78 AI Architect jobs in South Africa

The role of the AI Architect / Product Manager encompasses many activities including (but not limited to):

• Strategy and Planning: Developing and implementing AI strategies that align with WCG objectives; identifying opportunities for AI adoption and creating roadmaps for AI projects.
• Solution Design: Designing AI and machine-learning models to address specific business problems; selecting appropriate algorithms, frameworks, and tools; creating architecture diagrams and design documentation.
• Data Management: Collaborating with data architects to ensure data availability, quality and governance; designing data pipelines for collecting and storing data needed for AI models.
• Model Development and Deployment: Overseeing the development, training and testing of AI models; implementing best practices for deployment and maintenance.
• Integration: Integrating AI solutions with existing systems; designing APIs and interfaces for interaction between AI components and other systems.
• Performance Optimisation: Monitoring and optimising AI models using techniques such as hyper-parameter tuning and inference acceleration.
• Security and Compliance: Ensuring AI solutions comply with data-privacy and ethical standards; implementing measures to protect AI systems from vulnerabilities and attacks.
• Collaboration and Communication: Working closely with data scientists, engineers and stakeholders to deliver effective AI solutions and communicate AI concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Emerging Technologies and Trends: Staying updated with the latest advancements in AI and ML and evaluating new tools and frameworks for adoption.

Minimum Qualification:

• NQF 6 or higher tertiary qualification in ICT (information systems or related); Cloud certification.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years' experience in a field of an AI Architect / Product Manager role.

DLK Group | Contract

AI Architect / Product Manager (Specialist)

Cape Town, South Africa | Posted on 18/10/2025

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Job Information

• Date Opened 18/10/2025
• Job Type Contract
• Industry IT Services
• Work Experience 5-7 years
• Salary Market Related
• City Cape Town
• Province Western Cape
• Country South Africa
• Postal Code 7400

Job Description
The role of the AI Architect / Product Manager encompasses many activities including (but not limited to):

• Strategy and Planning: Developing and implementing AI strategies that align with WCG objectives; identifying opportunities for AI adoption and creating roadmaps for AI projects.
• Solution Design: Designing AI and machine-learning models to address specific business problems; selecting appropriate algorithms, frameworks, and tools; creating architecture diagrams and design documentation.
• Data Management: Collaborating with data architects to ensure data availability, quality and governance; designing data pipelines for collecting and storing data needed for AI models.
• Model Development and Deployment: Overseeing the development, training and testing of AI models; implementing best practices for deployment and maintenance.
• Integration: Integrating AI solutions with existing systems; designing APIs and interfaces for interaction between AI components and other systems.
• Performance Optimisation: Monitoring and optimising AI models using techniques such as hyper-parameter tuning and inference acceleration.
• Security and Compliance: Ensuring AI solutions comply with data-privacy and ethical standards; implementing measures to protect AI systems from vulnerabilities and attacks.
• Collaboration and Communication: Working closely with data scientists, engineers and stakeholders to deliver effective AI solutions and communicate AI concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Emerging Technologies and Trends: Staying updated with the latest advancements in AI and ML and evaluating new tools and frameworks for adoption.

Requirements
Minimum Qualification:

• NQF 6 or higher tertiary qualification in ICT (information systems or related); Cloud certification.

Minimum Experience

• Minimum of 6 years' experience in a field of an AI Architect / Product Manager role.

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Developing and implementing AI strategies

Designing AI and machine learning models

Create architecture diagrams and detailed design documentation for AI systems

Data management

Integrate AI solutions with existing systems and workflows

Designing API's and interfaces

Matric / Grade 12

Tertiary Qualification - Degree in Information Systems or similar

Cloud Certification

Min 3 - 6 years as AI Architect / Product Manager

Between 3 - 5 Years

Minimum Requirements

The AI Architect / Product Manager is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing AI-driven solutions and managing AI-related product features throughout their lifecycle. This role bridges the gap between technical development and product strategy, ensuring that AI initiatives align with business objectives while maintaining high performance, scalability, and efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

We are looking for a highly motivated Cloud and AI Solution Architect (CSA) with an entrepreneurial spirit to join our Digital Natives CSU team in EMEA. This is a unique opportunity to be at the frontline of the AI revolution, partnering with the most innovative Digital Native teams across the Middle East and Africa to design and scale Data and AI platforms on Azure that form the foundation for the next generation of data-enabled, agentic experiences.

In this regional role, you will focus on both growing existing Digital Natives and recruiting new ones, helping them modernize and scale their databases, build robust data estates, and unlock advanced analytics and AI scenarios. As a trusted advisor, you will guide founders and technical leaders on how to transform raw data into intelligence, designing platforms that not only power today's applications but also enable self-learning, adaptive AI systems. You will collaborate closely with international product groups and work alongside other Cloud Solution Architects, Solution Engineers, and Customer Success Account Managers.

This role offers an environment of continuous learning, where you will deepen your expertise in data engineering, cloud-scale databases, machine learning, and generative AI, while broadening your impact across the Azure ecosystem. The pace is fast, the work is stimulating, and the opportunity to shape how Digital Natives in the region build data-driven, AI-first businesses is significant.

Key Responsibilities include

• Guide Digital Native customers through their data platform modernization journey to Azure, focusing on high-scale solutions with CosmosDB and AI-first data platforms such as Microsoft Fabric. Highlight opportunities to accelerate innovation and become AI-ready.
• Drive adoption of generative AI by helping customers build innovative, safe, and performant AI-based solutions grounded in a solid foundation of data and infrastructure.
• Capture Analytics market share by positioning Microsoft Fabric and Azure Databricks as the platforms of choice for modern analytics workloads and advanced customer use cases.
• Understand the customer's applications portfolio, IT and business priorities, and success measures to design robust, scalable, and secure architectures (including third-party integrations) using Azure PaaS, DevOps, and advanced application development practices.
• Apply deep technical expertise and customer insights to shape modernization roadmaps, architecting solutions that deliver business value while ensuring technical feasibility and successful deployments.
• Lead Architectural Design Sessions with Digital Native teams to co-create implementation plans that align business goals with technical strategy, building consensus and momentum toward production.
• Partner closely with other Cloud Solution Architects and Microsoft stakeholders to design complex, end-to-end enterprise-grade solutions on Azure, ensuring adherence to the Well-Architected Framework.
• Build trusted, long-term relationships with customer decision-makers, enabling them to become cloud and AI advocates within their organizations.
• Act as the Voice of the Customer, sharing feedback and best practices, and partnering with Engineering to remove adoption blockers.
• Troubleshoot technical challenges to demonstrate the value of Azure's data and AI services, unlocking new innovation opportunities.
• Assess customer cloud readiness and create structured learning plans, leveraging partners to accelerate knowledge transfer and adoption.
• Continuously deepen your technical skills and market knowledge, while sharing insights with the wider technical community.
• Be an Azure Data & AI evangelist in the Digital Native ecosystem -building developer communities, leading workshops, and showcasing customer success stories.

Required Qualifications:

• 5-10 years expereince in technologies relevant to this role.
• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field AND relevant experience in cloud/infrastructure technologies, information technology (IT) consulting/support, systems administration, network operations, software development/support, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting OR equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, or related field AND relevant experience in cloud/infrastructure technologies, information technology (IT) consulting/support, systems administration, network operations, software development/support, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting OR Master's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field AND Experience in cloud/infrastructure technologies, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting OR equivalent experience.
• Experience working in a customer-facing role (e.g., internal and/or external).
  
  Experience leading technical projects, teams, or functions.
  
  Technical Certification in Cloud (e.g., Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google, security certifications).

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.

We are seeking an accomplished AI Solutions Architect with a proven track record in engaging senior executives and designing sophisticated AI architectures within cloud environments. This role requires blending advanced technical proficiency with strategic business insight to develop AI-powered data solutions that drive industry innovation and deliver measurable value for our clients. A strong emphasis on both traditional machine learning and emerging Generative AI capabilities, including large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, and AI powered automation.

Key responsibilities include architecting, implementing, and delivering AI-driven data solutions across diverse sectors. This consulting position demands comprehensive technical expertise, strong commercial understanding, and the ability to articulate complex data and AI concepts into actionable strategies that produce tangible business results. Additional duties involve supporting proposal development, contributing to business growth initiatives, and facilitating knowledge transfer to enhance internal AI and Data capabilities.

Ideal candidates will thrive in fast-paced environments, demonstrate exceptional skills in communicating the business relevance of advanced AI solutions, and possess a keen interest in elevating next-generation consulting services.

