Director of Data & AI Strategy

Horizon Farm Credit•Westminster, MD

31d•Hybrid

About The Position

Horizon Farm Credit is recruiting for a Director of Data & AI Strategy to join our team. Qualified candidate may work in any available Horizon Farm Credit branch. To view locations, click here Locations | Horizon Farm Credit. The hours of operations are typically, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule after 6 months of successful employment. Travel to branch offices, AgFirst, and other facilities may be required. This is a unique opportunity to shape the enterprise-wide data and AI strategy, elevate business intelligence into a strategic partner, and empower stakeholders at all levels to make data-driven decisions. As the Director of Data & AI Strategy, you will serve as a strategic leader responsible for defining and executing Horizon's enterprise data and AI roadmap. You'll lead a team of business intelligence analysts, transforming data into actionable insights that drive innovation, efficiency, and customer-focused improvements. You'll partner closely with IT leadership, AgFirst, and business stakeholders to ensure analytics and AI capabilities align with organizational priorities and enhance both operations and customer experience.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Information Technology or related field.
Minimum of six to eight years of experience in a data or IT leadership role.
Excellent analytical and innovation skills, with ability to transfer knowledge across the organization.
Strong communication, human relations, and presentation skills.
Ability to lead, plan, and manage change effectively.
Competence in analyzing and recommending solutions to technical and business system challenges.
Ability to prioritize, take initiative, and make sound business decisions.
Willingness to travel and occasionally work evenings/weekends.
Adaptable and flexible to a changing work environment.
Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
Regular, predictable, and reliable attendance is required.
Complies with the Association's Standards of Conduct Policy.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Horizon Farm Credit and AgFirst products and services preferred.

Responsibilities

Define and execute the enterprise data and AI strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
Develop a roadmap to elevate business intelligence into a strategic insights partner.
Leverage AI and advanced analytics to drive innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
Champion a culture of data literacy, empowering stakeholders to use insights for business improvements.
Lead and develop a team of business intelligence analysts, evolving skillsets to meet strategic needs.
Create engaging visual analytics using AI-driven tools.
Foster a culture of agile methodology, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Oversee backlog management and ensure active business involvement in the request and approval cycle.
Implement standard work for data governance and quality.
Partner with IT leadership to align data and digital strategies.
Co-chair the internal AI workgroup and serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.
Build strong relationships with business owners to identify opportunities for impactful insights.
Maximize the value of data as an organizational asset.