Director of AI Systems

Klaviyo • Boston, MA

128d • $176,000 - $264,000

About The Position

As the Director of AI Systems, you will be the catalyst for Klaviyo’s internal AI transformation, building a formal CoE from the ground up. Reporting to the Director of IT, you will establish the vision, strategy, and governance framework to embed artificial intelligence and intelligent automation across our global operations. This is a pioneering role focused on moving beyond experimentation to deployment at scale. Your mission is to drive measurable operational leverage, democratize AI capabilities securely, and fundamentally enhance how Klaviyo operates as it scales.

Requirements

• 10+ years of cumulative experience in technology, with at least 4+ years in a leadership role focused on data platforms, emerging technology, or intelligent automation.
• Demonstrated experience building a technology function or practice from the ground up in a corporate environment.
• Hands-on experience architecting and implementing AI/ML platforms or automation tools, and a clear understanding of their practical application to business problems.
• Experience presenting complex technical strategies and business cases to senior leadership (VP-level and above) and gaining buy-in for significant investments.
• Strong understanding of data governance, security, and the ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI in an enterprise.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with modern AI architectures such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for enterprise knowledge.
• Familiarity with the native AI capabilities within major enterprise platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, Salesforce Einstein, Microsoft CoPilot, Gemini).
• Experience in a high-growth, global SaaS company, with an understanding of the key operational levers for scale.
• A Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related technical field.

Responsibilities

• Build the AI Center of Excellence: Develop, evangelize, and own the strategic roadmap for AI and automation. Create a centralized function that provides expertise, governance, and tools to the entire organization.
• Drive High-Value Use Cases: Partner with senior leaders across the business to identify and execute on a portfolio of high-ROI AI initiatives, focusing on AIOps, generative AI for productivity (e.g., knowledge management, content creation), and hyperautomation for back-office processes.
• Architect the AI Platform & Governance: Lead the end-to-end selection and implementation of AI platforms. Design and implement a robust governance framework covering data usage, model validation, security, and responsible AI principles.
• Quantify and Communicate Business Value: Define a rigorous set of KPIs to measure the business impact, ROI, and adoption of all AI initiatives. Create a clear narrative around value creation for executive stakeholders.
• Manage the AI Investment Portfolio: Own the 'buy vs. build' analysis for AI tooling and manage the portfolio of AI investments to ensure alignment with business priorities and financial objectives.
• Serve as Klaviyo’s central subject matter expert on applied AI. Demystify the technology and inspire the organization by showcasing the art of the possible.

Benefits

• Participation in the company’s annual cash bonus plan
• Variable compensation (OTE) for sales and customer success roles
• Equity
• Sign-on payments
• Comprehensive range of health, welfare, and wellbeing benefits based on eligibility

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees