Director, AI Practice & Transformation / Retail BU Lead (Lead)

Intellibus; Phoenix (AZ); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology firm is seeking an experienced Director for AI & Data Strategy to lead initiatives for retail transformation. This role demands extensive experience in technology and a strong understanding of retail operations. The ideal candidate will partner with executives to translate business priorities into AI initiatives and have a proven record in managing multidisciplinary teams. Candidates should be based in or near Phoenix, AZ, and possess deep domain knowledge in retail, grocery, or supply chain operations.

Qualifications

• 12–20 years of experience in technology, AI, data, or digital transformation.
• 5+ years in executive-facing leadership or consulting roles.
• Direct retail, grocery, or supply chain domain experience is mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI roadmap reviews and governance discussions.
• Oversee delivery across core workstreams involving AI and data.
• Provide architectural oversight for AI and data platforms.

Skills

Executive communication

Data engineering

AI/ML systems expertise

Retail operations knowledge

Tools

Cloud platforms

MLOps

Job description

We are seeking a Director – AI & Data Strategy (Retail Transformation) to lead executive-level AI initiatives and build a scalable retail delivery practice for Intellibus.

This role sits at the intersection of:

• Retail business strategy

You will partner directly with CIO, CTO, CDO, and business executives, translate strategy into executable programs, and oversee delivery across multiple squads covering:

• Data foundations

This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone equally comfortable in the boardroom and deep in delivery planning and technical reviews.

What We Are Specifically Looking For

We are targeting leaders with experience in:

• Brick‑and‑mortar retail, grocery, or omnichannel enterprises
• Merchandising and supply chain platforms
• Store operations and POS ecosystems
• Retail data platforms and analytics
• AI applied to operational decision‑making

Ideal backgrounds include companies such as:

Large grocery chains, big‑box retailers, or retail technology divisions where technology had to coexist with real‑world operations.

Retail transformation experience is mandatory.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as the primary Intellibus partner to the client’s Executive Leadership Team.
• Translate business priorities into a prioritized portfolio of AI and data initiatives.
• Lead executive AI roadmap reviews and value realization discussions.
• Ensure all initiatives align with governance, compliance, and ethical AI standards.
• Act as a trusted advisor balancing ambition with technical and operational reality.

Program Direction & Delivery Oversight

• Own delivery across three core workstreams
• AI pilots and rapid experimentation
• Data foundations and integration platforms
• Engineering excellence and modernization
• Coordinate ~20–30 engineers, data scientists, and delivery leads
• Manage execution plans, sprint cadence, and dependency resolution
• Track KPIs including productivity, cycle time, and business impact
• Ensure integration across AI, data, and engineering initiatives

Technical & Operational Leadership

• Provide architectural oversight for AI and data platforms
• Guide AI problem framing, experimentation design, and success metrics
• Advise on cloud platforms, MLOps, and data engineering practices
• Understand retail systems (POS, loyalty, merchandising, supply chain) and how AI enhances them
• Review and approve major technical deliverables
• Build and scale Intellibus’ Retail AI delivery practice
• Mentor squad leads and technical managers
• Standardize methodologies across AI, data, and engineering teams
• Partner with internal operations to scale delivery globally
• Represent Intellibus’ standards of engineering excellence and ethical AI
• Weekly squad syncs
• Bi‑weekly sprint reviews
• Monthly executive checkpoints
• Deliver executive dashboards quantifying ROI and operational impact
• Publish quarterly AI practice updates and roadmap adjustments
• Drive continuous improvement across delivery and governance

Required Qualifications

• 12–20 years in technology, AI, data, or digital transformation
• 5+ years in executive‑facing leadership or consulting roles
• Direct retail, grocery, or supply chain domain experience (mandatory)
• Strong understanding of:
• AI/ML systems and experimentation
• Data engineering and analytics platforms
• Cloud and modern software architecture
• Proven ability to lead multi‑disciplinary teams (20–30+)
• Executive communication and influence skills
• Consulting or systems integration background strongly preferred
• Based in or near Phoenix, AZ (hybrid presence required)