Role Overview
The Engineering Lead for the AI COE at WPP in Chennai is a senior technical position responsible for directing the architecture, standards, and advanced development requirements for the global enterprise AI portfolio. This role suits an experienced technical leader with a deep mastery of Microsoft platforms and AI ecosystems who wants to drive enterprise-level innovation.
Key Responsibilities
Define and maintain global architecture standards, design patterns, and best practices for Microsoft cloud, AI, and Power Platform solutions across the enterprise.
Lead and mentor a team of 6 to 10 developers, offering hands-on guidance, code reviews, and technical oversight.
Manage complex development requirements and research spikes to evaluate new frameworks and tools like the Microsoft Agent Framework in Python, Databricks Genie, and React.
Own and optimize the M365 Copilot and Power Platform Application Lifecycle Management process using code-first DevOps practices, PAC CLI, and Power Pipelines.
Design efficient Cloud Flows and applications leveraging deep expertise in REST API integration, JSON manipulation, and XPath.
Act as a lead practitioner in a Kanban environment to optimize development flow and effectively manage technical debt.
Maintain Dataverse environment integrity using the Dataverse Web API and Plugins to build sophisticated business logic.
Collaborate with AAI Leadership to align technical roadmaps with business goals while ensuring adherence to security and data governance policies.
Coordinate with support teams to guarantee seamless hand-over success through comprehensive documentation and observability.
Requirements
Minimum of 12 years of overall experience in IT engineering, software development, or technical architecture roles focusing on Power Platform, D365, or JS full-stack development with Dataverse and Azure.
Proven mastery of AI-assisted software development tools like Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, AMP, and GitHub Copilot, alongside relevant methodologies.
Practical experience with AI frameworks such as Microsoft Agent Framework (MAF-Python), Autogen, Semantic Kernel, LangChain, or CrewAI.
Expert proficiency across the full Power Platform suite, including Model-driven Apps, Dataverse, Power Automate, and Code Apps.
Expert-level understanding of automated deployment pipelines, solution segmentation, and environment variables.
Deep understanding of RESTful services, JSON schema, and complex data manipulation using XPath or expressions.
Proven background as an Agile Kanban practitioner managing flow efficiency.
Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, foster continuous learning, and communicate complex architectures clearly to diverse audiences.
Mandatory holding of the PL-600 Microsoft Power Platform Solution Architect certification.
Nice to Have
Preferred certifications include AI-102 (Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate, required within two months of joining) and AZ-204 (Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure).
Skills and Tools
Python
Azure
React
Microsoft Power Platform
Dataverse
D365
REST API
JSON
XPath
Agile Kanban
About the Company
WPP operates as a trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands, uniting media intelligence, data solutions, creativity, next-generation production, and transformative enterprise solutions. Powered by talent and the agentic marketing platform WPP Open, the company helps clients navigate change and capture opportunity across more than 100 markets globally. WPP is dedicated to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging, continuous learning, and equal opportunity.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should visit the official WPP careers page to submit an application for this hybrid role located in Chennai, India.
