Director Data & AI

Ascend Learning; Gilbert, Northern (AZ, KY); On-site; USD 171,000 - 244,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off & parental leave

Employee assistance program

Wellness programs (Headspace & Airvet)

Charitable matching

Job summary

Ascend Learning is seeking a Director of Data and AI to lead NASM’s data architecture and AI capability. Reporting to the CIO, this senior role guides the Snowflake data platform and production AI/ML use cases powering members, trainers, and clubs.

You will establish AI governance, drive an AI-first strategy, and lead a high-performing data and AI team in a hybrid Gilbert, AZ environment with remote options across the continental United States.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in data, analytics, or AI/ML.
• 4+ years of people management.
• Hands-on experience building and operating a modern data platform on Snowflake.
• Proven experience deploying ML and generative AI in production (MLOps).
• Strong understanding of data governance and data privacy (GDPR, CCPA).
• Experience with the modern data stack: ingestion, transformation, orchestration, BI.
• Experience with Azure cloud environments (Azure AI Foundry, OpenAI, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Data and AI team.
• Own NASM’s Snowflake estate, data contracts, performance and security.
• Evolve the modern data stack: ingestion, transformation, orchestration, semantic layer, visualization.
• Define and execute the AI/ML strategy with production use cases.
• Establish AI governance and vendor evaluation.
• Drive AI-first enablement with product, analysis, architecture and ops teams.
• Align data platform with enterprise standards and cloud strategy.
• Build self-service analytics with governance and trust.

Skills

Data leadership

AI governance

Snowflake platform

MLOps

Cloud data warehouse

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Stats/Math/Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Snowflake

Azure AI Foundry

Power BI

Tableau/Looker

dbt

Airflow

Fivetran

Airbyte

Job description

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We Impact Lives Through Purpose-Driven Work in A People First Culture

Ascend Learning, a leading healthcare and learning technology company,is the connection between a powerful portfolio of brands serving students, educators, and employers with outcomes-based, data-driven solutions across the lifecycle of learning.From testing to certification, Ascend Learning products are used by physicians, emergency medical professionals, nurses, allied health professionals, certified personal trainers, financial advisors, skilled trades professionals and insurance brokers.

Headquartered in Burlington, MA, with additional office locations and hybrid and remote workers in cities across the U.S., Ascend Learning was recognized by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group as one of America’s 2025 Greatest Workplaces as well as America’s Best Places to work for Mental Well-Being for 2025.

We're always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you'd thrive, read on to learn more.

For over 37 years, National Academy of Sports Medicine®(NASM®) has set the standard in fitness and wellness credentials and certification with best-in-class, evidence-based programming. An Ascend Learning brand, NASM has delivered over 1.4 million fitness professionals in over 100 countries. From personal training to nutrition coaching, wellness to sports performance, NASM trainers and specialists work at every level to help clients set and reach their unique goals. Join us in igniting potential and making a lasting impact in the fitness and wellness industry.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

NASM is seeking a Director of Data and AI, reporting to the Chief Information Officer. This senior leadership role owns NASM’s data architecture and artificial intelligence capability. A horizontal function serving Product, Architecture, and the entirety of the business. The Director of Data and AI leads the team building and running the Snowflake data platform and the production AI/ML use cases that power business, member, trainer, and club experiences.

Snowflake is the data backbone of NASM’s technology landscape. This role is accountable for the integrity, performance, and trustworthiness of the data estate, the contracts that govern how source systems publish data, and the semantic layer that enables self-service analytics across the enterprise.

The Director is also the engine of NASM’s AI-first business enablement strategy, owning the tooling, governance, and adoption that allows the retained organization to amplify its own capacity, and partnering with the Product team to deliver AI-powered features for members, trainers, and clubs.

This role establishes the AI governance practices required before AI use cases proliferate in production, including model risk, responsible AI principles, vendor evaluation, and alignment to Ascend Learning enterprise data and AI policy.

WHERE YOU’LL WORK

This position will work a hybrid schedule from our Gilbert, AZ office location. Remote will be considered within the continental United States.

HOW YOU’LL SPEND YOUR TIME

• Lead and develop the Data and AI team, including a Data Architect, Data Architects and AI/ML Engineer.
• Own NASM’s Snowflake estate, including the data model, data contracts with source systems, performance, cost, and security.
• Establish and continuously evolve the modern data stack: ingestion, transformation (dbt or equivalent), orchestration, semantic layer, and visualization tooling.
• Define and execute the AI/ML strategy, prioritizing production use cases that deliver measurable business value (personalization, content recommendation, churn, study assistance, fraud).
• Establish AI governance for NASM in alignment with Ascend Learning policy: model risk, responsible AI, privacy, model documentation, and AI vendor evaluation.
• Drive the AI-first business enablement program, equipping product, business analysis, architecture, and operations teams with AI tooling, training, and ways of working.
• Align data engineering capacity through a blended in-house and MSP model; partner with the Director of Service Delivery to oversee MSP-delivered data work.
• Partner with Architecture to align the data platform with enterprise architecture standards, integration patterns, and cloud strategy.
• Establish operational metrics for data quality, pipeline reliability, model performance, analytics adoption, and AI use case ROI; report to executive leadership.
• Build the self-service analytics capability that empowers business users while maintaining data governance and trust. Empowering team members with AI capabilities to produce measurable improvements.
• Manage strategic vendor relationships across the data and AI ecosystem (Snowflake, Microsoft, Claude, Azure AI, OpenAI, and others).

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, statistics, mathematics, engineering, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in data, analytics, or AI/ML; 4+ years of people management.
• Hands-on experience building and operating a modern data platform on Snowflake (or equivalent cloud data warehouse).
• Proven experience deploying machine learning and generative AI use cases to production, including MLOps practices.
• Strong understanding of data governance, data privacy (GDPR, CCPA), and AI governance frameworks.
• Experience with the modern data stack: ingestion (Fivetran, Airbyte), transformation (dbt), orchestration (Airflow, Prefect), and BI (Power BI, Tableau, Looker).
• Experience working in Azure cloud environments preferred, including Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI, and Microsoft Fabric.
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing data and AI teams in a matrixed, MSP-supported delivery model.
• Strong executive communication; able to translate complex data and AI concepts for business stakeholders.
• Experience with responsible AI practices, including model documentation, bias evaluation, and ethical AI considerations.
• A change agent that delivers measurable outcomes for the business through data and AI.

HIRING RANGE

The current full-time, annualized base pay hiring range for this role is $170,900.00-$244,420.00. In accordance with applicable state laws, we are providing the expected pay range for this position. Individual compensation will be determined by various factors, including relevant experience, qualifications, current business needs and local market factors. Most regular, full-time employees are eligible to participate in an Ascend incentive bonus or salesplan.

BENEFITS

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and parental leave
• Employee assistance program
• Other wellness programs such as Headspace and Airvet
• Charitable matching program

Fostering A Sense of Belonging

Our values-driven culture unifies our teams and inspires a mindset of action, innovation, and collaboration, with a relentless focus on customers. We seek out and celebrate all people and perspectives and cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and be authentic. Our culture is firmly rooted in the belief that by embracing our differences and drawing on diverse perspectives, we are a stronger, more innovative, and more successful organization where employees experience a sense of belonging.

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S.-based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.