Principal Lead, API & AI Enterprise Integration Services

Role Overview

Principal Lead, API & AI Enterprise Integration Services at First Abu Dhabi Bank. This is a strategic leadership position responsible for defining and executing the enterprise vision for API, AI, and domain services engineering.

Role Purpose

Define and lead the strategic vision for API, AI, and domain services engineering across value streams. Break the bank into reusable API services by decomposing legacy systems into modular, discoverable, and consumable capabilities. Provide engineering leadership to build scalable, secure platforms that power digital transformation while driving cross-value stream collaboration to ensure platform services are aligned with business outcomes and domain-specific needs.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Define and evolve the enterprise API, AI, and domain services strategy.
• Translate enterprise goals into platform engineering strategies.
• Champion platform modernization and domain-driven design.
• Adopt emerging technologies including GenAI Agentic.

Engineering Leadership

• Lead engineering teams in building robust domain services.
• Build and mentor high-performing engineering teams.
• Provide leadership to delivery teams, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Promote engineering best practices, including CI/CD, DevSecOps, and test automation.

Platform & Services Development

• Promote API reuse and developer enablement across value streams.
• Identify common capabilities and build shared services to support multiple domains.
• Ensure platform services are extensible, discoverable, and well-documented.
• Ensure domain services reflect real-world business capabilities and priorities.
• Ensure architectural integrity, scalability, and performance of platform components.
• Implement API-first approach that prioritizes APIs at the beginning of the SDLC process, positioning APIs as the building blocks.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with product owners, architects, and engineering leads across value streams.
• Collaborate with enterprise architecture, security, infrastructure, and operations teams.
• Drive cross-value stream collaboration to ensure platform services are aligned with business outcomes and domain-specific needs.

Governance & Reporting

• Maintain delivery roadmaps, capacity plans, and resource forecasts.
• Ensure compliance with IT governance, risk, and regulatory requirements.
• Track and report KPIs, including audit and risk metrics.

Culture & Innovation

• Foster innovation and operational excellence through modern engineering practices and emerging technologies.
• Promote a culture of innovation, agility, and continuous learning.

Qualifications & Experience

• 15+ years overall experience.
• 10+ years banking industry experience.