Sr. Director, AI Center of Excellence (Remote)

Inspira Financial•Oak Brook, IL

21d•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Director, AI Center of Excellence (CoE) is a visionary leader responsible for setting the strategic direction, roadmap, and governance for the company’s AI initiatives. This role bridges executive leadership and technical teams, ensuring the AI strategy accelerates the company’s transformation from services to software. The Senior Director is accountable for driving AI adoption, managing risk, fostering a culture of innovation, and delivering measurable ROI. This leader will collaborate across business units to identify opportunities, oversee the AI/ML portfolio, and ensure alignment with business priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field.
10+ years of experience in technology leadership roles, with a focus on AI/ML, digital transformation, or product management.
Proven track record of leading enterprise-scale AI initiatives and delivering measurable business outcomes.
Experience managing cross-functional teams and complex portfolios in fast-paced, high-growth environments.
Deep understanding of modern AI/ML architectures, cloud platforms, and AI technology stacks.
Demonstrated ability to drive change management, adoption, and upskilling across diverse business units.
Experience with risk management, compliance, and ethical frameworks in AI.
Strong executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
Strategic, innovative, and creative thinker with strong analytical skills.
Ability to balance vision with hands-on execution and operational rigor.
Strong collaboration, facilitation, and interpersonal skills to engage stakeholders and drive alignment.
Experience with Agile and iterative development methodologies.
Ability to present complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
Commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture.
Ability to work occasional overtime.
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Responsibilities

Set the vision, strategy, and governance model for the AI Center of Excellence, ensuring alignment with company transformation goals.
Act as the primary liaison between executive leadership and technical teams, translating business objectives into actionable AI initiatives.
Lead the identification, prioritization, and execution of high-impact AI use cases, balancing feasibility, impact, and ethical considerations.
Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of AI/ML products and solutions—from ideation and prototyping to deployment, scaling, and adoption across the enterprise.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure AI product success, adoption, and business value.
Drive a culture of responsible AI, embedding risk management, compliance, and ethical frameworks into all AI initiatives.
Champion change management and upskilling, partnering with business leaders to promote AI fluency and adoption.
Collaborate with internal and external partners to evaluate AI platforms, tools, and vendors, ensuring best-in-class solutions.
Support business leaders in capturing and communicating ROI from AI investments.
Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory developments to inform AI strategy.
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of AI professionals, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
Other duties as assigned.
Provide direction, guidance, and support to the AI CoE team. Set clear expectations, delegate tasks, and ensure effective communication.
Evaluate team performance, provide feedback, and conduct performance reviews. Identify areas for development and create growth plans.
Remove barriers for the team, ensuring access to tools, resources, and context needed for execution.
Actively coach and develop individual team members, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
Make decisions that balance strategic priorities and operational realities, contributing to the overall success of the organization.
Cultivate relationships with clients, partners, and other departments to facilitate collaboration and achieve common goals.
Recruit, interview, hire, and train new team members as needed.