Director, AI for Education & Workforce

IREX • Washington, DC

2d

About The Position

The Director, AI for Education and Workforce will devote most of the role to leading AI-in-education strategy for the ASAS program in Jordan. The remaining effort will advance IREX’s broader AI portfolio through technical leadership, partnerships, thought leadership, and business development. This is a strategy and program leadership position, not a software engineering role. The position may be based in Amman, UAE, or Washington, DC, and periodic domestic and international travel may be required. Priorities may evolve with portfolio and organizational needs.

The Director will serve as ASAS’s senior technical authority on AI in education, setting strategy and advising program leadership and partners on policy, governance, responsible adoption, evidence, investment, and risk. The role will steer higher education AI-readiness work with Jordanian universities toward a systems-level agenda for teacher preparation and faculty capability, while connecting that work to IREX’s broader AI-in-education portfolio.

Across IREX, the Director will lead the design, delivery, and evaluation of responsible AI-enabled education and workforce programs; develop distinctive AI solutions and scalable offerings; advise teams on tools, vendors, implementation models, risk controls, and success measures; and translate technology, policy, funding, and labor-market trends into recommendations. The role will also build partnerships, shape business opportunities and proposals, represent IREX externally, create thought leadership, and equip colleagues with practical guidance and shared-learning opportunities.

Requirements

• Advanced degree or equivalent experience in education, workforce development, public policy, technology, organizational transformation, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience, including leadership in education, workforce, digital transformation, AI adoption, or a related area.
• Ability to translate AI concepts into practical strategies, programs, and institutional solutions for nontechnical stakeholders.
• Experience developing business and partnerships with donors, governments, foundations, companies, universities, or technology organizations.
• Strong knowledge of responsible AI and its implications for workforce transitions, institutional capacity, and learning.
• Demonstrated cross-functional leadership.
• Excellent written, oral, facilitation, and public-representation skills across diverse contexts.
• Unrestricted authorization to work in the United States is required for the Washington, DC location.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with international and emerging-market education and workforce systems.
• Experience leading AI readiness, digital transformation, educator development, workforce-skilling, or institutional-capacity initiatives.
• Relevant networks and experience producing evidence or thought leadership for senior and external audiences.
• Deep experience working across the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and a strong understanding of regional education and workforce systems, institutional landscapes, and policy contexts.

Responsibilities

• Serve as ASAS’s senior technical authority on AI in education, advising program leadership and partners on policy, governance, and responsible adoption pathways.
• Set the strategic vision for AI within ASAS and position the program as Jordan’s flagship reference point for responsible AI in early-grade education, aligned with U.S. Department of State priorities and IREX’s global AI agenda.
• Advise on AI policy, sequencing, and investment choices in light of program objectives, institutional readiness, available evidence, and long-term sustainability.
• Define the evidence and learning strategy for AI, including what ASAS must demonstrate, to whom, and by when.
• Steer AI-readiness work with Jordanian universities toward a systems-level agenda for teacher preparation and faculty capability, linked to IREX’s broader AI-in-education work.
• Anticipate and manage strategic risks, including regulatory shifts, vendor lock-in, donor and implementation gaps, and reputational exposure from premature or poorly governed AI deployment.
• Measure the impact of ASAS’s AI work and translate results into use cases and case studies for external communications, marketing, business development, and learning.
• Represent ASAS and IREX at national, regional, and global AI-in-education forums and contribute to policy dialogue and thought leadership across the Middle East and North Africa.
• Lead the design, delivery, and evaluation of responsible AI-enabled education and workforce programs.
• Design and develop AI solutions that distinguish IREX in the marketplace.
• Advise teams on tools, implementation models, vendors, risk controls, and measures of success.
• Ensure solutions reflect user needs, local systems, labor-market demand, institutional realities, and IREX quality standards.
• Shape scalable offerings, including AI readiness assessments, institutional transformation support, training, responsible AI learning products, and advisory services.
• Monitor technology, policy, funding, and labor-market trends and translate them into recommendations for leadership and program teams.
• Build high-impact partnerships with donors, governments, foundations, companies, universities, employers, and technology organizations.
• Shape and pursue opportunities through strategic capture, proposal development, and partner engagement.
• Translate global demand into compelling scopes, delivery models, budgets, value propositions, and collaborations.
• Serve as IREX’s senior global voice on AI in education and workforce systems.
• Equip colleagues with practical guidance, tools, training, and opportunities for shared learning.
• Create thought leadership and advise senior leaders on emerging opportunities, evidence, progress, and risk.

Benefits

• United States (DC): comprehensive U.S. benefits package, including health/dental insurance, 401(k) matching, and paid time off.
• UAE and Amman: localized allowances where applicable and standard statutory benefits, including health coverage, annual flight allowances, and end-of-service gratuities in accordance with local labor laws.
• Learning, development, and growth opportunities.
• Comprehensive benefits package designed to support overall well-being.

What This Job Offers

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