Software Engineer Sr. Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE)

Transform how AI creates business value

The AI Enablement Office (AI EO) is accelerating how The Cigna Group discovers, builds, and scales AI-powered solutions that improve business outcomes. We are seeking a Senior Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) to lead a team of engineers and AI practitioners embedded within business domains to solve complex challenges through AI, automation, and modern software engineering.

This role combines people leadership, product thinking, technical expertise, and business partnership. You will work directly with business leaders, architects, product teams, and engineers to identify high-value opportunities, rapidly develop solutions, and transition successful products into enterprise-scale operations. If you enjoy turning ambiguity into action and helping teams deliver meaningful impact, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI across the organization.

Responsibilities

Lead AI Solution Delivery

• Lead and develop a team of Forward Deployed Engineers focused on delivering AI, automation, and digital solutions that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Oversee multiple engagements simultaneously and ensure successful delivery against strategic priorities.
• Guide teams through rapid discovery, prototyping, MVP development, production deployment, and operational transition.
• Promote engineering excellence through modern software development practices, cloud-native architectures, and scalable solution design.

Partner with the Business

• Collaborate with business leaders and operational teams to identify challenges, uncover opportunities, and define solution strategies.
• Translate complex business needs into actionable technical roadmaps and delivery plans.
• Facilitate discovery sessions to evaluate opportunities and prioritize high-value use cases.
• Establish success metrics and support realization of business value after implementation.

Develop Talent and Build Capability

• Recruit, coach, and mentor high-performing engineers and AI practitioners.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, experimentation, and continuous learning.
• Support career development, technical growth, and leadership advancement across the team.
• Contribute to workforce planning and the continued expansion of FDE capabilities.

Advance Enterprise AI Adoption

• Guide teams building solutions utilizing Generative AI, AI agents, automation technologies, APIs, and data platforms.
• Ensure compliance with enterprise architecture, security, governance, and Responsible AI standards.
• Drive reuse of shared platforms, capabilities, and accelerators across engagements.
• Partner with architecture and platform organizations to establish scalable and sustainable solutions.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering, application development, technology delivery, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of experience leading engineers, technical teams, or technology delivery organizations.
• Experience building cloud-native applications, APIs, data solutions, or AI-enabled products.
• Proven success leading technical delivery initiatives in fast-paced and evolving environments.
• Strong ability to influence stakeholders and build trusted partnerships across business and technology organizations.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity and convert business opportunities into technical solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Experience with Generative AI, large language models (LLMs), AI agents, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), or machine learning solutions.
• Experience implementing solutions using Azure AI Foundry, Databricks, or other modern cloud platforms.
• Background in healthcare, pharmacy, payer, or other highly regulated industries.
• Experience working within product-led, consulting, or innovation-focused delivery models.
• Agile, product management, engineering leadership, or cloud certifications.

If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10Mbps download/5Mbps upload.

For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary of 143,200 - 238,600 USD / yearly, depending on relevant factors, including experience and geographic location.

This role is also anticipated to be eligible to participate in an annual bonus plan.

At The Cigna Group, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, with a focus on supporting your whole health. Starting on day one of your employment, you’ll be offered several health-related benefits including medical, vision, dental, and well-being and behavioral health programs. We also offer 401(k), company paid life insurance, tuition reimbursement, a minimum of 18 days of paid time off per year, paid holidays, and leaves of absence. For more details on our employee benefits programs, click here.

About The Cigna Group

Doing something meaningful starts with a simple decision, a commitment to changing lives. At The Cigna Group, we’re dedicated to improving the health and vitality of those we serve. Through our divisions Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth Health Services, we are committed to enhancing the lives of our clients, customers and patients. Join us in driving growth and improving lives.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the online application process, please email [email protected] for assistance.  Please note that this email inbox is dedicated to accommodation requests only and cannot provide application updates or accept resumes.

The Cigna Group has a tobacco-free policy and reserves the right not to hire tobacco/nicotine users in states where that is legally permissible. Candidates in such states who use tobacco/nicotine will not be considered for employment unless they enter a qualifying smoking cessation program prior to the start of their employment. These states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.