Director, Conversational AI Agents

WillowTree; Vancouver, Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 148,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital consultancy in Canada is seeking a Director of Conversational AI Agents to lead the growth of its AI practice. The role requires strategic leadership, expertise in conversational AI, and the ability to foster client relationships. Ideal candidates have extensive experience in technology consulting and a strong background in leading innovative AI projects. The position offers a competitive salary range, hybrid work options, and excellent benefits, ensuring a supportive and dynamic work environment.

Benefits

Healthcare benefits (Medical, Vision, Dental)

Retirement Savings Matching

Competitive PTO Policy

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Life & Disability Insurance

Annual performance bonus

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in technology consulting or customer experience roles.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in a global consulting environment.
• Proven expertise in large-scale conversational AI solutions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the strategic roadmap for the Conversational AI Agent practice.
• Lead the team in building high-quality AI solutions.
• Identify and cultivate business opportunities and client relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Conversational AI expertise

Strategic thinking

NLP understanding

Client engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

MBA or advanced degree

Tools

Dialogflow

AI platforms

Job description

Who We Are

Welcome to TELUS Digital — where innovation drives impact at a global scale. As an award-winning digital product consultancy and the digital division of TELUS , one of Canada’s largest telecommunications providers, we design and deliver transformative customer experiences through cutting‑edge technology, agile thinking, and a people‑first culture.

With a global team across North America, South America, Central America, Europe, and APAC, we offer end‑to‑end expertise across eight core service areas: Digital Product Consulting, Digital Marketing Services, Data & AI, Strategy Consulting, Business Operations Modernization, Enterprise Applications, Cloud Engineering, and QA & Test Engineering.

From mobile apps and websites to voice UI, chatbots, AI, customer service, and in‑store solutions, TELUS Digital enables seamless, trusted, and digitally powered experiences that meet customers wherever they are — all backed by the secure infrastructure and scale of our multi‑billion‑dollar parent company.

Location

This role will have the option to be in a Work From Near (Hybrid) capacity based out of one of our Canadian offices, or in a Work From Anywhere (Remote) capacity with travel to clients and TELUS Digital offices expected.

The Opportunity

TELUS Digital is seeking a visionary and results‑driven Director, Conversational AI Agents leader to support the growth and expansion of our global Conversational AI Agents Practice. This is a pivotal leadership role within our Global AI team, responsible for shaping our strategy, driving innovation, and delivering exceptional value to our clients through the intelligent application of AI technologies for customer experience.

You will be instrumental in building and scaling our expertise in Conversational Agents, designing and delivering complex virtual assistant solutions, and leading a team of talented Conversational Architects and developers. This role requires a blend of strategic thinking, deep technical understanding of conversational AI platforms, strong business acumen, and exceptional leadership skills to inspire and empower a high‑performing team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the strategic roadmap for the Conversational AI Agent practice within TELUS Digital's Global AI team, driving significant growth in revenue, market share, and client adoption across various industries.
• Lead the delivery and development team of Conversational Architects, designers, and developers in building complex, high‑quality conversational AI solutions (e.g., Virtual Assistants, Chatbots, Voicebots).
• Identify new business opportunities and cultivate strong relationships with key partners, stakeholders, and within client organizations to expand our footprint.
• Lead the entire lifecycle of solution development and delivery, from conceptualization and design to implementation, optimization, and ongoing support, focusing on platform‑agnostic best practices.
• Establish and manage key performance indicators (KPIs) for the practice and the delivered solutions, regularly reporting on progress and demonstrating tangible business value.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in conversational AI platforms, generative AI, natural language processing (NLP), and broader customer engagement technologies, integrating new capabilities into our offerings.
• Drive the creation of innovative, platform‑agnostic conversational solutions and accelerators, addressing complex customer experience challenges for our clients.
• Oversee the technical architecture and delivery excellence of Conversational AI implementations, ensuring high quality, scalability, and adherence to best practices for Conversational Architects.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation within the team, encouraging experimentation and the adoption of cutting‑edge techniques.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop a world‑class team of Conversational Architects, AI specialists, conversational designers, solution architects, and delivery managers.
• Provide strong technical and strategic leadership, fostering a collaborative, high‑performance, and client‑centric team environment.
• Develop and implement training programs to ensure the team possesses the necessary skills in conversational AI design, architecture, and development.
• Manage resource allocation, project prioritization, and operational efficiency within the practice.

Client Engagement & Partnership:

• Act as a trusted advisor to clients, understanding their business challenges and translating them into effective Conversational AI solutions.
• Lead client presentations, workshops, and solution demonstrations, effectively articulating the value proposition of our Conversational AI offerings.
• Collaborate closely with TELUS Digital's sales, marketing, and other delivery teams to ensure seamless go‑to‑market strategies and integrated client solutions.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in technology consulting, digital transformation, or customer experience roles, with a strong focus on AI/ML solutions.
• 5+ years of leadership experience leading and mentoring a development and delivery team of Conversational Architects, ideally within a global consulting or professional services environment.
• Proven expertise and hands‑on experience in leading the design, development, and delivery of large‑scale, enterprise‑level conversational AI solutions (e.g., chatbots, voicebots, virtual assistants).
• Deep knowledge of conversational AI best practices, including natural language processing (NLP), intent recognition, entity extraction, conversational flow design, and Generative AI for agents.
• Demonstrated track record of successfully delivering large-scale AI/ML projects for enterprise clients, particularly in the customer service domain.
• Strong understanding of contact center operations, customer journey mapping, and key customer experience metrics.
• Excellent business acumen with the ability to identify client needs, develop compelling value propositions, and drive revenue growth.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with executive‑level stakeholders and technical teams.
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate across diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with a strong problem‑solving orientation and the ability to navigate complex business challenges.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field. An MBA or advanced degree is a significant asset.

Bonus Points

• Experience with Google Customer Engagement Services (formerly CCAI), including Dialogflow ES/CX.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At TELUS Digital, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire and promote, are based on applicants’ qualifications, merits, competence and performance without regard to any characteristic related to diversity.

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What We'll Offer

In addition to a great culture and interesting work with opportunities for growth and development, this position is eligible for the following benefits:

• Healthcare benefits - Medical, Vision, Dental
• Retirement Savings Matching
• Competitive PTO Policy
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Life & Disability Insurance
• And more!

Annual Performance Bonus

This position is eligible for an annual performance bonus based on personal, division/business unit, and company performance. The range displayed is only the annual base salary. To maintain equity across the business, annual performance bonus targets are determined by job level, not individual circumstances.

Individual base salaries are based on various factors unique to each candidate, including skill set, experience, qualifications, and other job‑related reasons determined during the interview process. Salary bands are periodically reviewed and updated based on market changes, internal needs, and industry trends. To maintain pay equity for team members, TELUS Digital conducts regular compensation audits.

Annual Base Salary Range (Performance Bonus Eligible)

$148,000 - $185,000 CAD