Director (m/f/x) AI Transformation & Implementation Heilbronn Heilbronn

The appliedAI Initiative elevates Europe’s industry to become shapers in the age of AI, creating a future that we desire to live in. Through our ecosystem of strong partners, comprehensive programs, services, and solutions, we advance companies holistically on their AI journey. With our uniquely diverse, interdisciplinary, and driven team, we build on deep technical expertise while specializing in the applicability of the solutions. We share a mindset of collaboration and openness with our ecosystem of leading companies and tech players. Our common goal is to strengthen the European landscape, jointly creating unique knowledge for applying trustworthy AI. We believe that AI Agents will be the dominant topic for AI in the near future and that appliedAI with its partner ecosystem will impact how this technology is being used in industry and beyond in Europe.

As the Director (m/f/x) AI Transformation & Implementation, you will oversee our full Delivery organization—comprising cross-functional teams, seamlessly delivering strategy consulting, enablement, and engineering services to guide our customers leveraging AI for their business. Reporting to our Managing Director, Andreas Liebl, this is a pivotal executive role that blends strategic leadership, operational excellence, and innovation enablement.

You will lead a team of experienced leaders, ensure world-class service delivery, drive client success, and future-proof our operations by spearheading the adoption of AI agent-based workflows. You will also own the continuous evolution of our delivery models and portfolio, enabling us to scale impact efficiently and sustainably.

Your Responsibilities:

• Executive Leadership & Team Management
• Inspire and scale a cross-functional Delivery organization, leading four teams with diverse expertise under a shared purpose and vision
• Lead with empathy and authenticity, building trust across all levels of the organization in a culture of openness and mutual respect
• Attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent, ensuring the right skills to meet evolving client and business needs, fostering an environment where ideas thrive and people are supported and energized to do their best work
• Coach and empower team leads, promoting ownership, accountability, and collaboration
• Balance vision with execution, setting clear direction while staying available, present, and responsive to team dynamics and delivery realities

• Client Delivery & Success
• Ensure the consistent delivery of high-impact AI transformation programs, blending strategic consulting with hands-on implementation
• Maintain oversight of all active projects and engagements, ensuring client satisfaction and measurable success
• Develop and maintain executive-level client relationships, acting as a strategic partner for holistic AI transformation scenarios

• Portfolio & Business Development
• Evolve our service portfolio towards scalable solutions
• Identify opportunities to expand strategic accounts based on delivery insights

• Operational Excellence & AI Integration
• Optimize and standardize delivery processes, tooling, and knowledge management across teams
• Spearhead the development of AgenticAI-based services to significantly enhance delivery efficiency
• Define and track delivery KPIs, ensuring continuous improvement and transparency

Requirements include:

• 10+ years of experience in professional services, consulting, or technical delivery leadership roles
• Strong engineering background, ideally in software, data, or AI systems—able to engage credibly with technical teams and clients on C-Level
• Proven track record of leading multi-disciplinary service teams
• Hands-on experience delivering complex AI transformation projects, from strategy to technical implementation
• Demonstrated success in driving measurable customer value and aligning solutions to real business outcomes
• Skilled in building scalable, process-driven technical delivery operations with a focus on quality and efficiency
• Experience integrating AI agents, automation, or intelligent tooling into delivery and operational workflows
• Leader-of-leaders: able to coach and scale senior engineering and delivery managers
• Commercial mindset with the ability to shape modular, scalable service offerings rooted in technical excellence
• On-site availability at IPAI in Heilbronn for 3-5 days per week

Our team of approximately 80 highly qualified and motivated professionals is on a journey to change the rapidly evolving European AI landscape. Benefits include:

• Hybrid work model: Work from our vibrant office in Heilbronn (IPAI - Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence) and remotely a few days each week
• Opportunity to shape diverse projects and develop new content based on the latest AI developments
• An environment encouraging experimentation with software, hardware, and processes
• Engagement with the hottest topics of the next decade and freedom to initiate personal activities
• A high-visibility initiative to build a large network of startups, partners, and tech companies
• Sports membership with Wellpass for access to sports facilities across Germany
• JobRad leasing option
• Sabbatical options of up to 3 months after 3 years of employment