Director, Strategy & Operations

Execution of Data and AI Strategy:

• Work with the leaders in Data and AI teams to arrive at a cohesive strategy for the enterprise data and AI team

• Drive the long term objectives, success criteria and continuous performance measurement vs goals, create impact stories and communicate to stakeholders across businesses

• Collaborate with business leaders and technical teams (engineering, AI, analytics, and product teams) to prioritize initiatives and ensure effective execution of data and AI projects.

• Ensure the smooth integration of enterprise data and AI solutions into day-to-day business functions, supporting the operationalization of the data and AI strategy.

• Monitor and track the progress of data and AI projects, ensuring alignment with business goals, timelines, and resource availability.

Cross-functional Leadership:

• Work closely with the enterprise data platforms and AI teams to align on objectives, timelines, and deliverables.

• Support cross-functional collaboration to ensure that data and AI projects meet business needs and contribute to broader digital transformation objectives.

• Foster innovation, knowledge-sharing, and best practices to drive the successful execution and adoption of data and AI initiatives.

Governance & Risk Management:

• Implementation of effective governance frameworks to ensure that projects are delivered on-time and within budget.

• Contribute to risk management efforts by identifying potential risks and ensuring mitigation strategies are in place.

• Assist with maintaining data quality, privacy, and compliance standards across all enterprise data assets.

Business Process Management & Performance Optimization:

• Support the Data and AI led business transformations through adequate change management, business process reengineering, solution support

• Oversee the integration of data and AI initiatives into business operations, ensuring alignment with key business processes.

• Track the performance of data and AI projects, recommending adjustments as necessary to ensure business value is being realized.

• Help maintain balanced scorecards to track KPIs and measure project success against defined objectives.

Vendor Strategy & Relationship Management:

• Development of a vendor strategy, ensuring that third-party vendors support data and AI project timelines and quality requirements.

• Manage vendor relationships, participating in negotiations to secure favorable terms and establish long-term, collaborative partnerships.

Data Culture Leadership:

• Assist in fostering a culture of innovation, learning, and continuous improvement across the data and AI teams.

• Creation of training and development programs to build data literacy and skill sets both within the functional team and across the organization.

• Help nurture talent and support the development of succession plans for team members.

Stakeholder Management & Communication:

• Serve as a key point of contact for enterprise data and AI teams, facilitating communication and alignment with other technology teams.

• Help prepare regular progress updates for executive leadership, highlighting key initiatives, risks, and opportunities.

• Cultivate a transparent communication culture, ensuring clarity across teams and stakeholders on project goals and outcomes.

Qualifications & Experiences:

• 10+ years of experience in strategic planning, data management, AI project governance, technology leadership, and cross-functional collaboration, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s is a plus).

• Proven track record of overseeing the execution and operationalization of data and AI strategies within large organizations.

• Expertise in data governance, business process management, project performance management, and vendor relations.

• Extensive experience in leading teams to execute complex enterprise-wide data and AI projects.

• Strong knowledge of data architecture, AI technologies, cloud platforms, and machine learning frameworks.

• Familiarity with regulatory requirements related to data security, privacy, and AI ethics.

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with a focus on delivering operational success.

• Excellent leadership, communication, and negotiation skills, with the ability to manage complex relationships with stakeholders, vendors, and business leaders.

• Proficient in performance management, balancing competing priorities, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals.