Lead Engineer (Automation/AI)
Software Engineering, Data Science
United Kingdom
Posted on Jul 5, 2026
hackajob is collaborating with Dunnhumby Ltd to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.
Lead Engineer - Automation & AI (Workplace Technology and Support)
This role is responsible for helping Workplace Technology and Support teams use
automation and AI to improve service quality, reduce manual effort and deliver a better
end user experience.
As a senior individual contributor, this person will act as an internal consultant across
the function — identifying opportunities, shaping solutions and helping teams
implement practical improvements across workplace services, support processes and
platform operations.
The role requires strong Microsoft-centric expertise, a good understanding of service
integration and automation, and the ability to turn ideas into scalable, supportable
outcomes.
Scope
The role supports all Workplace Technology and Support teams, with a focus on
improving services through automation, AI and better technical integration.
It covers Microsoft 365, Copilot, Intune, service workflows and operational tooling,
including opportunities to improve how teams work through scripting, APIs,
infrastructure as code and connected platforms such as ServiceNow.
This is a hands-on, non-managerial role suited to someone who combines technical
depth with a consultative, pragmatic approach.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Architecture
pragmatic options
decision-making
working.
Automation & AI
Engineering & Integration
Agile Delivery & Internal Consulting
Essential
Skills & Experience
Lead Engineer - Automation & AI (Workplace Technology and Support)
This role is responsible for helping Workplace Technology and Support teams use
automation and AI to improve service quality, reduce manual effort and deliver a better
end user experience.
As a senior individual contributor, this person will act as an internal consultant across
the function — identifying opportunities, shaping solutions and helping teams
implement practical improvements across workplace services, support processes and
platform operations.
The role requires strong Microsoft-centric expertise, a good understanding of service
integration and automation, and the ability to turn ideas into scalable, supportable
outcomes.
Scope
The role supports all Workplace Technology and Support teams, with a focus on
improving services through automation, AI and better technical integration.
It covers Microsoft 365, Copilot, Intune, service workflows and operational tooling,
including opportunities to improve how teams work through scripting, APIs,
infrastructure as code and connected platforms such as ServiceNow.
This is a hands-on, non-managerial role suited to someone who combines technical
depth with a consultative, pragmatic approach.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Architecture
- Lead architecture reviews, risk assessments, and pragmatic design decisions.
- Create roadmaps, reference patterns, and repeatable checklists to reduce
- Provide high-quality architecture reviews and design assurance for complex
pragmatic options
- Produce clear customer-facing technical outputs (e.g., current-state
decision-making
- Improve consistency and reduce avoidable rework for customers by using
working.
Automation & AI
- Identify and deliver opportunities to use automation and AI to improve
- Reduce manual effort, simplify processes and improve consistency across
- Help define a practical roadmap for automation and AI across the function
- Promote reusable, supportable solutions rather than one-off fixes
- Help mature how Copilot is managed and used within the workplace technology
- Support the development of practical patterns, guardrails and support models
- Build and optimise Copilot agents and custom plugins for enterprise workflows:
- ITSM automation (ServiceNow integrations)
- Device lifecycle automation (Intune-driven workflows)
- Knowledge assistants for internal support teams
- Integrate Copilot capabilities with:
- Endpoint management (Intune / Autopilot)
- Security platforms (Defender, Sentinel)
- Teams Rooms & workplace experience systems
- Develop advanced PowerShell and API-driven automation to complement AI
- Create reusable agent design patterns, prompt libraries, and governance
Engineering & Integration
- Design and implement automation using scripting, APIs and infrastructure-as
- Improve integration between Microsoft 365 and service platforms, including
- Support modernisation of workflows across endpoint, identity and workplace
- Introduce engineering standards, documentation and reusable patterns that
Agile Delivery & Internal Consulting
- Act as an internal consultant to Workplace Tech and Support teams, helping
- Use agile practices to turn opportunities into epics, user stories and prioritised
- Provide clear, pragmatic technical guidance across a range of workplace
- Balance strategic improvement with practical day-to-day delivery needs
- Work with third-party suppliers where needed to support delivery or integration
- Bring commercial awareness to solution design and technology choices
- Ensure external partners deliver in line with internal standards and expected
Essential
Skills & Experience
- 10 years + of experience across the Microsoft stack, particularly Microsoft 365,
- Proven experience designing or delivering automation solutions in an enterprise
- Experience using AI to improve operational processes, support services or
- Strong understanding of infrastructure as code, scripting, APIs and reusable
- Experience working in agile delivery environments, including user stories and
- PowerShell or similar automation tooling
- Ability to shape roadmaps and turn opportunities into practical plans
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
- Experience working as a senior individual contributor, specialist or internal
- Clear focus on service quality and end user experience
- Experience with ServiceNow, particularly integrations with Microsoft 365 or
- Experience improving service desk or support workflows through automation
- Experience establishing standards or operating models for AI or automation
- Certifications
- The Open Group Architecture Framework)
- Certified ScrumMaster
- Microsoft (e.g., SC-300, MD-102, AZ-500) & equivalent experience.
- Mac/Linux management experience
- User-focused - cares about the experience people actually have with
- Hands-on - comfortable getting into the detail and solving real problems
- Pragmatic - focuses on workable, supportable solutions
- Consultative - listens well, understands the need and adds value quickly
- Technically curious - actively explores how automation and AI can improve
- Influential - able to guide teams through expertise and credibility
- Clear communicator - explains technical topics simply and effectively
- Accountable - takes ownership and follows through