Director, Accelerator Innovation and Emerging Tech Lead

Mars UK; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 153,600 - 211,200; Full time

Job summary

Mars Snacking seeks a senior AI/ML Architect to lead technology innovation at the global level, reporting to the CIO. You will translate advanced capabilities into practical roadmaps and pilots, shaping digital strategy for Supply Chain, Growth, and Finance.

You will guide architecture decisions, mentor teams, and advocate for the innovation agenda across Digital Technologies and business leads. A strong business mindset complements technical depth.

Qualifications

• Educational Foundation: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or equivalent (Master’s degree or specialized postgraduate AI certification is a distinct advantage).
• Proven Experience: 8+ years in Analytics, Automation, and AI/ML with architectural depth and enterprise deployments.
• Modern AI Platforms: Hands-on experience deploying/models on Databricks, Azure ML, or AWS SageMaker with MLOps.
• Agentic Systems: Experience building and governing agentic AI systems (orchestration, tool integration, escalation design).
• Automation Tooling: Knowledge of RPA, Process Mining, and Low-Code/No-Code platforms.
• Data Architecture: Data products, Lakehouse, governance (Unity Catalog).
• Executive Communication: Ability to translate architecture into business ROI and investment cases.
• Commercial Instinct: Evaluate tech through business value, efficiency, and risk.

Responsibilities

• Innovation Scouting & Prioritization: Build a pipeline of use cases evaluated by impact and feasibility.
• Assessments & Proofs of Concept: Lead structured assessments and pilots with go/no-go criteria.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Align with Digital Technologies, Commercial, Growth, Supply Chain, and Finance.
• Innovation Advocacy: Present use cases, pilots, and roadmaps to senior leaders.
• Platform & Architecture Guidance: Advise on AI/ML platforms, data products, automation, digital twins.
• Trend Monitoring: Track tools, research, and competitor capabilities for 12–18 month view.
• Capability Building & Mentorship: Build AI/ML literacy and mentor IT teams.

Skills

AI/ML architecture

Executive communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Commercial instinct

Mentorship

Innovation leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/Data Science

Master’s degree or AI certification

Tools

Databricks

Azure ML

AWS SageMaker

Unity Catalog

Job description

Job Description:

Are you ready to sit at the absolute frontier of technology and business transformation? Reporting directly to the Chief Digital Information Officer, you will serve as the visionary spark and primary voice for technology innovation at KIND and Mars Snacking. In this high-impact role, you will turn advanced capabilities—such as AI/ML, agentic systems, and digital twins—into sequenced, practical roadmaps, leading hands‑on pilots and shaping our overall digital strategy. Your influence will stem from your peerless domain knowledge, your ability to build trust across diverse teams, and your knack for translating complex technical opportunities into massive business value for Supply Chain, Demand, Growth, and Finance.

As a deep subject matter expert and key individual contributor, you will bridge the gap between emerging technology and real commercial outcomes. You will help set the vision and establish best‑practice guidelines that align with our digital strategy, working closely with DT Business Relationship Managers and business leads. If you are an entrepreneurial builder who thrives on autonomy, loves mentoring others, and wants to shape how a global leader snacks smarter, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.

What are we looking for?

• Educational Foundation: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or equivalent (Master’s degree or specialized postgraduate AI certification is a distinct advantage).

• Proven Experience: 8+ years of progressive, hands‑on experience in Analytics, Automation, and AI/ML, with demonstrable architectural depth and a primary focus on modern enterprise AI deployments.

• Modern AI Platforms: Direct, hands‑on experience developing, deploying, and governing models within modern enterprise data platforms (such as Databricks, Azure ML, or AWS SageMaker), including robust MLOps practices.

• Agentic Systems: Proven experience building and governing agentic AI systems covering orchestration, tool integration, permission scoping, and escalation design.

• Automation Tooling: Practical judgment to match the right tool to the business context, paired with working knowledge of RPA, Process Mining, and Low‑Code/No‑Code platforms.

• Data Architecture: Fluency in data product design, data modeling, Lakehouse architectures, and enterprise governance frameworks (such as Unity Catalog or equivalent) spanning both structured and unstructured AI assets.

• Executive Communication: Outstanding executive‑level communication skills, with the ability to distill complex architectural decisions into a crisp business case, ROI projection, or strategic investment recommendation.

• Commercial Instinct: Strong business mindset to evaluate emerging technologies through the rigorous lens of value, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation, rather than a purely technical perspective.

• Nice‑to‑Have (CPG Domain): Deep familiarity with CPG or manufacturing business processes, specifically in Plan‑to‑Deliver (Supply Chain), Order‑to‑Cash/Trade (Commercial), and Record‑to‑Report (Finance) domains.

• Nice‑to‑Have (Functional Translation): Exceptional capability to engage credibly across disparate business functions by translating complex technical concepts into commercial value for planners, sales leads, finance partners, and data scientists alike.

• Nice‑to‑Have (Thought Leadership): Proven track record of shaping organizational priorities as an individual contributor through thought leadership, peer relationships, and evidence‑based advocacy.

• Hungry & Kind Values: Entrepreneurial spirit, ownership mindset, and a genuine desire to make the world a kinder place—committing to always spreading and celebrating kindness.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Innovation Scouting & Prioritization: Build and manage a prioritized pipeline of emerging technology use cases, evaluating each against business impact and technical feasibility.

• Assessments & Proofs of Concept: Lead structured technology assessments and pilots, defining success criteria and delivering evidence‑based go/no‑go recommendations.

• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Build trusted peer relationships across Digital Technologies, Commercial, Growth, Supply Chain, and Finance to influence priorities through expertise and results.

• Innovation Advocacy: Represent the innovation agenda in cross‑functional forums, presenting clear use cases, pilots, and roadmaps to senior business and IT leaders.

• Platform & Architecture Guidance: Provide expert guidance on AI/ML platforms, data products, automation, and digital twins in partnership with enterprise architects and data engineers.

• Trend Monitoring: Monitor emerging tools, academic research, and competitor capabilities to maintain a forward‑looking 12–18‑month view of technology trends.

• Capability Building & Mentorship: Create a shared internal knowledge base, lead communities of practice to build AI/ML literacy, and mentor IT colleagues addressing AI and automation challenges.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.

• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

• Best‑in‑class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in‑house Mars University.

• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 153,600.00 - USD 211,200.00