Client Delivery & Solution Implementation

• Lead the end-to-end design and delivery of AI-driven data solutions for clients, from discovery to deployment.
• Translate client business problems into AI/ML and data architecture strategies.
• Collaborate with client stakeholders, data engineers, and data scientists to support solution implementation.
• Ensure projects meet best-practice standards for compliance, governance, and ethical AI.

Capability Building & Knowledge Sharing

• Mentor and coach consulting teams, building internal AI and data solution delivery skills.
• Develop reference architectures, templates, and accelerators.
• Deliver internal training to grow organisational expertise.

Pre-Sales & Proposal Support

• Co-create proposals and solution blueprints with sales teams.
• Present confidently to senior client stakeholders.
• Identify and shape new AI-driven opportunities in client engagements.

Thought Leadership & Market Positioning

• Monitor developments in AI, ML, and data technologies, with an emphasis on their practical uses in business.
• Represent the organisation at industry events, client forums, and professional platforms.
• Publish insights, case studies, and articles that demonstrate experience in AI and data consulting.

Consulting & Delivery Leadership

• Proven experience delivering AI and data solutions within consulting and professional services environments.
• Skilled in leading multi-disciplinary teams across AI and data engagements.
• Experienced in client discovery workshops, proposal development, and executive-level presentations.

Solution Architecture & Technical Expertise

• Expert in designing AI-enabled data platforms in cloud environments, particularly Azure.
• Strong background in modern data platforms including Databricks, Synapse, and Snowflake.
• Proficient in data architecture, ingestion, transformation, and storage solutions optimized for AI readiness.
• Deep understanding of data governance, compliance, and model risk management.

AI & ML Engineering

• Hands-on experience with AI/ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Scikit-learn.
• Skilled in MLOps practices including deployment, monitoring, versioning, and governance using Azure ML, MLFlow, and Kubeflow.
• Advanced expertise in generative AI, LLMs, RAG architectures, and vector databases.
• Proficient in hybrid search, multi-modal retrieval, and integrating vector databases into complex workflows.
• Familiar with design patterns for autonomous AI agents that collaborate to achieve business goals.
• Committed to embedding fairness, transparency, and compliance into AI solution architectures.

Business Acumen & Communication

• Adept at translating complex technical concepts into business language and aligning AI solutions with client value.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Comfortable contributing to pre-sales activities including solution proposals, estimates, and client presentations.

• Client-Centric Mindset: Anticipates client needs, aligning solutions with strategic priorities.
• Commercial Awareness: Balances scope, delivery quality, and profitability.
• Influencing Skills: Builds trusted relationships across organisational levels.
• Adaptability: Thrives in varied industries, shifting priorities, and evolving technologies.
• Collaboration: Works seamlessly with cross-functional and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Analytical Thinking: Applies structured problem-solving to design innovative, pragmatic solutions.
• Knowledge Sharing: Actively uplifts organisational capability.

• AI/Data solutions delivered that meet client expectations and deliver measurable value
• Contribution to winning new client engagements through proposals and pre-sales support
• Demonstratable uplift in team AI/Data capability through mentoring and training
• Positive client feedback and repeat engagements
• Successful delivery of GenAI-powered client solutions that demonstrate measurable business impact.
• Adoption of GenAI best practices within the internal consulting team.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence
• Master's degree in AI, Data Science or Business Analytics (Advantageous)
• Certifications in Azure Data & AI solutions, AWS Data & AI Solutions
• Industry specific in AI solutioning (financial services, retail, telecommunications)
• 7+ years total in technology or data-related roles, with at least:
• 3+ years in AI/ML solution delivery, including model deployment.
• 1–2 years hands-on with Generative AI (LLMs, RAG, orchestration).
• 3+ years in a consulting, client-facing, or solution architect capacity.
• Project Experience
• Designed and delivered enterprise AI platforms or AI-enabled products.
• Built and deployed LLM-powered assistants, search/retrieval systems, or document automation workflows.
• Guided clients on AI adoption roadmaps, governance, and ethics.
• Integrated AI into existing business processes and applications

Please Note:

As all iqbusiness roles require honesty in the handling of or access to cash, finances, financial systems, or confidential information; our recruitment process requires that the following background checks be completed: credit, criminal, ID, and qualification verification.

iqbusiness is committed to sustainable growth and transformation, we embrace diversity and employ previously disadvantaged individuals