AI Program Manager - Special Projects & Innovation

SmartTech Contracting LLC

12d • $99,750 - $120,225 • Remote

About The Position

Smart Tech Contracting delivers turnkey BAS & EPMS solutions for mission-critical colocation and hyperscale data centers operating at national program scale. As a Master Systems Integrator (MSI), we unify controls construction (DDC, PLC, SCADA) with software engineering, optimized graphics / UI standards, and program-level governance. Our Special Projects and Innovation (SPI) group is where we pursue the ideas that do not fit inside a standard project — and it is the home of SmartTech.ai, our company-wide AI enablement program.

AI adoption at STC has grown fast and organically: capable people across every department have built real tools and returned real time. That grassroots energy is our foundation — and it has outgrown an informal, team-by-team approach. As AI Program Manager, you will take SmartTech.ai from siloed experimentation to a governed, supported, and scalable capability — setting light-touch policy and standards, standing up the development frameworks and hosting platforms that turn prototypes into deployable products, pairing the right tools to the right use cases, and raising the AI fluency of every employee through training, messaging, and hands-on support.

This is STC's first dedicated AI enablement hire. You will report to the VP of Engineering & Technology, operate within the SPI department, and coordinate a hub-and-spoke network of departmental AI Champions. You are equal parts builder and enabler — technical enough to architect and ship AI solutions yourself, and skilled enough with people and process to make the entire company better at using AI. You will receive general direction on objectives and work independently to build the program, communicating and operating in line with organizational goals and values as well as departmental objectives.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience building or maturing an AI enablement program or Center of Excellence at a similarly sized, fast-scaling company — taking it from ad-hoc adoption to governed, supported capability
• Power user of Claude (claude.ai, Claude Code, CoWork, Projects, connectors/MCP, and agentic tools) with fluency across the modern AI tool landscape (e.g., ChatGPT, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Perplexity)
• Hands-on skill designing and shipping LLM-powered applications: prompt engineering, agent and workflow design, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and API integration
• Application development and rapid prototyping using AI app builders and full-stack tools (e.g., Replit, Lovable) and scripting (Python)
• Development frameworks, hosting platforms, and DevOps: source control (Git), CI/CD, containerization, and cloud hosting (Microsoft Azure and others)
• Data fundamentals: relational, vector, and time-series data, knowledge bases, and data-pipeline concepts sufficient to ground AI tools in company data
• Workflow automation platforms such as Microsoft Power Automate, Copilot Studio)
• Working knowledge of AI governance and IT/OT security frameworks
• Program and change management: intake and prioritization, roadmapping, stakeholder management, and internal communications
• Ability to translate business needs into AI use cases and to teach both technical and non-technical audiences
• Skilled at using MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams); knowledge of file management
• Ability to work successfully in a remote environment through effective communication and organizational skills, self-motivation, proactiveness, and resourcefulness in a distraction-free workspace
• Ability to analyze and prepare documents, reports, and correspondence
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form (technical and non-technical information) and directly with stakeholders across all levels
• Ability to work successfully as a member of a team and independently with limited supervision
• Ability to work under pressure and meet close deadlines
• Ability to effectively plan, prioritize, and delegate work
• Organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously
• Ability to follow company and site safety requirements

Responsibilities

• Establish light-touch, practical governance for AI use company-wide — acceptable-use standards, data-handling and security guardrails, and a clear tool-approval pathway — in partnership with IT and InfoSec
• Contribute to development of the innovation and idea intake (“funnel”), triaging incoming requests and prototypes and prioritizing them by value, effort, and risk
• Maintain a lightweight review cadence that keeps the program safe and consistent without slowing the people doing the work
• Raise the AI fluency of the entire company — technical and non-technical staff alike — through hands-on training, office hours, documentation, and reusable prompt and workflow libraries
• Own internal messaging and change management for SmartTech.ai: announcements, wins, and adoption campaigns that build momentum and engagement
• Coordinate the departmental AI Champions network, turning individual wins into shared, company-wide capability
• Turn ideas and prototypes into deployable, supportable solutions — designing, building, and shipping LLM-powered tools, agents, and integrations
• Serve as a hands-on power user of Claude and modern AI development tools, setting the technical bar for prompt engineering, agentic workflows, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) over company knowledge, and API integration
• Harden and deploy high-value prototypes built by others so delivery teams can rely on them without owning their maintenance
• Design and stand up the sanctioned development environments, hosting platforms, and DevOps toolchain (source control, CI/CD, containerization, cloud hosting) that let AI solutions be built, deployed, and maintained safely and repeatably
• Replace ad-hoc, unsanctioned workarounds with secure, documented, scalable infrastructure, in coordination with IT and InfoSec
• Establish reusable patterns, templates, and reference architectures for AI application development
• Evaluate, select, and manage the company's portfolio of AI tools and platforms; map tools to specific business needs and use cases so teams adopt the right tool for the job
• Track adoption, value, and ROI; maintain a prioritized roadmap of AI investments aligned to corporate growth targets
• Manage vendor relationships, licensing, and cost, and advise leadership on build-vs-buy decisions
• Leverage AI-enabled and digital tools to enhance efficiency, reduce manual effort, and support consistent, high-quality work output
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and demonstrate a continuous learning mindset, seeking out new technologies, skills, and methods that elevate individual and team performance
• Adapt to emerging technologies and evolving digital workflows, actively supporting the integration and adoption of innovative tools across the organization
• Completion of assigned tasks and deliverables on time and on budget
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Benefits

• Choice of comprehensive medical plans (including two PPO-style plans and a HDHP w/ HSA option)
• Dental and vision plans
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits extended to spouse / domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26
• 401k with company match and self-directed brokerage account option
• PTO including additional paid time off during the last week of the year
• Company paid life insurance coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Short and long-term disability, AD&D coverage
• Professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement and professional licensing assistance
• Paid parental leave after one year of employment

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior