AI Strategy Manager

Stark Sourcing and IT; Viby; On-site; DKK 1,100,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

STARK Group seeks a Senior Manager for its AI Centre of Excellence to shape the AI transformation across Europe, partnering with executive management and business units to translate strategy into measurable value.

Based in Denmark with Europe-wide exposure, you will lead structured problem solving, build compelling business cases, and steer a portfolio of AI initiatives from concept to impact, balancing business outcomes with technology enablement.

Qualifications

• Strong foundation in management consulting; ability to lead complex workstreams.
• Experience in digital or AI-enabled business transformation.
• Master's degree in Strategy, Data Science, Finance, Engineering or related field.
• Excellent analytical and financial-modelling skills; presentable findings.

Responsibilities

• Shape the AI transformation agenda and translate priorities into a focused roadmap across functions.
• Identify and prioritise opportunities; structure problems and test hypotheses for value.
• Build business cases with quantified revenue, margin and efficiency gains.
• Drive value realisation; establish baselines, KPIs and owner accountability.
• Steer the transformation; manage priorities and remove barriers with sponsors.
• Prepare Steering Committee materials; translate analyses into recommendations.
• Strengthen the AI CoE with practical prioritisation and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Management consulting

AI transformation

Strategic thinking

Executive stakeholder management

Analytical & financial modelling

Strong communication

Cross-country collaboration

Education

Master's degree

Job description

AI Centre of Excellence | Strategy, transformation and value creation at a PE-backed European leader At STARK Group, a leading B2B distributor of building materials across Europe, AI is a strategic lever for commercial growth, stronger sourcing and operational improvement. We are looking for a Senior Manager who combines management-consulting rigor with the ambition to turn strategic opportunities into measurable business results. You will join the AI Centre of Excellence (AI CoE) within the Technology Office, Group IT, reporting directly to the Group CTO. Your focus will be to shape the AI transformation agenda, prioritise value-creation opportunities and help business leaders translate ambition into action across countries and functions. Working closely with executive management, Group Strategy and local business leaders, you will tackle complex business questions, develop fact-based recommendations and follow initiatives through to realised impact.

Your role and impact

This is a strategy and business-transformation role, not an IT implementation position. You will lead structured problem-solving, build compelling business cases and steer the Group AI portfolio towards the opportunities that matter most. You will bring clarity to investment choices, challenge assumptions and ensure that senior stakeholders have a clear view of progress, risks and value creation. You will partner with business owners on priorities, adoption and benefits realisation, while architects, engineers and product teams lead technical design and implementation. The role combines the analytical depth and executive exposure of consulting with the opportunity to stay close to decisions and their outcomes - contributing to our purpose of building the future by helping others build theirs.

What you will be working with

• Help shape the AI transformation agenda: translate Group priorities into a focused roadmap across commercial, sourcing and back-office activities, supporting strategic reviews and investment decisions.
• Identify and prioritise opportunities: structure business problems, test hypotheses and assess value potential, feasibility and organisational readiness to build a robust AI initiative pipeline.
• Build business cases: quantify revenue, margin and efficiency opportunities, assess investment needs and trade‑offs, and develop clear recommendations with Finance and business owners.
• Drive value realisation: agree baselines, KPIs and benefit ownership with business leaders, track outcomes against business cases and identify corrective actions where impact falls short.
• Steer the transformation: maintain a clear view of priorities, progress and cross‑business dependencies, facilitate decisions and remove organisational barriers with executive sponsors.
• Support executive decisions: prepare concise Steering Committee and executive‑management material, turning complex analysis into clear choices, recommendations and actions.
• Strengthen the AI CoE: develop practical approaches to prioritisation, value tracking and knowledge sharing, helping business units learn from one another and avoid duplicating effort.

You will be based at our offices in Viby, Aarhus (preferred) or Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, working within the Group Technology Office and collaborating with colleagues across Group functions and local business units. Expect approximately 10-20 travel days per year.

What’s in it for you?

You will work directly with the Group CTO on an AI transformation agenda with clear strategic relevance and exposure to senior decision-makers across Europe. The role offers the breadth and intellectual challenge of consulting, combined with sustained ownership of how recommendations translate into business impact. You will deepen your experience in value creation, executive advisory and international business transformation while helping shape the AI CoE’s approach. It is an opportunity to build on a consulting background and develop towards broader strategy, transformation or business leadership roles. You will become part of a collaborative, down-to-earth environment where your input matters, and where we value both performance and work-life balance.

Who are we looking for?

• A strong foundation in management consulting, ideally from a leading strategy consultancy, or a comparable corporate strategy role, with experience leading complex workstreams and advising senior stakeholders.
• Your experience should include digital or AI‑enabled business transformation.
• A strong academic background, such as a master's degree in Strategy, Data Science, Finance, Engineering or a related field, with strong results.
• Excellent analytical and financial‑modelling skills, with the ability to size opportunities, challenge business‑case assumptions and turn findings into compelling executive presentations.
• The ability to combine detailed analysis with senior‑level discussions, lead workshops and influence across functions and countries without formal authority.
• You understand AI’s business opportunities and limitations; hands‑on development or IT implementation experience is not a prerequisite.
• Fluency in English and a Nordic language.
• German and experience from B2B distribution, retail, sourcing or logistics are advantages.
• You are a structured, hypothesis‑driven problem‑solver with sound commercial judgement and a pragmatic approach.
• You are comfortable challenging senior stakeholders constructively, navigating ambiguity and taking ownership beyond the recommendation.
• You bring curiosity about AI, but judge success by business adoption and measurable outcomes rather than technology deployment.

You are welcome to contact Senior Director, Group CTO Thomas Rosendahl at [e-mail] for any specific questions regarding the role.

STARK Group STARK Group is a growing private equity‑owned company with a solid legacy. STARK Group was established in Denmark in 1896 and has today evolved into a leading European retailer and distributor of heavy building materials with net sales of approx. EUR 9 billion. With a skilled team of more than 20,000 employees and +1,150 branches and distribution centres across the Nordics, Greenland, Germany, Austria and the UK, we live and breathe to equip professional craftsmen with heavy building materials all the way from the Austrian Alps to Tromsø, close to the Arctic circle and everywhere in between. STARK Group is committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 across the entire business, is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, and works within fully 2030 validated science‑based targets to keep global warming below 1.5 °C. At STARK Group IT, we believe in the richness diversity brings. We invite candidates of all backgrounds to join us in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment. We believe in a workplace where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work.

STARK Group is the leading business‑to‑business merchant and distributor of heavy building materials for the construction industry in Europe, serving professional builders from its +1,150 branches. Our more than 20,000 employees across Germany, the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Austria, and Norway empower the construction industry with insights, product knowledge and sound advice. The value of equal opportunity is embedded in the way we do business and retain talent groupwide. We believe in the positive influence of diversity, equity and inclusion on our work environment, performance, and relationships with customers and suppliers. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and perspectives, as we strongly believe that a diverse workforce strengthens our team. STARK Group is committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 across the entire business, is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, and works within fully 2030-validated science‑based targets to keep global warming below 1.5 °C.