AI is the biggest shift in how organisations build anend work in a generation. The organisations who win will be the ones who can move beyond a working demo and get genuinely production-grade, multi-agent AI systems live, reliable and maintained at scale. That is the hardest part of the journey, and it's where this role sits.
As an Applied AI Consultant, you bring that change to the top table. You've done this before — as a CTO, a founder, or the most senior engineering leader in your organisation — and you've taken a whole organisation through the shift to becoming AI native, not just a team. You are as comfortable setting direction with a Chief Executive or Chief Technology Officer as you are going deep on architecture with a lead engineer, and our largest, most strategic customers will look to you to set the pace of their AI transformation.
You'll shape and lead our most significant engagements, secure and hold executive sponsorship, and set the standard the rest of the team builds towards.
What you'll do
Own our most strategic engagements. Lead full-scale AI transformation programmes for our largest and most complex customers, from initial vision through to organisation-wide adoption.
Set direction with the C-suite. Work directly with CEOs, CTOs, CIOs and other executive stakeholders to shape AI strategy, secure sponsorship, and connect adoption to the outcomes the business actually cares about.
Transform whole organisations. Draw on your own experience taking an organisation through AI-native transformation to guide customers through the same shift — at the scale of a function, a division, or the whole business.
Bring the vision. Act as a genuine AI visionary for our customers — someone who can see past the immediate ask to where the technology and the business are both heading, and bring customers with you.
Shape how we sell and deliver. Help shape full transformation deals, define how value gets measured, and protect the trust our partners and customers place in Version 1.
Lead and mentor. Set the standard for Applied AI Consultants, mentor senior hires, and help build the playbooks and IP that make the whole programme better.
Represent Version 1 externally. Build our reputation and thought leadership in the market, as a visible, credible voice on AI adoption and transformation.
What good looks like
A proven AI transformation leader at organisation scale. You've personally led an organisation — not just a team — through becoming AI native, as a CTO, founder, or the most senior engineering leader in the room.
Genuine AI vision. You don't just keep up with the field, you have a real point of view on where it's heading and what it means for how businesses operate — and people want to hear it.
Fluent at C-suite level. You've operated as a peer to CEOs, CTOs and other executives, and you're just as comfortable setting strategy in the boardroom as you are getting hands-on with architecture.
Deep technical credibility. Your AI engineering depth is real and current, not historical — engineers and architects trust your judgement because you've stayed close to the work.
A track record customers can check. You can point to organisations you've genuinely transformed, and to the outcomes that resulted, not just initiatives you were involved in.
Comfortable owning the outcome. You take full ownership of the largest, most ambiguous, highest-stakes engagements, and you bring the judgement and composure the moment needs.
What we're looking for
10–15+ years in senior engineering leadership, as a CTO, founder, or the most senior technical leader in your organisation.
Direct, personal experience leading an organisation-wide shift to becoming AI native, with outcomes you can speak to in detail.
A genuine track record operating at C-suite level, comfortable setting direction alongside CEOs, CTOs and other executive stakeholders.
Deep, current AI engineering expertise: production LLM and agent experience, evaluation frameworks, and deployment at scale.
Experience shaping or building AI solutions and intelligent applications, not just overseeing them.
Strong programming fundamentals and enough hands-on depth to be credible with architects and senior engineers.
A degree in a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Nice to have
Experience as a founder or CTO of a business that itself went through AI-native transformation.
A public profile — thought leadership, speaking, writing, or advisory work — in applied AI or AI transformation.
Hands-on experience with the Claude API, Claude Code, MCP, or GitHub's AI tooling.
Domain depth in a regulated or enterprise vertical: public sector, financial services, or healthcare and life sciences.
Experience shaping large-scale commercial deals or outcome-based propositions.
Why Version 1?
At Version 1, we believe in providing our employees with a comprehensive benefits package that prioritises their wellbeing, professional growth, and financial stability.
Share in our success with our Quarterly Performance-Related Profit Share Scheme, where employees collectively benefit from a share of our company's profits
Strong Career Progression & mentorship coaching through our Strength in Balance & Leadership schemes with a dedicated quarterly Pathways Career Development programme
Flexible/remote working, Version 1 is tremendously understanding of life events and people’s individual circumstances and offer flexibility to help achieve a healthy work life balance
Financial Wellbeing initiatives including; Pension, Private Healthcare Cover, Life Assurance, Financial advice and an Employee Discount scheme
Employee Wellbeing schemes including Gym Discounts, Bike to Work, Fitness classes, Mindfulness Workshops, Employee Assistance Programme and much more. Generous holiday allowance, enhanced maternity/paternity leave, marriage/civil partnership leave and special leave policies
Educational assistance, incentivised certifications, and accreditations, including AWS, Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat
Reward schemes including Version 1’s Annual Excellence Awards & ‘Call-Out’ platform.
Environment, Social and Community First initiatives allow you to get involved in local fundraising and development opportunities as part of fostering our diversity, inclusion and belonging schemes.
Version 1 is an equal opportunities employer.
We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace where everyone feels valued and able to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences, and we value the different perspectives people bring including those shaped by disability and neurodiversity.
Our employee-designed Profit Share scheme divides a portion of our company's profits each quarter amongst employees. We are dedicated to helping our employees reach their full potential, offering Pathways Career Development Quarterly, a programme designed to support professional growth.