Forward Deployed Engineering Manager

About the role

Lead and develop a high‑performance team of senior engineers, data scientists and AI practitioners embedded within SAP’s most strategic customer environments in Dubai.

Key responsibilities

• Coach, mentor and grow senior engineering talent, overseeing goal setting, feedback cycles, career development and talent planning.
• Own delivery excellence across multiple forward‑deployed customer engagements, ensuring technical quality, architectural guardrails and alignment with success criteria.
• Act as senior escalation point for delivery risks, team challenges and customer concerns, resolving issues decisively.
• Build strong relationships with senior customer stakeholders and SAP leadership, advocating for resources and representing the team’s impact.
• Attract, hire and onboard top AI, data and software engineering talent, partnering with product and regional leaders to align capabilities with strategic priorities.

Required profile

• Proven experience leading senior engineering teams and delivering complex, high‑stakes customer projects.
• Strong technical credibility in AI, machine learning, data engineering or software engineering.
• Deep understanding of forward‑deployed or customer‑embedded delivery models.
• Demonstrated ability to develop talent, navigate organizational complexity and drive cross‑functional alignment.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with executives, engineers and customers.

Required skills

• AI and machine learning
• Data engineering
• Software engineering
• Responsible AI principles
• Agentic AI concepts