Chief AI Strategist

N-able • Morrisville, NC

5d

About The Position

N-able is seeking a Chief AI Strategist to develop and lead the company’s end-to-end AI strategy across its portfolio. This strategy-and-standards leadership role has broad product influence and is not focused on research or a single product. The position works with business unit general managers on AI product strategy, with the CTPO and engineering leaders on AI software development practices, and with the CIO on internal productivity strategy. It operates within the enterprise AI governance model maintained by the CIO and governance council.

The strategist will shape multi-year applied AI priorities across unified endpoint management, security operations, and data protection; guide build, partner, and buy decisions; and maintain the AI investment roadmap. The role owns shared AI architecture and standards, including agent interoperability, identity and permissions, autonomy and approval models, evaluation, observability, and cost management. It also partners with security leaders on AI-specific threats and leads responsible AI principles, governance, and regulatory readiness.

As N-able’s primary AI spokesperson, the role represents the company to partners, analysts, investors, media, and the broader MSP community. It also leads a focused AI strategy and architecture team, establishes a cross-functional AI council, and supports AI talent and literacy development.

Requirements

• 15+ years in technology leadership.
• 5+ years leading applied AI/ML strategy in a B2B software or security company.
• Direct experience shipping AI capabilities to customers at scale.
• Hands-on credibility with modern LLM and agent systems, including the ability to discuss architecture, evaluation, and failure modes with engineers and explain them to nontechnical audiences.
• Track record of setting cross-portfolio technical standards and gaining adoption from independent product teams.
• Demonstrated depth in responsible AI, AI governance, or AI regulation.
• Proven external presence through conference keynotes, published writing, analyst relationships, or a recognized industry voice.

Nice To Haves

• Understanding of the MSP/channel model, IT operations, or cybersecurity is strongly preferred.
• Patents or published research in AI/ML.
• Board or advisory experience.
• Public company experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own a multi-year applied AI strategy across UEM, security operations (MDR/SIEM), and data protection, tied to measurable partner outcomes.
• Help determine where N-able should build, partner, or buy across models, agent frameworks, and AI infrastructure; maintain the AI investment roadmap with the CTPO and product line leaders.
• Track developments in the agent ecosystem and translate them into investment decisions and clear priorities.
• Set the direction for N-able’s AI innovation agenda and new platform and product investments.
• Own the reference architecture and shared AI standards, including agent interoperability, identity and permissions, approval and autonomy models, evaluation, observability, and cost management.
• Promote common AI foundations across product teams rather than one-off implementations.
• Partner with the CISO and Security Engineering on AI-specific threats, including prompt injection, agent privilege, and data exfiltration.
• Own and evolve customer- and partner-facing AI principles and turn them into review gates, documentation, and disclosures, in partnership with the CIO on internal AI principles.
• Represent product and customer-facing AI on the enterprise AI Governance Council.
• Lead AI regulatory readiness with Legal, including model and vendor risk assessment and data-use policy.
• Help define the AI SDLC with Engineering and Product leaders.
• Serve as N-able’s primary AI spokesperson at keynotes, analyst briefings, media, podcasts, and industry bodies.
• Help MSPs adopt AI responsibly through thought leadership, frameworks, and community programs.
• Support investor relations and the executive team on AI narrative and competitive positioning.
• Lead a focused AI strategy and architecture team and build a cross-functional AI council spanning Product, Engineering, Security, Legal, and Marketing.
• Grow AI talent and literacy across the strategy and architecture team and partner with the CIO and HR on company-wide AI literacy.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees, partners, and children.
• Generous paid time off and observed holidays.
• Two paid volunteer days per year.
• Retirement Savings Plan.
• Employee Stock Purchase Program.
• Free lunch twice per week at Collaboration Hubs.
• On-site gym access at select Collaboration Hubs.
• Fundraising opportunities as part of the company giving program.
• N-ablite Learning custom learning experience.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed