Principal AI Transformation Strategist - FTC

McKesson’s Corporate; Cork; On-site; EUR 105,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

McKesson is seeking a Principal AI Transformation Strategist to guide the enterprise AI strategy and delivery. You will influence senior leaders, shape scalable AI roadmaps, and ensure value realization across business units with strong governance and risk controls.

You will partner with Product, Data Science, Engineering, and Operations, driving measurable outcomes, adoption, and cost efficiency while maintaining compliance and safety in regulated environments.

Qualifications

• 13+ years of AI/analytics/tech transformation experience.
• 7+ years leading large-scale AI programmes across multiple business units.
• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain enterprise AI portfolio roadmap and value delivery.
• Advise executives and shape roadmaps for scale, auditability, and measurable outcomes.
• Lead governance for responsible AI, risk, policy controls, and model reviews.
• Collaborate with Product, Data Science, Engineering, and Operations teams.
• Establish KPIs/OKRs and dashboards to track adoption, value, and safety.

Skills

AI strategy

Executive influence

MLOps / ModelOps

Regulated environments

Data governance

Stakeholder management

AI/ML architecture

Risk & compliance

Education

Advanced degree in quantitative field

Tools

MLOps platforms

Job description

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve – we care. What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow’s health today, we want to hear from you.

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve - we care. What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow's health today, we want to hear from you.

The internal McKesson Technology team is at the forefront of driving digital transformation, including the adoption and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver measurable value across the organization. We are seeking a Principal AI Transformation Strategist to accelerate the company's adoption of advanced AI technologies and ensure value realisation at enterprise scale. This individual contributor role operates as a senior-most expert, advising executives, shaping strategy, and guiding complex AI programmes across multiple business units. You will serve as a trusted thought partner to senior leadership, influencing long‑range roadmaps and ensuring AI initiatives deliver measurable business impact. This role partners closely with Product, Data Science, Engineering, Operations, Compliance, and business leaders and reports to the VP, IT AI Innovation & Automation.

Key Responsibilities

• Enterprise AI strategy leadership with demonstrated ability to translate corporate objectives into a multi-year, value-backed AI portfolio.
• Deep expertise across AI/ML architecture, model lifecycle (from data readiness to deployment and monitoring), and operations in regulated environments.
• Proven executive influence: frames complex technical topics into clear business narratives that drive prioritisation and funding decisions.
• Hands‑on familiarity with MLOps/ModelOps platforms, data quality controls, model risk management, and responsible AI practices.
• Portfolio governance: establishes standards, reusable frameworks, and decision guardrails that scale across business units.
• Ability to design and review KPIs/OKRs that track adoption, time‑to‑value, reliability, safety, and total cost of ownership.
• Strong vendor/platform evaluation skills and the judgement to balance build vs. buy, speed vs. control, and innovation vs. risk.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to VP/SVP and enterprise steering committees.

Programme Delivery

• Define and maintain the enterprise AI portfolio roadmap, sequencing initiatives to maximise compound value and reduce duplicated effort.
• Shape scope and success criteria for high‑impact programmes; coach delivery leaders while holding teams accountable for outcomes.
• Remove structural blockers (operating model, data access, funding mechanisms) to accelerate scaled delivery.

Performance Tracking

• Define benefits realisation plans with clear baselines and target metrics (e.g., productivity, quality, cycle time, revenue uplift).
• Establish standard dashboards for executive consumption; ensure telemetry is reliable, auditable, and explains variance.
• Lead quarterly value reviews and recommend portfolio rebalancing based on performance and risk.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a senior advisor to product and engineering leaders on shaping roadmaps for scale, auditability, and measurable outcomes.
• Represent McKesson Technology in executive steering committees and enterprise governance forums.
• Influence without authority across BU leaders, Compliance, Risk, Security, and Legal to align on standards and guardrails.

Enterprise Governance & Risk

• Co‑lead the definition and rollout of Responsible AI, model risk, and policy controls; ensure controls are effective yet developer‑friendly.
• Chair or materially contribute to model review boards; serve as escalation point for high‑risk AI deployments.

Technology Strategy & Architecture

• Evaluate and recommend technical approaches, tools, and platforms that improve reliability, safety, and time‑to‑value.
• Guide reference architectures for generative and predictive AI; ensure patterns are secure, observable, and cost‑aware.

External Thought Leadership

• Represent McKesson in strategic partner engagements, technology councils, and cross‑industry working groups.
• Continuously scan the market and regulatory landscape and translate implications into pragmatic internal guidance.

Minimum Requirement

Degree or equivalent and typically requires 13+ years, with 8+ years, of direct work‑related experience. Less years required if has relevant Master's or Doctorate qualifications.

Critical Skills

12-15+ years in AI, advanced analytics, data engineering, or technology transformation, including 7+ years guiding large‑scale programmes. Demonstrated success taking AI solutions from concept to scaled production in complex, multi‑stakeholder enterprises. Experience in regulated industries with comfort navigating compliance, risk, audit, and privacy requirements. Advanced degree in a quantitative or technical field (e.g., Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science) preferred. Relevant certifications (e.g., cloud, security, agile, or programme management) are a plus.

Behavioural Competencies

• Executive Presence: Communicates with clarity and credibility; simplifies complexity for decision makers.
• Systems Thinking: Anticipates second‑and‑third‑order effects; optimises for the whole rather than local maxima.
• Accountability: Owns outcomes and sets a high bar for pace, quality, and integrity.
• Collaboration: Builds trust and effective working rhythms across Product, Data, Engineering, and Operations.
• Adaptability: Thrives amid ambiguity and evolving technology; adjusts course based on signal and evidence.
• Pragmatic Innovation: Balances ambition with feasibility to ship value responsibly.

Why This Role Is Critical

This Principal role shapes how McKesson responsibly applies AI at enterprise scale - driving measurable outcomes for patients, providers, and partners. By setting strategy, establishing guardrails, and accelerating delivery, you will materially influence the success, safety, and sustainability of AI across the company. At McKesson, we care about the well‑being of the patients and communities we serve, and that starts with caring for our people. That’s why we have a Total Rewards package that includes comprehensive benefits to support physical, mental, and financial well‑being. Our Total Rewards offerings serve the different needs of our diverse employee population and ensure they are the healthiest versions of themselves. As part of Total Rewards, we are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson’s pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long‑term incentive opportunities may be offered.

Total Rewards

Our Base Pay Range for this position €105,000 - €175,000

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well‐being of you and those we serve – we care. What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow's health today, we want to hear from you.