[Hiring] Vice President of Architecture & AI Engineering Transformation @Appspace

Role Description

Appspace is seeking an accomplished Vice President of Architecture & AI Engineering Transformation. This role will be central to Appspace’s engineering transformation as we scale beyond $150M, embedding AI into our development lifecycle, modernizing legacy systems, and raising the performance bar across the organization.

• Bridge the gap between high-level business goals and technical execution.
• Define architectural blueprints and engineering standards for global teams.
• Act as a force multiplier, providing clarity and technical guardrails.
• Drive a culture of modernization to support exponential growth.
• Collaborate with leaders in Engineering, Security, Technical Operations, Product, and Innovation.

A Day in the Life of a Vice President of Architecture & AI Engineering Transformation

• AI-Driven Engineering Transformation:
  • Architect and operationalize an AI native development environment.
  • Redefine the software development lifecycle through AI enabled code generation, automated testing, documentation, observability, and incident response.
  • Establish measurable improvements in productivity, quality, and cycle time through responsible AI adoption.
  • Partner with Product leadership to embed AI capabilities into the Appspace platform.
  • Continuously assess technology trends relevant to Appspace’s long-term strategy.
• Engineering Enablement and Operating Model:
  • Design systems and tooling to increase developer throughput and reduce time-to-production.
  • Build an engineering operating model optimized for $100M+ scale.
  • Introduce data-driven engineering KPIs (cycle time, deployment frequency, AI adoption rates, cost per feature, etc.).
  • Embed automation across the SDLC to reduce manual effort and improve predictability.
  • Drive consistency and maturity across the software development lifecycle.
• Enterprise Architecture and Technical Direction:
  • Establish architectural standards, principles, and reference designs.
  • Serve as the primary escalation point for complex technical and architectural decisions.
• Technology Modernization and Platform Evolution:
  • Guide modernization efforts across legacy and acquired platforms.
  • Help rationalize platforms, services, and tooling to reduce complexity.
  • Ensure modernization initiatives deliver measurable improvements.
• Mergers and Acquisitions:
  • Support technical due diligence for potential acquisitions.
  • Define and guide post-acquisition architectural integration strategies.
  • Partner with engineering leaders to integrate platforms, teams, and practices.
• Leadership and Collaboration:
  • Serve as a trusted technical advisor to the CTO.
  • Partner closely with Engineering, Technology Operations, Security, and Innovation.
  • Elevate the technical bar across the organization.
  • Challenge legacy patterns and introduce modern engineering practices.
  • Build a culture that embraces experimentation and responsible AI adoption.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 15 or more years of progressive experience in software engineering, architecture, or platform development.
• 5 or more years of experience in senior technical leadership roles such as VP, SVP, Chief Architect, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated success defining and governing enterprise architecture in complex, multi-product SaaS environments.
• Deep technical expertise across modern software architecture, cloud platforms, DevOps practices, reliability engineering, and SDLC disciplines.
• Proven experience driving technology modernization initiatives in growing or acquired organizations.
• Experience supporting M&A technical due diligence and post-acquisition integration.
• Strong understanding of security, compliance, and regulatory requirements in enterprise SaaS environments.
• Experience working with globally distributed teams across multiple regions and cultures.
• Possess deep technical expertise, enjoys being hands-on with code, while also possessing the business acumen necessary to effectively present and communicate with executive leadership.
• Exceptional communication and influence skills with the ability to lead through partnership rather than direct authority.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries.
• Medical, dental and vision coverage.
• Disability coverage.
• Employer paid life insurance.
• Mental health resources.
• 401(k) plan.
• Fully paid parental leave program.
• Generous PTO.
• Flexible work schedules.
• Remote work opportunities.
• Paid company holidays.
• Appspace Quiet Fridays (No non-essential internal meetings scheduled).
• A casual dress work environment.