Director, AIML Data Operations

Apple • Cupertino, CA

4d

About The Position

Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, great ideas have a way of becoming great products, services, and customer experiences very quickly! Would you like to contribute to advancing a product that is redefining human-computer interaction, and work with the people who build the intelligent assistant that helps hundreds of millions of people get things done—just by asking? Can you build high-performing teams and inspire the Apple vision of excellence? Bring passion and dedication to your job, and there's no telling what you could accomplish!The AIML team, focused on enhancing customer experience, is searching for a collaborative Global Senior Leader to oversee Quality Assurance and Learning and Development (L&D). This role involves coaching, mentoring, and guiding experienced leaders and contributors to foster quality, innovation, and exceptional performance. If you're a creative, engaging, and results-oriented people leader who thrives in a dynamic environment, passionate about quality and driving impactful outcomes, this opportunity aligns with your skills and aspirations. As the Director of Learning & Development and Quality Assurance, you will play a critical role in ensuring teams maintain high-quality output of our data annotation projects through learning and development strategies, and sound QA methodologies. You'll work closely with senior management, engineering, data science, Apple University, and AIML University to ensure that training, best practices, and QA protocols are aligned with organizational objectives. Strategic thinking, foresight, and a thoughtful approach to complex challenges are essential.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• 15+ years of leadership experience leading large organizations in an L&D and QA capacity or a related field, including providing vision and strategy while leading and developing high-performing teams in a dynamic, global organization.
• Professional fluency in English
• Deep Knowledge or proven experience with AIML concepts, including the relationship between guideline development and enhancements, data quality and model performance.
• Deep knowledge of data reporting, coupled with excellent analytical skills and meticulous attention to detail within the data, are essential qualities.
• Ability to travel internationally when required (Position will require travel and non-standard work hours, including evenings and weekends.)

Nice To Haves

• Passion for AIML and Operations, with a consistent track record of operational results.
• Master's degree (MBA preferred)
• Ability to translate large amounts of data into organized, quality decisions using your analytical experience and team collaboration
• Strong communication skills, ability to clearly and concisely motivate frontline employees, managers, and senior leaders.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, written and verbal, to all levels of an organization.
• Strong experience in influencing and leading large organizations for success.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive L&D strategy to enhance both technical and non-technical skills within data operations teams.
• Design and oversee training programs for different skill levels, aligning with technology trends and organizational needs.
• Promote continuous learning through mentorship, peer coaching, and knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate with leaders to tailor programs to specific training needs and manage delivery through platforms like e-learning, certifications, and workshops.
• Establish quality standards and metrics for data operations, with a focus on validation, model testing, and pipeline optimization across Global Operations.
• Lead the development of QA protocols to ensure data and model accuracy, reliability, and scalability.
• Advocate for automated testing to enhance QA efficiency.
• Collaborate with Data Science and Engineering teams to implement high-quality QA practices, review model performance, provide feedback, and ensure compliance with best practices.
• Establish, maintain, and update key performance indicators, and provide regular updates to executive leadership on progress and impact.
• Lead change management efforts related to process improvements, new training initiatives, and quality protocols across the team.
• Foster a culture of learning and quality, driving employee engagement through regular feedback, recognition programs, and opportunities for career growth.
• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of L&D professionals, QA specialists, and trainers, setting clear performance goals and providing ongoing support for their professional development.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition.
• Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple's Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees