Forward Deployed Engineering Lead (SVP - Applied AI & Engineering)
Description
About Citi:
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
As a bank with a brain and a soul, Citi creates economic value that is systemically responsible and in our clients' best interests. As a financial institution that touches every region of the world and every sector that shapes your daily life, our Enterprise Operations & Technology teams are charged with a mission that rivals any large tech company. Our technology solutions are the foundations of everything we do from keeping the bank safe, managing global resources, and providing the technical tools our workers need to be successful to designing our digital architecture and ensuring our platforms provide a first-class customer experience. We reimagine client and partner experiences to deliver excellence through secure, reliable, and efficient services.
Our commitment to diversity includes a workforce that represents the clients we serve from all walks of life, backgrounds, and origins. We foster an environment where the best people want to work. We value and demand respect for others, promote individuals based on merit, and ensure opportunities for personal development are widely available to all. Ideal candidates are innovators with well-rounded backgrounds who bring their authentic selves to work and complement our culture of delivering results with pride. If you are a problem solver who seeks passion in your work, come join us. We'll enable growth and progress together.
About the Team:
The Forward Deployed Engineering Lead is a strategic technical leader who will shape the future of AI-powered solutions for Client Network Services (CNS). This role sits at the nexus of cutting-edge applied AI, modern software engineering, and high-impact client engagement — demanding both technical depth and the ability to translate complex business challenges into transformative production systems. We're seeking an exceptional engineer-leader who thrives in ambiguity, operates with urgency, and brings the rare combination of hands-on technical excellence and proven people leadership.
In this role, you will drive the build-out and delivery of Chorus for CNS, working directly with stakeholders and end users to architect and deploy agentic AI solutions that deliver measurable business value. You'll lead cross-functional initiatives that span platform engineering, security, full-stack development, and AI innovation — ensuring every solution is production-grade, scalable, and aligned with enterprise standards. As both a builder and a leader, you'll mentor a high-performing engineering team while remaining deeply involved in architecture, code, and delivery. Your work will directly influence how Citi leverages AI to serve clients, streamline operations, and maintain competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Responsibilities:
Lead the Chorus Build-Out for CNS
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Own the technical strategy, architecture, and delivery roadmap for Chorus within CNS.
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Drive rapid, reliable deployment of solutions into production environments.
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Ensure engineering execution aligns with business objectives and client needs.
Forward Deployed Engineering
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Work directly with clients, stakeholders, and end users to understand workflows and challenges.
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Identify high-value opportunities where AI and engineering can drive measurable impact.
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Deliver end-to-end solutions from concept through to production deployment.
Engineering Leadership
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Lead, mentor, and develop a team of engineers.
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Foster a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and accountability.
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Balance strategic leadership with hands-on technical contribution.
Applied AI & Agent Development
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Design and build agentic AI solutions leveraging:
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Google Agent Development Kit (ADK)
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Model Context Protocol (MCP) Servers
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Integrate AI capabilities into enterprise production workflows.
Full-Stack Engineering
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Develop scalable APIs and backend services using Python and Java.
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Build intuitive and responsive user interfaces using React.
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Contribute across the full software development lifecycle.
Security & Identity Management
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Implement secure authentication and authorisation solutions.
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Design OAuth 2.0-based security controls.
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Manage secrets and credentials using Vault.
Platform Engineering & Infrastructure
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Deploy, operate, and maintain services on Kubernetes.
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Apply strong networking and cloud-native architecture principles.
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Drive platform reliability, scalability, and operational excellence.
Engineering Excellence & SDLC
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Champion best-in-class Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) practices.
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Drive continuous improvement through DORA metrics and engineering KPIs.
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Implement automated dependency management and vulnerability scanning using tools such as:
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Dependabot
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Renovate
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Snyk
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Other Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools
Platform Migration & Integration
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Lead migration and integration initiatives across strategic internal platforms including:
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ARC
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AgentFlow
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Ensure alignment with organisational standards and technology strategy.
Stakeholder Management
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Partner with senior leaders across CNS and Technology.
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Communicate delivery progress, risks, and strategic recommendations.
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Align technical execution with business priorities.
Qualifications:
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Demonstrated success as a Senior Engineering Leader , Engineering Manager , or Technical Architect with a track record of building, leading, and scaling high-performing engineering teams.
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Proven ability to lead , coach , and mentor engineers across all levels, fostering technical growth, career development, and succession planning within the team.
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Experience establishing engineering culture , defining team values , and driving accountability , innovation , and technical excellence across the organization.
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Strong leadership in SDLC best practices , CI/CD pipelines , automated testing frameworks , and engineering performance metrics including DORA (Deployment Frequency, Lead Time, Change Failure Rate, MTTR) .
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Experience operating in customer-facing, consulting, embedded, or Forward Deployed Engineering environments , with the ability to translate business challenges into technical solutions.
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Deep hands-on experience Developing Agentic AI Solutions using Google Agent Development Kit (ADK) and Model Context Protocol (MCP) Servers , with demonstrated ability to architect and integrate AI capabilities into production workflows.
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Expert-level proficiency in Python and Java , with strong architectural skills in API design, microservices development, and distributed systems.
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Advanced Front-End development expertise using React, including component architecture, state management (Redux, Context API), performance optimization, and modern JavaScript (ES6+).
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Deep understanding of OAuth 2.0 authentication and Authorisation rrameworks , including implementation of token-based security, PKCE flows, SAML, OpenID Connect, and secure identity management patterns.
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Extensive hands-on experience architecting, deploying, and operating services on Kubernetes , including pod management, service mesh (Istio, Linkerd), ingress controllers, cluster autoscaling, and multi-cluster orchestration.
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Experience using HashiCorp Vault for secrets management, including dynamic secrets, encryption as a service, PKI certificate management, and secure credential rotation across environments.
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Proven experience managing Software Dependencies and Security Vulnerabilities using automated tooling such as Dependabot, Renovate, Snyk, WhiteSource, or equivalent Software Composition Analysis (S