Applied AI Solution Owner Chicago, IL

Inspire11; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited time off

Individualized Professional Growth

Vibrant company culture

Job summary

Inspire11 in Chicago is seeking a senior AI/ML Delivery Lead to drive end-to-end engagements from scope to production deployment, coordinating client expectations and technical teams. You will translate business problems into feasible AI/ML solutions and manage timelines, budgets, and risk across the full lifecycle.

You will work onsite with clients, lead discovery and solution shaping, and mentor DS/MLE teammates while advancing GenAI tooling adoption.

Qualifications

• 5+ years leading technical delivery in a consulting or client-facing environment, with direct experience on custom AI builds.
• Hands-on exposure to AI/ML tooling, workflows, or solution evaluation.
• Demonstrated ability to scope, estimate, and decompose AI/ML programs.
• Experience leading discovery and solution-shaping conversations that align technology with business outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Proven people leadership including coaching and mentoring across DS and MLE disciplines.
• Experience supporting pre-sales pursuits including proposal development and pursuit strategy for AI/ML engagements.
• Working familiarity with GenAI tooling and commoditized AI platforms (Claude, Copilot, OpenAI APIs, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of custom AI/ML engagements across scope, timelines, budgets, and client expectations.
• Translate business problems into feasible AI/ML approaches and deliver production-ready solutions.
• Proactively identify delivery risks related to data readiness, scope, feasibility, and organizational gaps.
• Lead scoping, estimation, and SOW development for AI/ML builds with technical accuracy.
• Coach and develop delivery team members across DS and MLE disciplines.
• Drive adoption of AI readiness frameworks ensuring people, process, and data foundations are in place.
• Support pre-sales pursuits including discovery, solution shaping, and proposal development.

Skills

AI/ML delivery leadership

Stakeholder management

Solution scoping/estimation

Discovery & solution shaping

People leadership

Pre-sales experience

GenAI tooling familiarity

OpenAI/Claude/Copilot familiarity

Tools

Claude

Copilot

OpenAI APIs

Job description

Elevens, as we call ourselves here, arepassionatelycurious,highlycollaborative, andunabashedly authentic. At Inspire11, we believe everyone drives change, everyonetakes ownership of their career, and no idea is too odd to embrace.Our team learnsfrom each otherbypushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

We partner with our clients todefine their strategies tooptimize their business in all things dataand digital. Whether that be modern data architecture,custom application development,ordesign thinking, and this is just scratching the surface. We are a team of puzzlesolverswho take the various pieces that the client already has and assemblethemin a way thatrevealsthe bigger picture.

We believe that the most impactful and innovative work includes and fosters a range ofdiverse perspectives.We’ve created aworkenvironment in which you can expect:

• Individualized Professional Growth:You will have the opportunity to engage in growing the team and there are ample opportunities todefine your pathand develop your skillset
• Work life balance: We are respectful of people’s boundaries and have unlimited time off so that our team has time to recharge and do their best work. We understand that our team members have differentneedsandwedo our best to work with their schedules while accommodating client needs
• Vibrant company culture:We love to keep things light-hearted, both within our client work and at companywide events

What you can expect in this role:

Lead end-to-end delivery of custom AI/ML engagements, frominitialscoping through production deployment: managing timelines, budgets, and client expectations across the full lifecycle

Serve as the connective tissue between client stakeholders and the technical team, translating business problems intofeasibleAI/ML approaches

Proactivelyidentifydelivery risks before they surface: data readiness issues, scope assumptions, approach feasibility, and organizational gaps

Lead scoping, estimation, and SOW development for custom AI/ML builds,validatingtechnical accuracy and realistic delivery commitments

Challenge and pressure test technical approaches proposed by DS and MLE team members

Build andmaintaintrusted client relationships, managing expectations through the ambiguity that is inherent in AI/ML delivery

Support pre-sales pursuits including discovery, solution shaping, and proposal development for AI/ML opportunities

Coach and develop delivery team members, fostering accountability and growth across technical and consulting skills

Drive adoption of AI readiness frameworks withclients:ensuring people, process, and data foundations are in place before and during solution delivery

Tools for success:

• 5+ years leading technical delivery in a consulting or client-facing environment, with direct experience on customAIbuilds
• Hands-on exposure to AI/ML tooling, workflows, or solutionevaluation
• Demonstrated ability to scope, estimate, and decompose AI/ML programs
• Experience leading discovery and solution-shaping conversations that zoom out from technology to business outcomes before converging on an approach
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Proven people leadership including coaching and mentoring technical team members across DS and MLE disciplines
• Experience supporting pre-sales pursuits including proposal development, pursuit strategy, and solution positioning for AI/ML engagements
• Working familiarity with GenAI tooling and commoditized AI platforms (Claude, Copilot, OpenAI APIs, etc.)

This role requires the willingness and ability to be onsite at the Inspire11 or client location depending on project needs to maximize in-person collaboration and build stronger relationships.

Inspire11 is unable to sponsor employment visas at this time.Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment.

Compensation at Inspire11 Inspire11 follows Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Illinois Equal Wage Act, and the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003. We believe that people performing the same role at the same level, with similar levels of ability or experience, should be similarly compensated. We also believe that the most critical factors driving compensation should be an Eleven’s skill, experience, performance, responsibility, and effort. We may also consider an employee’s length of service, relevant education, training, or certification, and the requirements of a specific job. We may also consider whether the cost of living or competition for talent in specific markets requires adjustments in compensation for employees in those markets. Our goal is to fairly compensate all our Elevens based on these factors within the Company’s financial ability.

Compensation may be increased or decreased at Inspire11’s discretion based onan employee’sperformance reviews, market conditions, and the Company’s financial performance. Inspire11 will always notify an employee in writing before any change is made to their compensation.

Bonuses We may allow employees in Sales, Recruiting, or Leadership to earn periodic bonuses based on sales, revenue, client-specific or practice-specific targets. These targets are communicated to each eligible employee via offer letter or annual update. All such target-based bonuses are calculated based on the Company and an individual’s periodic performance and will only be awarded if: (a) the employee is meeting performance expectations and is an employee in good standing of the Company; (b) the target is met; and (c) the Company’s current financial performance and market conditions permit the bonus to be paid out. All periodic bonuses are discretionary and are earned only when paid out.

Each year, the Company will decide whether the Company’s financial performance, market performance, and business realities allow it to create an annual bonus pool. If the Company decides that annual bonuses may be awarded, then the Leadership Team will grant annual bonuses to employees in good standing based on the same factors discussed in thepreviousparagraph while also considering employees’ diligence, performance,expertise, skill, judgment, and experience. To be eligible toparticipatein this annual bonus pool, an employee must behired byno later than October 1 st of the preceding year. Annual bonuses and merit increases may be prorated based on hire date. Employees eligible for target-based periodic bonuses are not eligible toparticipatein the annual bonus pool.

Options or Other Equity in Inspire11 Inspire11 has a legacy program thatallowedcertain high-performing employees topurchaseshares of the Company through an affiliate. The Company also has a newer program that grants options annually to high-performing employees based on their performance reviews, their managers’recommendation, and leadership approval. These options have a vesting period associated with them.

Benefits Full-time employees are eligible for the following contributory benefits, where premiums are partially paid by the Company and partially by the employee:

• Medical insurance plans,
• Dental insurance plans, and
• Vision insurance plans.

Full-time employees are eligible for the following benefits providedwholly bythe Company:

• Short-term disability, providing for a benefit of 60% of an employee’s salary up to a maximum of $2,000 per week for up to11 weeksafter a 7-day waiting period;
• Long-term disability, providing for 60% of an employee’s salary up to a maximum of $10,000 per month for the time period from the 91st day after a qualifying event through the earlier of the end of the disability or age 67;
• Life insurance, providing for a benefit of two times the employee’s annual salary, up to a maximum payout of $400,000;
• A connectivity stipend of $325 annually;
• Employee Assistance Program, providing for confidential counseling sessions, 24-hour crisis support, online peer support groups, skills training, behavioral health coaching, initial free legal consultations (and discounted rates on referred lawyers), online legal forms, assistance with eldercare and parenting services, among other things.

Full-time employees are also eligible toparticipatein the Company’s 401(k) plan, which allows employees to contribute to a standard or Roth IRA. According to a vesting schedule, the Company matches 100% of employee contributionsup to3% of an employee’s salary.

Depending on eligibility and their elections, full-time employees may also have access to certain tax-advantaged savings accounts set up through the Company, into which employees contribute withheld funds:

• Flexible savings accounts
• Limited-purpose flexible savings accounts
• Healthcare savings accounts
• Dependent care savings accounts

Paid Time Off and Leave Inspire11 grants all eligible employees any statutory leave required by federal, Illinois, or other applicable law, such as FMLA, bereavement, sick leave, emergency leave, jury duty or witness leave, and VESSA leave.

In addition, Inspire11 has a self-managed paid time off policy (PTO) that does not set predetermined upper limits on the amount of PTO an employee may take. All PTO must be requested in advance and approved by theappropriate supervisorto ensure client work can continue. All full-time employees are expected to take a minimum of one week of PTO each year.

Inspire11 offers paid parental leave to full-time employees who have been with the company for at least one year. Birthing parents are eligible for up to12 weeksof paid parental leave, while non-birthingparents are eligible for up to6 weeks. Short-term disability (STD) benefits are also provided following childbirth. When combined with PTO and STD, birthing parents may receive a total of 18–20 weeksof paid leave. Lastly, Inspire11 has eight paid holidays.

Other Benefits Inspire11 alsomaintainsother programs that provideadditionalbenefits to employees, such as:

• Impact to11: a charitable giving matching program where, after being employed by Inspire11 for a year, employees mayrequestthat a qualifying charity receive up to $500 in matching donations each year.
• Professional development benefits for qualifying employees: a program allowing for reimbursement of certain course materials and costs on a discretionary basis for employees who have been at Inspire11 for at least 6 months, with supervisor’s approval.
• Regular gifts of Inspire11 clothes, office items, and swag.

Disclaimer This document applies only to the United States and to Inspire11 LLC, not our worldwide partners.

Inspire11 reserves the right to change the benefits offered to employeesin accordance withapplicable law based on business needs, market conditions, and financial stability. Before changing any benefits,Companywill notify all employees of the change and will update this document.

EEOC
Inspire11 is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. If you needassistanceora reasonableaccommodation during the application process, please contact us at hr@inspire11 .com , or inform your recruiting partner.

US Compensation at Inspire11

Inspire11 follows Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Illinois Equal Wage Act, and the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003. We believe that people performing the same role at the same level, with similar levels of ability or experience, should be similarly compensated. We also believe that the most critical factors driving compensation should be an Eleven’s skill, experience, performance, responsibility, and effort. We may also consider an employee’s length of service, relevant education, training, or certification, and the requirements of a specific job. We may also consider whether the cost of living or competition for talent in specific markets requires adjustments in compensation for employees in those markets. Our goal is to fairly compensate all our Elevens based on these factors within the Company’s financial ability.

Compensation may be increased or decreased at Inspire11’s discretion based on an employee’s performance reviews, market conditions, and the Company’s financial performance. Inspire11 will always notify an employee in writing before any change is made to their compensation.

$100,000 - $174,000 USD

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