Software Engineering Director, Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE)

Are you passionate about turning emerging AI technologies into measurable business outcomes? The AI Enablement Office (AI EO) is seeking a Director of Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) to lead high-impact AI initiatives that solve complex business challenges and accelerate enterprise transformation.

In this role, you will partner with executive leaders, product teams, architects, and technology organizations to identify strategic opportunities, rapidly deliver innovative solutions, and scale successful capabilities across the enterprise. You will lead multidisciplinary teams that combine AI, engineering, product, data, and business expertise to transform ideas into meaningful results.

This is an opportunity to shape the future of AI adoption while building a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous learning.

Responsibilities

Drive Strategic Business Impact

• Lead a portfolio of Forward Deployed Engineering engagements across business and functional domains.
• Partner with senior leaders to identify, prioritize, and accelerate high-value AI opportunities.
• Define value realization strategies, measurable success metrics, and scaling plans for AI-enabled solutions.
• Align AI initiatives with enterprise objectives and long-term business strategy.

Deliver AI Solutions at Scale

• Lead embedded teams of engineers, AI specialists, architects, product professionals, and domain experts.
• Guide teams through discovery, solution design, prototyping, MVP development, production deployment, and operational transition.
• Accelerate delivery while ensuring compliance with enterprise governance, security, and Responsible AI standards.
• Leverage AI agents, generative AI, automation, analytics, and intelligent workflows to solve complex business problems.

Build Strong Product & Executive Partnerships

• Translate ambiguous business opportunities into clear product and engineering roadmaps.
• Collaborate with executives and business stakeholders to define outcomes, adoption strategies, and business value.
• Influence decision-making by challenging assumptions and identifying opportunities for innovation.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on AI investments, risks, capabilities, and emerging technologies.

Develop Talent & Organizational Capability

• Build, coach, and retain high-performing engineering and AI talent.
• Establish role expectations, development plans, and career growth pathways for FDE professionals.
• Foster a culture of customer focus, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Drive collaboration across AI EO, Product, Architecture, Data, Operations, Delivery, and business teams.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience leading technology, engineering, product, or digital transformation initiatives.
• 5+ years of experience leading managers and multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex AI, data, software, or automation solutions from concept through production.
• Strong understanding of generative AI, machine learning, intelligent automation, cloud technologies, and modern software engineering practices.
• Experience partnering with executive stakeholders and translating business challenges into scalable technology solutions.
• Proven ability to influence strategy, manage competing priorities, and drive measurable business outcomes.
• Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading Forward Deployed Engineering, solution engineering, innovation, consulting, or incubation teams.
• Experience building AI-powered products, platforms, or enterprise capabilities.
• Knowledge of Responsible AI, model governance, security, and risk management practices.
• Experience working within healthcare, insurance, financial services, or other highly regulated industries.
• Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Data Science, or a related field.

What Success Looks Like

You will help the organization unlock business value through AI by accelerating innovation, proving outcomes quickly, and scaling successful solutions into sustainable enterprise capabilities. Through strong leadership, technical expertise, and strategic partnership, you will enable teams to solve meaningful challenges and shape the future of AI across the enterprise.

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.

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.