI & Automation Engineering

Head of AI \& Automation Engineering £85,000 - £100,000 Base Salary + Bonus + Equity London (Hybrid) Joining a company at the right stage of growth can define a career. Our client has grown into a global leader in DMARC and email security, helping organisations protect one of their most critical business assets - the inbox. Serving customers ranging from family-run businesses to global enterprises, the company has established itself as one of the most trusted names in email authentication and protection. Backed by a successful $54 million Series B funding round and operating as a pre-IPO business, they are now focused on scaling their operations through automation, AI, and intelligent process design. As part of that investment, they are looking to appoint a Head of AI \& Automation Engineering to lead and accelerate automation initiatives across the organisation. Sitting at the intersection of software engineering, AI, data, and business operations , this role will play a critical part in shaping how the business scales over the coming years. What You'll Be Doing Owning the Automation Strategy Take responsibility for the company's business automation roadmap, identifying high-impact opportunities to replace manual processes, improve visibility, and create scalable solutions across functions including Sales, Finance, Marketing, Customer Success, and HR. You'll work with senior leaders to understand where technology can fundamentally improve how the business operates and prioritise opportunities based on business impact. Leading Through Delivery This is a true player-coach role. You'll lead a small automation engineering team while remaining hands-on, designing, building, and deploying software and automation solutions that drive measurable productivity gains across the business. This isn't simply about configuring existing automation tools. You'll have the technical capability to build bespoke software, integrations and applications where that's the right solution . Driving AI Adoption As an AI-first organisation, our client is looking for someone who can apply AI pragmatically to real business challenges. You'll identify opportunities to leverage AI, LLMs, agents and other emerging technologies, evaluate where they can add genuine value, and build solutions that improve how teams work. Building Cross-Functional Partnerships Work closely with stakeholders across the business, including the C-suite and senior leadership, to uncover pain points, identify opportunities, and translate operational challenges into automation, AI and technology solutions. You'll need to be able to communicate complex technical concepts clearly, influence decision-making and bring stakeholders along on the automation journey. Delivering Business Impact Create solutions that improve efficiency, reduce manual effort, enhance visibility, and support better decision-making across the organisation. You'll be focused on outcomes rather than technology for technology's sake, with the ability to demonstrate the measurable impact of the solutions you build. Developing the Team Lead, mentor, and develop a small automation engineering function while creating a culture of ownership, experimentation, and continuous improvement. What You Should Have: Strong Software Engineering Background A proven track record in software engineering, application development, technical architecture, or a similar engineering-led environment. We're looking for someone who can build software themselves and has the technical depth to design and implement solutions rather than simply identify or manage automation opportunities. Strong Technical Capability Hands-on experience working with: * Software development and modern engineering practices. * APIs and systems integrations. * Cloud technologies and data platforms. * AI-powered tools including LLMs, agents, analytics platforms, and document processing technologies. * Workflow automation platforms such as Zapier, Make, n8n, Workato, or similar solutions. The specific tools are less important than having the engineering capability to understand a problem and build the right solution. Leadership \& C-Suite Experience Experience leading small teams while maintaining a hands-on approach to design, implementation, and delivery. You'll also be comfortable working with C-suite and senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and helping business leaders understand and adopt new approaches to automation and AI. Business \& Technical Fluency The ability to comfortably operate across business and technical domains, translating complex challenges into practical, scalable solutions. AI-First Mindset Someone who naturally asks, "How should AI change this process?" rather than simply improving existing workflows. Outcome-Focused Approach A pragmatic mindset focused on value delivered rather than tools used. You're motivated by impact, not activity. Ownership \& Initiative You're proactive, comfortable working with ambiguity, and don't wait to be told where improvements need to be made. Nice to Have * Experience working within high-growth SaaS or cybersecurity businesses. * Experience in AI-first organisations. * Background in Software Engineering, Engineering, Product, Operations, Analytics, or Business Transformation. * Experience building internal software, automation platforms or centres of excellence. * Experience with Salesforce integrations. What You'll Get * Up to £100,000 base salary DOE * Bonus plan * Equity participation * 25 days annual leave plus public holidays * Self-development budget for coaching, training courses, and industry events * Private health insurance * Gym membership * Maternity and paternity leave * Cycle-to-work scheme * One volunteer day each year to give back * Hybrid working model * Genuine ownership and influence across the business * Opportunity to shape how AI, software engineering and automation support the future growth of a global cybersecurity company