AI Data Operations & Annotation Team Lead

About Gramian
Gramian Consultancy is a boutique consultancy specializing in IT professional services and engineering talent solutions. With a strong background in software engineering and leadership, we help companies build high-performing teams by matching them with professionals who truly fit their needs.
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced AI Data Operations & Annotation Team Lead to oversee annotation teams responsible for producing accurate, high-quality AI training data. In this role, you will manage daily workflows, guide annotators and Pod Leads, monitor productivity and quality metrics, and ensure timely delivery under tight deadlines, often within 24-hour turnaround windows. The ideal candidate has proven team leadership experience, strong operational and communication skills, and the ability to translate complex client guidelines into clear instructions while maintaining consistent quality and performance.
Key Responsibilities
Manage annotation batches from project launch through final delivery, ensuring deadlines and quality standards are met.
Review client guidelines and translate them into clear, actionable instructions for annotators and Pod Leads.
Lead and coordinate annotation teams, establish daily production targets, and maintain appropriate staffing and workload distribution.
Monitor productivity, quality, turnaround times, and other operational performance metrics.
Conduct coaching, retraining, and remediation to address performance gaps and recurring quality issues.
Partner with QA and tooling teams to identify bottlenecks and improve annotation workflows and processes.
Identify high-performing team members and support their development toward future leadership responsibilities.
Track project progress, identify operational risks and blockers, and communicate updates to the Project Lead.
Maintain consistent annotation quality and operational efficiency in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
Requirements
4–6 years of overall professional experience, including at least 2 years in a team leadership or supervisory role.
Proven experience managing teams against productivity, quality, and delivery targets.
Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Ability to interpret complex guidelines and convert them into clear instructions and workflows.
Experience managing competing priorities, staffing needs, and time-sensitive deliverables.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to maintaining high-quality output.
Availability to work the specified schedule for the full 16-week project.

Work arrangement
No