Head of Forward Deployed Engineering (Operations)

Job summary
Permanent contract
Amsterdam
Salary: Not specified
Experience: > 5 years
Skills & expertise
Leadership
Communication skills
Creative thinking
Mechanical skills
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Adyen
Adyen

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The position

Job description

  • This role focuses on moving beyond isolated pilots and volunteer-led activity, and building a more deliberate approach to re-engineering work through AI, automation, and better operating design
  • This role will lead that for Ops. It will set the direction for what an AI-native, and highly leveraged operations model should look like, help identify where the biggest opportunities sit, and create the structure that allows domain-owned use cases to turn into real outcomes
  • Domain leads will remain accountable for the impact delivered in their own areas. This role exists to bring the thought leadership, technical credibility, outside-in perspective, and driving force needed to help make that happen across the function
  • Set the AI and innovation direction for Operations, with a clear view of what will create the most meaningful step change in customer experience, productivity, quality, and scalability
  • Work with the domains to identify and prioritise the use cases that matter most, based on business value, feasibility, and readiness
  • Lead the central Ops innovation model, including the structure, ways of working, and foundations needed for domain-led re-engineering to succeed
  • Lead a small team of Forward Deployed AI specialists to turn ideas into real, scalable solutions
  • Build credibility for AI across Ops through clear thinking, practical examples, and a strong view of where the real value is and where the risks are
  • Stay current on the AI landscape, emerging patterns, and market developments, and translate that into practical implications for how Ops should evolve
  • Work with central business enablement and capability teams so that new capabilities landing across the company are connected to Ops needs, and the right upskilling happens as use cases scale
  • Represent Operations in central engineering, making sure that Ops priorities are well understood, well framed, and well supported
  • Track progress and value delivered, and keep the focus on outcomes rather than activity
  • What good looks like:
  • Ops has a clear and credible point of view on where AI should and should not be applied
  • The Domains have better clarity on where to focus and what will drive the biggest outcomes
  • High-value use cases move fast from idea to implementation
  • The relationship between Ops and central engineering is stronger, with clearer translation between operational needs and technical delivery
  • AI adoption in Ops is deliberate, practical, connected to real workflow improvement
  • We build scalable solutions that drive meaningful outcomes
  • Teams are better equipped to work differently as new tools and workflows land

Benefits

  • Global exchange program
  • Weekly happy hour
  • Delicious healthy lunches
  • Phantom share package
  • Yearly trip to Amsterdam
  • Paid holidays
  • Work from home opportunities

Preferred experience

  • The ability to turn ideas into outcomes. You can move from concept to prioritisation to implementation, and you know how to avoid getting stuck in pilot mode
  • Strong cross-functional instincts. You are comfortable working across operations, engineering, data, product, enablement, and capability teams
  • Long-term thinking. You can look beyond the next pilot or tool and help shape the foundations for where Ops needs to go over time
  • Deep curiosity in AI and adjacent technology. You naturally keep up with the space, understand where the market is moving, and can separate substance from hype
  • Enough technical depth to have credibility with engineers and technical partners. You do not need to be the hands-on builder for every solution, but you do need to understand architectures, trade-offs, risks, and what good looks like
  • Strong executive presence. You can command respect with senior stakeholders, challenge constructively, and represent Operations well in cross-functional discussions
  • A practical, creative, solution-oriented mindset
  • Strong operational judgement. You understand how real work happens, where friction sits, and what it takes to redesign workflows in practice
  • Worked closely with engineering or technical teams and can hold your own in those conversations
  • Worked in an environment where pace, ambiguity, and practical execution all mattered
  • Helped shape operating models, governance, or delivery mechanisms that made change more repeatable
  • Led meaningful transformation in an operations or service environment
  • Influenced senior leaders and moved cross-functional agendas forward without relying only on formal authority
  • Built or scaled AI, automation, or digital workflow improvements beyond small experiments
  • Studies show that women and members of underrepresented communities apply for jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Does this sound like you? If so, Adyen encourages you to reconsider and apply. We look forward to your application!

Recruitment process

  • Ensuring a smooth and enjoyable candidate experience is critical for us. We aim to get back to you regarding your application within 5 business days
  • Our interview process tends to take about 4 weeks to complete, but may fluctuate depending on the role

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