Senior Manager, AI Engineering & Platform

Virtus•Overland Park, KS

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager, AI Engineering & Platform is responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the technology infrastructure that supports Virtus' long-term AI and operational strategy. This role is hands-on, requiring the individual to write and ship production code. The architecture, standards, and platforms established will support the firm's future technology development. The position offers autonomy to shape technology platforms for the company's growth. Virtus is looking for a builder who wants to create the technology foundation that will power the next chapter of Virtus. The ideal candidate embodies Virtus Core Values: Better Tomorrow, Fearless Pursuit, and One Virtus. They should be energized by building innovative technology solutions, solving complex business challenges, and designing, developing, and supporting scalable applications with confidence and technical expertise. Disciplined operators who value architecture, security, quality, and measurable results, and who can communicate with clarity, credibility, and executive presence, will thrive. This role requires embracing ownership and accountability for systems and platforms, and a desire for a seat at the table to help shape the future of technology and AI at Virtus.

Requirements

Five or more years of engineering experience with demonstrated range across full-stack application development and data engineering, including the ability to review data warehouse designs and identify gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
Experience serving as one of the first engineering hires within a growing organization or owning end-to-end production systems in an environment that required a high degree of autonomy and accountability.
Python, SQL, and TypeScript as working languages.
Demonstrated experience designing, deploying, and supporting solutions in cloud environments, preferably Microsoft Azure. Experience with AWS or Google Cloud Platform is acceptable with the ability to quickly become proficient in Azure.
Demonstrated daily use of AI-assisted software development tools and large language model technologies, including practical application in coding, testing, debugging, and solution delivery. Agentic development tools should be a primary part of how you work rather than general familiarity. The interview process includes a live build session using these tools.
Ability to independently deploy, monitor, support, and maintain production systems throughout the full software lifecycle.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for business stakeholders, including executive leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience serving as the primary business stakeholder or technical lead in outsourced technology or vendor relationships, with the ability to evaluate technical deliverables, provide architectural feedback, and hold partners accountable to established standards.
Experience working within highly regulated industries such as insurance, financial services, healthcare, or other environments where data security, privacy, and compliance are critical.
Experience integrating enterprise systems and platforms, including agency management systems, CRM platforms, ERP systems, EHRs, or other systems of record through APIs, data exports, and related integration methods.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate, prioritize, and apply artificial intelligence technologies in practical business settings, with sound judgment regarding where AI creates value and where traditional approaches are more effective.

Responsibilities

Serve as Virtus' primary technical liaison for the firm's external data platform and analytics partners.
Develop technical requirements, evaluate architecture and data models, and provide oversight of vendor-delivered solutions.
Ensure data warehouse structures support operational applications, reporting needs, and future AI initiatives.
Conduct technical reviews and acceptance testing to ensure solutions meet Virtus standards for quality, scalability, and business value.
Partner with vendors and business stakeholders to support the long-term evolution of the firm's data platform.
Design, build, and maintain a Virtus-owned API layer that serves as the primary integration point between enterprise data sources and internal applications.
Establish integration standards that promote system stability, scalability, security, and maintainability.
Ensure applications are architected to operate independently from vendor-managed data environments.
Provide ongoing governance and oversight of enterprise integration strategies.
Design and maintain the technical architecture supporting Virtus' enterprise knowledge management strategy.
Develop scalable solutions that enable structured, machine-readable access to organizational content, including standard operating procedures, training materials, and business documentation.
Build and maintain retrieval and context-layer capabilities that support AI-powered applications and workflows.
Ensure knowledge assets are organized and accessible to support future automation and AI initiatives.
Lead the design, development, and deployment of strategic internal business applications.
Develop scalable platform standards for authentication, deployment, monitoring, backup, and system reliability.
Serve as the primary technical owner for complex application initiatives, including automation and AI-powered solutions.
Ensure all systems are built to support long-term operational stability, scalability, and business growth.
Establish development practices that enable rapid innovation while maintaining security and governance standards.
Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance across the organization's technology portfolio.
Review proposed solutions to identify scalability, security, performance, and operational risks.
Partner closely with Operations Leadership to evaluate technology investments and implementation strategies.
Act as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on technology architecture, platform strategy, and long-term system evolution.
Promote sound engineering practices and ensure technology decisions align with the organization's growth objectives.