AI Technical Director (Perm, Canada)

This is a permanent full-time remote opportunity for those based in Canada. 

About Nearform

Nearform is an independent team of engineers, designers, data experts and strategists who build intelligent digital solutions and capability at pace. We create software solutions that enhance digital experiences, empower developers, and deliver measurable results. In these ways, we partner with ambitious enterprises to deliver enduring impact.

Our deep expertise in solving the world’s most complex digital problems, along with our collaborative, people-first approach, enables enterprises to build breakthrough products and modernise legacy systems, with confidence.

Today, our team of 500 experts in 20+ countries is trusted by leading enterprises including Lululemon, Puma, Sun Life, Starbucks, Travelex, Virgin Media 02, and Walmart.  

About the role:

As a Technical Director at Nearform, you will provide strategic and technical leadership across multiple projects, ensuring alignment with business goals while fostering innovation and excellence. Your role will involve technical vision-setting, client engagement, and team leadership to drive both project success and long-term growth in the AI domain.  

• Technical Strategy & Leadership – Define and communicate a clear technical vision, ensuring best practices in AI, architecture, software development, and emerging technologies. Act as the final authority in critical design and delivery decisions.

• Client Engagement & Advisory – Serve as a trusted advisor to CIOs, CTOs, and senior stakeholders. Lead pre-sales technical discussions and discovery workshops, translate business objectives into technical strategies, and develop tailored solution proposals.

• Project Execution & Delivery – Oversee technical execution, ensuring quality, scalability, and maintainability. Monitor project health, identify risks, and ensure successful outcomes through proactive leadership.

• Team Leadership & Talent Development – Work with resourcing teams to ensure the right talent is staffed on projects. Foster a culture of excellence, mentorship, and innovation across teams.

• Financial & Operational Oversight – Manage project burn-down, optimize resource allocation, and identify revenue growth opportunities while maintaining financial accountability.

• Industry Influence & Thought Leadership – Stay ahead of industry trends, contribute to open-source projects, and engage in public speaking, blog writing, and mentorship. Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and sustainability initiatives within Nearform.

What we are looking for in this person:

• 15+ years of technical leadership experience, ideally within consulting, SaaS, or large-scale digital transformation projects.

• Deep expertise and hands-on experience with ML / AI, software architecture, cloud platforms, and modern development practices.

• Experience with Generative AI technologies, including hands-on work using GenAI solutions to create efficiencies in real-world applications.

• A strong track record of guiding technical decisions on complex, high-impact projects, particularly within the ML / AI and modern GenAI space

• Experience leading pre-sales, discovery, and solution design discussions.

• Strong ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

• A consultative mindset, able to align business needs with technical strategies.

• Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills to influence at all levels.

• Experience leading and mentoring senior engineering teams

• Excited to drive innovation and be part of shaping the future of AI in a dynamic, fast-growing environment

• A passion for continuous learning, innovation, and professional excellence.

Desirable Skills:

• Previous experience working in a fully remote, globally distributed environment.

• Background in financial oversight of technology projects.

• Experience contributing to open-source projects or technical thought leadership.

Benefits & Perks:

• Annual Company Bonus: We all help Nearform to hit company goals so we all receive a share of the profits on an annual basis in line with company performance. 
• Work Remotely and Flexibly - We have a genuine dedication to work/life balance. Our flexible working culture allows you to work around what matters - school run, no problem! 
• Paid Time Off Package - We offer an annual leave of 21 days plus public holidays. We also offer sick leave, marriage leave and many more.
• Remote Working Allowance - Every 2 years, you will have a budget of up to €1250 (equivalent in CAD) to help you set up a comfortable and productive workspace in addition to your essential equipment provided by Nearform when you join.
• Training and Development Allowance - We understand the importance of continuously learning so we offer an allowance of up to €1000 (equivalent in CAD) you can use to upskill yourself.
• Healthcare - It’s important to always take care of your health, so we offer additional private healthcare here at Nearform. If you wish to learn more about the plan offered feel free to reach out to our team.
• RRSP & Insurances - We offer RRSP and match up to 4% and Life and Critical Illness insurance for peace of mind.

Inclusion

Inclusion is one of our core values. We don’t discriminate by race, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the country where employed. We are not offering working visa sponsorship at this time.