AI Practice Director (Hands-On)

About ArulaArula helps large engineering organizations in regulated industries change how they build software with AI, and prove the result.We bring a method (Arula AI-DLC), a workbench, and a package of accelerators. We configure them with the client's own platform team, use them on the client's real code, and hand them over. Then we give engineering executives evidence they can act on: adoption, flow, quality, cost, capability, and developer experience.Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions in the United States. Our work is Claude-first and runs inside the client's own stack.The roleYou lead Arula's AI practice, and you build with your own hands.You are the senior technical voice in the room with CTOs and heads of engineering. You are also the person who makes the work run inside their repositories the following week. You will build Arula's relationship with Anthropic, starting with certification and growing into joint client work, and you will represent Arula at Anthropic and industry events.You report to the Founder and work closely with our practice and solutioning lead. Dallas-based, with regular travel to client sites.What you will doLead client engagements hands-on. Stand up AI-assisted engineering in a client's environment with their platform engineer, on their real code, then hand it over.Shape and extend Arula AI-DLC, our method for AI-driven delivery with clear separation between who specifies, who builds, who evaluates and who approves.Own our accelerator package as production software: versioned, signed, with an SBOM, clean upgrade and rollback, and clean removal.Design how we measure: baselines and team-level metrics for adoption, flow, quality and cost. Be honest about what is proven and what is directional.Lead discovery and solution design with engineering executives, and write the scope and statements of work for the engagements you will deliver.Build our relationship with Anthropic. Get yourself and our practitioners certified, bring Anthropic into client work where it helps the client, and speak at Anthropic and industry events.Grow a team of certified practitioners and client champions who can run the method without you in the room.Work with security, risk, and compliance teams inside regulated clients so the work gets approved and stays approved.What you bring10+ years in software engineering. Your recent work is hands-on with AI coding tools in real delivery: Claude Code, agents, MCP servers, evaluations.You have rolled out AI-assisted engineering across hundreds or thousands of engineers in one organization, and measured what changed. Financial services or another regulated industry is strongly preferred.Platform and developer-experience depth: CI/CD, artifact registries such as Artifactory or Nexus, software supply-chain security (SBOM, signing, provenance) and productivity measures such as DORA or SPACE.5+ years in consulting or another role where you owned relationships with engineering executives.You write clearly and speak well. You can explain risk and trade-offs to a CTO in plain language.Claude Certified Architect, or ready to earn it within 30 days of starting. Experience with other model providers is a plus. We are Claude-first and not exclusive.A degree in computer science or engineering, or equivalent depth.What makes you stand outYou have built a practice before. You wrote down the method, trained others on it and watched it run without you.You have shaped and sold work: discovery, solution design, statements of work.You have spoken at engineering or AI conferences, or published work on AI-assisted development that engineers actually use.You have earned trust with security and compliance teams at a bank, insurer or payments company.How we workWe hire against five values: Customer First, Drive (a Day Zero mindset), Relationships, Ownership, and Learning and Growth. We look for people who get the role, want it and have the capacity to do it well.We are a small team. We work written-first, decide quickly, and give owners real decision rights. You will have a direct line to the Founder.

Location: Dallas, Texas, hybrid.

Regular travel to client sites.