Senior Director, Applied AI and Data Solutions

Ready for a career glow up? As Senior Director of Applied AI and Data Solutions, you'll be establishing and leading the Applied AI & Data Solutions vertical within Business Systems. This is a rare opportunity to build from the ground defining strategy, assembling a team, and driving transformative Agentic AI adoption, Business Automation across Supply Chain, Merchandising, and Finance domains. This leader will help translate cutting-edge AI capabilities into tangible business outcomes, working directly with business leaders to identify high-impact opportunities and deliver production-ready solutions that drive measurable value. This role requires equal parts strategic vision and hands-on execution expertise. * Build AI Business Cases. Develop ROI-driven business cases for Agentic AI initiatives, partnering with domain leaders to identify high-impact opportunities and translate them into scalable AI/data solutions — including digital agents, productivity automation, and AI-assisted decision-making. Drive Executive Stakeholder Relationships. Manage C-level and cross-functional relationships across Supply Chain, Merchandising, and Finance, grooming AI ideas into strategic initiatives, innovation programs, and actionable roadmaps aligned with enterprise objectives. Lead and Scale a High-Performing Team. Build, mentor, and grow a team of data scientists, ML engineers, and analytics professionals — fostering a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous learning while developing talent pipelines across the organization. Define Agentic AI and Automation Strategy. Set the vision and execution strategy for Agentic AI and Business Automation aligned with enterprise goals, identifying and prioritizing AI/ML opportunities across key retail domains. Partner with Technology Leadership. Collaborate directly with VP/CTO/CIO on AI enablement and foundational technology setup, influencing all levels of the organization to embrace AI-first transformation and new ways of operating. 10+ years in AI/ML and data science leadership, including Director-level or above experience delivering production AI/ML solutions at scale in enterprise environments. Deep technical expertise in modern AI/ML techniques — including generative AI (LLMs, RAG), NLP, predictive modeling, computer vision, supervised/unsupervised learning, and data engineering platforms such as Databricks and Snowflake. Proven domain knowledge in retail operations — specifically Supply Chain, Merchandising, or Finance — with a demonstrated track record of driving organizational change and AI adoption at a strategic leadership level. Strong communication and executive influence skills, with the ability to build AI fluency across an organization, present to C-suite stakeholders, and balance long-term vision with short-term execution. Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering or MBA from a prestigious institution required; AI/ML certifications preferred.