R&D Senior Director - Search And Social

Description

Who are we?

Skai (formerly Kenshoo) is a leading omnichannel marketing platform that leverages advanced AI and machine learning to deliver intelligent solutions for smarter decision-making, increased efficiency, and maximized returns for businesses around the world. Our partners include Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft and more. ~$9 billion in ad spending is managed annually on the Skai™ platform.

Established in 2006, Skai has 600 employees working in a flexible hybrid model with a great mix of home and office.

What will you do?

• Lead and oversee R&D teams and groups, including people management, professional development, and team growth.
• Partner with the world’s largest platforms, including Google, Microsoft, and Meta. Driving strategic collaborations and platform integrations that power omnichannel advertising performance.
• Define and execute technical vision and product strategy in line with business goals.
• Drive the full lifecycle of product development: ideation, architecture, execution, quality, and delivery.
• Collaborate closely with Product, Design, Operations, and Customer Success teams to translate market needs into scalable solutions.
• Manage project priorities, resource allocation, and timelines to ensure on-time, high-quality deliverables.
• Foster a culture of innovation, ownership, and continuous improvement across multicultural teams.
• Act as an active member of the R&D staff.
  
  

• Proven 5+ years of experience as a VP/Senior Director in software R&D, preferably in a SaaS/B2B environment.
• Demonstrated track record in leading engineering or diverse product teams (30+ people).
• Experience with GenAI SDLC (software development lifecycle) - building, integrating, and operationalizing AI-driven capabilities in production systems.
• Deep expertise in cloud architectures and scalable production systems.
• Strategic thinker able to translate business vision into actionable engineering plans.
• Hands-on background as an engineer/architect—capable of providing technical guidance where needed.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and communication skills in multicultural/global environments.
• Excellent English (speaking, reading, writing).
• Academic degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent (advanced degree an advantage).
  
  

• Experience in AdTech/MarTech or data-driven product ecosystems.
• Hands-on background in ML, Big Data, or Cloud technologies.
• Familiarity with agile methodologies and cross-functional work environments.