Lead Engineer AI

Requisition Details and Talent Acquisition Contact

REQ ID: 145642 - Michelle Thabethe

Location: Sandton

Cluster: Group Risk - GFCFS AFT

Closing date: 28 April 2026

Job Family

Information Technology

Career Stream

IT Application Development

Leadership Pipeline

Managers of Managers

Job Purpose

To design build deploy and support practical AI-enabled automation solutions that improve the efficiency effectiveness and control of forensic and fraud operations. The role is focused on hands-on implementation of tools and workflows that solve real business problems primarily within Nedbanks current Microsoft and Azure technology environment while contributing to the evolution of future-fit solution patterns over time. The role requires sound engineering discipline appropriate governance human oversight traceability and a strong focus on measurable business value.

Job Responsibilities

• Design develop test deploy and maintain AI-enabled solutions that support fraud and forensic operations.
• Translate operational problems into practical technical solutions using software engineering automation and AI tools where appropriate.
• Build and support solutions such as document extraction workflow automation case support tools search and retrieval tools summarisation classification and human-in-the-loop decision support.
• Design and implement solutions primarily within Nedbanks current Microsoft and Azure-based platforms services and integration patterns.
• Integrate AI-enabled solutions with internal systems databases APIs case management tools workflow platforms and reporting environments.
• Implement controls within solutions including validation exception handling approval steps audit trails logging monitoring and escalation paths.
• Work with structured and unstructured data including text documents images audio and other operational data sources where relevant.
• Ensure solutions are supportable and production-ready through sound engineering practice including testing version control documentation performance monitoring and operational support readiness.
• Work closely with fraud forensic operations technology data and risk stakeholders to identify use cases prioritise opportunities and deliver measurable business value.

Job Responsibilities Continued

• Evaluate tools and approaches pragmatically with emphasis on usefulness cost-effectiveness maintainability governance and fit for Nedbanks environment.
• Support compliance with internal standards relating to data protection information security governance responsible use of AI and operational risk.
• Contribute to continuous improvement within the team by identifying opportunities to simplify processes reduce manual effort improve control and improve quality of output.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing and contribute to a culture conducive to transformation collaboration and continuous learning.
• Support Nedbanks business strategy by delivering work in a way that reflects the banks values governance standards and client-centric approach.
• Participate in corporate social investment and other organisational initiatives where required.

Essential Qualification

• Matric / Grade 12 / National Senior Certificate.
• Relevant practical experience in software engineering automation AI implementation or a related technical field.
• A relevant diploma or degree in Computer Science Information Systems Engineering Data Science or a similar field would be advantageous but is not essential where equivalent practical ability can be demonstrated.
• Relevant certifications in software development cloud platforms automation or AI would be advantageous.

Essential Experience

• Demonstrable experience building working technical solutions rather than only producing concepts research or analysis.
• Hands-on software development experience in Python essential C# highly advantageous.
• Experience integrating systems through APIs working with databases and automating business processes.
• Experience taking solutions from prototype stage into reliable operational use.
• Experience working with structured and unstructured data.
• Experience implementing controls such as logging exception handling validation approval steps and monitoring.
• Experience working with business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into usable technical solutions.
• Experience working in an enterprise technology environment.

Preferred / Advantageous Experience

• Experience working within Microsoft and Azure enterprise environments is strongly preferred.
• Exposure to technologies such as Azure AI Services Azure OpenAI Power Platform AI Builder Copilot Studio Microsoft Fabric or related Microsoft tools would be advantageous.
• Experience with AI-enabled solutions involving documents images audio or other unstructured data sources would be advantageous.
• Experience implementing controlled workflow automation using LLMs retrieval tool orchestration or human-in-the-loop decisioning would be advantageous.
• Experience in banking fraud forensics compliance risk or another regulated environment would be advantageous.
• Experience building tools that support operational teams rather than purely analytical or research use cases would be advantageous.
• Experience working within governance information security or data privacy requirements in an enterprise environment would be advantageous.

Technical Competencies

• Software development and problem solving.
• Python or similar programming capability.
• API and systems integration.
• Database querying and data handling.
• Workflow automation and orchestration.
• Application of AI tools and services to business problems.
• Ability to implement AI and automation solutions within Microsoft and Azure-based enterprise environments.
• Understanding of cloud-based AI services workflow automation integration patterns identity and access considerations and support requirements within the Microsoft stack.
• Prompt design retrieval-based solutions and controlled use of large language models.
• Ability to work with structured and unstructured data including text documents images and audio.
• Understanding of controlled AI workflow patterns including retrieval orchestration validation approval steps and human oversight.
• Testing deployment monitoring and operational support.
• Understanding of traceability auditability and control requirements in enterprise solutions.
• Ability to evaluate and apply fit-for-purpose tools and solution patterns pragmatically taking into account business value cost supportability governance and long-term maintainability.

Behavioral Competencies

• Applied Learning
• Building Customer Loyalty
• Communication
• Decision Making
• Earning Trust
• Initiating Action
• Innovation
• Managing Work
• Quality Orientation
• Stress Tolerance
• Work Standards

Key Performance Expectations / Success Measures

• Delivery of practical AI and automation solutions that improve productivity quality control or turnaround time in fraud and forensic operations.
• Reduction of manual effort through controlled and supportable automation.
• Development of maintainable and reliable solutions with appropriate documentation monitoring and auditability.
• Demonstrable business value from implemented use cases.
• Constructive collaboration with business and technical stakeholders.
• Adherence to governance risk compliance and responsible AI requirements.