VP, Data & AI

Life Care Services•Des Moines, IA

8h•Hybrid

About The Position

LCS is looking for a visionary VP of Data & AI to lead the organization's transformation to becoming AI-native, spanning data analytics, data science, data governance, and AI. This leader is accountable for defining and executing enterprise AI strategy, driving high-impact AI solutions, and building a responsible AI program, all in direct service of measurable business outcomes. This role operates at the intersection of business and technology, influencing organizational strategy and elevating a culture where AI becomes core to how the company operates. Experience is Everything. At LCS, experience is everything. We provide you the opportunity to use your talents in a progressive, growing organization that makes a positive difference in the lives of the seniors we serve. If you are seeking an organization that gives back, you’ll love working here. Our principles and hospitality promises define our company culture. LCS employees can be found participating in volunteer activities, getting involved in our committees or collaborating with team members in our innovative workspace. You’ll find several opportunities to grow as a professional, serve the community, and enhance the lives of seniors.

Requirements

Bachelors degree in a related field or equivalent years of experience
10 or more years of progressive experience in data science, AI, analytics or related disciplines with at least 3-4 years in leadership.
Strong knowledge of generative AI, agentic AI, data science and emerging trends
Exceptional communication abilities with a proven record of presenting complex topics to executive and board-level audiences
Clear executive presence and ability to influence and align cross functional stakeholders.
Excellent business acumen and fluent in linking data initiatives to organizational strategy/value
Experience building, developing and leading multidisciplinary teams
Deep experience implementing advanced workloads in cloud, data, and AI platforms (Azure, GCP, Databricks, Snowflake, etc.)
Excellent conceptual, analytical, objective judgment, and decision-making skills.
Proven ability to balance innovation, risk, governance, security, ethics, and business impact.
Demonstrated ability to lead change management, adoption, training across business and technical audiences.

Responsibilities

Define and own the enterprise data & AI strategy roadmap, unifying analytics, data science, data governance and AI under one coherent vision tied to business outcomes.
Lead the identification, prioritization, and scoping of high-impact AI and analytics opportunities through strong partnerships across the organization.
Work closely with the team to advance LCS’s AI maturity by developing scalable approaches to agentic AI, and developing the next iteration of insight delivery at LCS
Develop and expand key external strategic partnerships, which may include relationships with universities, research institutions, data vendors, etc.
Develop and evolve team capabilities, enabling analysts to grow into agentic AI development and insight driven roles.
Lead and develop a department of high-performing, multi-disciplinary data and AI team.
In conjunction with director of data governance, elevate the AI governance program to ensure department and community readiness, secure & ethical practices, etc.
Drive cross-functional collaboration and position the function to be intentionally integrated within the various business areas to ensure capture of highest impact opportunities and knowledge
Partner with IT to shape and implement the next generation AI architecture and stack
Establish repeatable processes for intake, prioritization, solution delivery, and value measurement.
Own the department budget and ensure responsible resource allocation and demonstrable return on data/AI investments.
Responsible for the effective management and leadership of a team. This includes, but is not limited to: hiring, training, coaching, evaluating and managing performance, allocating compensation, effectively handling employee relations issues, and managing terminations.