Director of AI and Data

We are seeking a Director of AI and Data to join our data team as part of the investment and focus on Artificial Intelligence. As part of the investment and focus on Artificial Intelligence, a new role and team is being formed. The Director of AI and Data will define, build, and execute the company's enterprise-wide AI and data strategy, working hands-on to build out the team's data infrastructure and AI capabilities from the ground up. This is not a purely strategic seat: the team's current data environment is early stage, and this leader will be directly in the data, hands-on and coding, building pipelines, standing up AI agent solutions end to end, and partnering across teams to translate their AI requests into working solutions. Reporting to the VP of Data & Analytics, this role is responsible for driving innovation through AI and data technologies, establishing governance frameworks, and delivering scalable solutions that align with business objectives. The AI and Data Leader will also build and lead a high-performing team, fostering a culture of continuous learning and ethical AI practices.

Responsibilities:

• Mature and evolve the company's AI and data strategy aligned with business goals, with a strong focus on customer retention, customer experience, and teammate retention
• Translate the strategy into a sequenced execution plan and roadmap, balancing strategic direction with hands-on build work given the team's early stage of infrastructure
• Identify opportunities for AI-driven transformation across the company's family of brands and technology landscape
• Stay ahead of emerging AI trends, technologies, and regulatory requirements
• Serve as the primary advisor for AI tool selection across business functions
• Develop and maintain a recommended AI tool set for roles across the business based on security, compliance usability, and ROI
• Own the buildout of data infrastructure directly, working hands-on within the team's Microsoft Fabric, Azure, and Synapse environment
• Lead migration of data infrastructure from on-prem to cloud
• Partner directly with cross-functional teams to gather AI use case requests, then personally build and deliver those solutions end to end
• Design and own an automated in-house solution enabling field reps to log service issues via photo capture on-site
• Build out reporting and governance structures that support business and leadership presentations
• Ensure scalability, security, and compliance of AI and data systems
• Establish AI and data governance policies, ethical guidelines, and risk management frameworks
• Monitor AI performance, fairness, and transparency across all implementations
• Lead sourcing and evaluation of AI tools and platforms
• Build and recruit a high performing AI and data team as the capability and needs grow
• Drive talent acquisition, training, and career development for teammates
• Foster a collaborative and innovative environment within the IT organization and across the brands
• Partner with business leaders across teams to identify AI and data use cases and deliver measurable outcomes directly
• Communicate strategy, progress, and outcomes to executive leadership and key stakeholders in a clear and compelling manner

Requirements:

• Must reside within the greater Atlanta, GA metro area and be willing to commute onsite Monday-Friday

Required Skills:

• Strong team leader with skills in strategic planning, goal setting, process development, budgeting, and creating opportunities for professional development within technology teams
• Ability to translate the latest AI developments, trends, and business needs into a clear, actionable roadmap
• Ability to collaborate with business leads, understand business strategy/processes, and look for innovative solutions to drive business enhancements
• Balances experimentation with practical delivery, understanding how to turn AI application into measurable business value
• Comfortable leading organizational change management and adoption of new AI technologies
• Committed to responsible AI practices, compliance, and risk management
• Excellent communication, leadership, and strategic thinking abilities with a problem-solving aptitude
• Strong executive communication with ability to convey complex technical topics in easy-to-understand business terms
• Comfortable with autonomy, learning, and building from scratch while teaching and educating others in the process
• Genuinely hands-on: comfortable being in the data directly, personally building pipelines, agent solutions, and reporting infrastructure

Preferred Skills:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in computer science, Data Science, Engineering, or related technical field
• 8 years in data, AI, or Machine Learning roles
• 5 years in leadership position managing cross-function teams and delivering technical solutions at enterprise scale
• Experience as a technical expert in engineering, data analytics, BI, machine learning, data science, etc. prior to leadership/management
• Hands-on expertise with Microsoft Fabric, Azure, and Synapse
• Required experience migrating data infrastructure from on-prem to cloud environments
• Proven track record of delivering enterprise solutions and building teams from scratch
• Work effectively with all levels of management up to and including Division Directors and VPs
• Strong understanding of AI ethics, governance, and regulatory compliance