Principal AI Transformation Lead

Cordia; United States; Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training programs via Cordia University

Opportunities for team expansion in AI solutions

Job summary

Cordia is seeking a senior-level leader to operationalize the AIM program aimed at enhancing productivity and governance in AI across the enterprise. This pivotal role requires driving AI adoption, managing AI governance frameworks, and ensuring compliance while supporting business-wide strategic initiatives.

Ideal candidates should possess extensive experience in IT and digital transformation, demonstrating success in cross-functional leadership and change management. This role is an opportunity to significantly impact Cordia's AI integration efforts and foster a culture of responsible AI use.

Qualifications

• Proven experience standing up governance programs (AI, data, or IT governance).
• Strong understanding of generative AI capabilities and enterprise architecture.
• Experience managing use case pipelines and measuring business outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and operationalize the AIM program across the enterprise.
• Own and evolve Cordia's AI governance framework.
• Oversee the enterprise rollout of AI capabilities.

Skills

AI governance

Cross-functional leadership

Data governance

Change management

Generative AI capabilities

Education

8-12+ years in IT, data, or digital transformation roles

Tools

Microsoft 365

NetSuite

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

Cordia is seeking a senior-level leader to lead and operationalize the AIM (AI Impact & Modernization) program across the enterprise. AIM is Cordia's enterprise AI enablement program designed to accelerate productivity, improve operational performance, and enable innovation while maintaining strong governance and data protection. This role leads, but does not solely own Cordia's AI transformation. Working through the broader AIM team and business stakeholders listed in the Key Relationships section, this person helps make AI a successful part of the fabric of every function in the business. The role drives AI governance, enterprise adoption, and business value realization by building a structured, scalable approach to AI usage, use case delivery, and workforce enablement. This person serves as the bridge between IT, cybersecurity, data, operations, and all business functions, ensuring AI is deployed securely, compliantly, and strategically. Because the role interacts with large segments of the business, it has the opportunity to make a meaningful, visible impact across Cordia. This hire reports directly to the CIO. The role is initially an individual contributor with enterprise-wide influence and a path to expanded scope including data governance and agentic AI solutions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

AI Governance & Risk Management

• Own and evolve Cordia's AI governance framework aligned to the AIM charter and Cordia AI Policy (v2.0, effective July 15, 2025)
• Enforce AI Acceptable Use Policy including disclosure requirements, approved tool usage, ethical standards (fairness, equity, privacy, accountability, human oversight), and data protection standards
• Manage the approved tools list: evaluate new tools against data privacy, enterprise security (SSO, RBAC, audit logging, data residency), cost/value, integration, and vendor viability criteria
• Partner with cybersecurity team on Digital Loss Prevention (DLP) controls, monitoring, shadow AI detection, and security architecture review
• Maintain visibility into AI tool usage across the enterprise; identify and mitigate shadow AI risk (Risk R-01 in charter risk register: High Probability / High Impact)
• Ensure alignment with Zero Trust and enterprise identity controls, especially for agentic AI solutions requiring strict identity access controls
• Support the RACI decision authority matrix: IT Directors Responsible, CIO Accountable for approved tools list changes, AI policy updates, and platform evaluation

Enterprise AI Enablement & Adoption

• Lead enterprise rollout of AI capabilities across Copilot Pro, Salesforce Einstein, NetSuite AI, NSAW, Monday.com AI, Aveva PI/Twin Thread, and future approved platforms
• Design and execute the three-tier workforce enablement strategy:
  • Tier 1 – Enterprise AI Literacy: All office-based employees (field-based staff opt-in). AI concepts, Acceptable Use Policy, hands-on Copilot Pro, data protection practices
  • Tier 2 – Role-Based Enablement: Targeted training for functional teams (finance, operations, customer, HR). Use case workshops tailored to departmental workflows
  • Tier 3 – Power User & Advanced Enablement: Advanced prompt engineering, multi-model usage, use case development, AI champion certification and peer training
• Ensure all training is branded as Cordia University content per corporate training committee guidance
• Identify and empower AI Champions across business units for peer training, use case evangelism, and feedback loops
• Drive meaningful adoption of approved AI tools across licensed users and business functions
• Build a culture of responsible AI use aligned with Cordia Beliefs: Safety, Talent, Value, Collaboration, Accountability, Customers, Sustainability

Use Case Lifecycle Management

• Own the end-to-end AI use case lifecycle: Intake, Screening, Prioritize, Pilot, Measure, Scale
• Manage the formal intake process: receive submissions via AI Forum or intake form, screen for feasibility and policy compliance, assign business owners, define KPIs and success criteria
• Apply prioritization scoring: Business Impact (High), Scalability (High), Data Readiness (Medium), Risk (Medium), Effort to Pilot (Low-Medium), Strategic Alignment (Medium)
• Execute the pilot framework: Define Build Test Measure Decide (go/no-go at pilot close)
• Enforce scale criteria: KPIs met or exceeded, business owner confirms value, security/compliance validated, operational support model defined, budget and licensing implications approved
• Focus areas: operations, finance and corporate, customer and commercial functions
• Balance individual empowerment with governance guardrails and tool access, not permission-based gatekeeping for every task

AI Operating Model & Program Management

• Stand up and run the enterprise AI operating model:
  • AI Forum: Monthly cross-functional meetings with ad-hoc sessions, supported by Viva Engage
  • IT Leadership Team (ILT): Weekly execution oversight, resource allocation, issue resolution
  • ELT Reporting: Quarterly program status, value realization, and strategic alignment review
• Maintain reporting cadence: Program Dashboard (monthly/IT), Executive Report (quarterly/ELT), Use Case Scorecards (per pilot), AI Forum Updates (monthly/all employees)
• Execute the three-phase roadmap: Phase 1 Launch & Foundation (Q2-Q3 2026), Phase 2 Pilot Expansion (Q3-Q4 2026), Phase 3 Scale & Optimize (Q1-Q2 2027)
• Manage the AIM communication plan including three-part launch email series and ongoing Viva Engage communities
• Coordinate with Program Coordinator and Administrative Support on scheduling, communications, and logistics
• Follow Cordia's standard change management process for scope, timeline, or budget changes via Monday.com form, assessed against Quality/Cost/Timing triangle

Solutions Architecture & Platform Strategy

• Lead AI platform evaluation driven by three objectives: broader model access (multi-LLM: OpenAI, Claude, etc.), enterprise-grade security and governance, and cost optimization (Copilot price increases effective July 2026)
• Ensure integration with Cordia's technology ecosystem: Microsoft 365, NetSuite, Fiix, Salesforce, NSAW, Monday.com, Dayforce, Aveva PI, and cybersecurity tools (ReliaQuest, SentinelOne)
• Pursue standardization: fewer platforms, not more; make a clear standardization decision and prevent tool fragmentation
• Coordinate with Data & Analytics team on platform readiness and data integration across enterprise systems
• Influence design of scalable, secure AI solutions including agentic AI architectures with proper identity access controls and validated data sets
• Minimize data duplication, maintain governance, and support the data foundation strategy across all integration decisions

Data Foundation Alignment

• Ensure AI initiatives are built on Cordia's data foundation. AI effectiveness is directly constrained by data quality
• Partner with data team on data quality, ownership, and stewardship as prerequisites for AI scaling
• Support NSAW integration: data from NetSuite ERP, EDM, built-in connectors (Salesforce, Google Analytics), custom integrations (CSV files), and other connections (Monday, Fiix, Dayforce)
• Align with Cordia IT Data Management & Governance Plan: SDLC, Change Control Board (CCB) process, data catalog, coding standards, and cybersecurity alignment
• Champion the evolution from current "System Provider" model to a "Business Enabler" model that democratizes analytics through self-service capabilities
• Manage unstructured data initiatives to make more organizational information searchable and usable for AI

Stakeholder Engagement & Coordination

• Serve as the primary liaison between IT enablement and business execution across all functions
• Coordinate with Operations on AI/ML energy efficiency initiatives (chilled water optimization, extension to other sites) to share learnings, avoid duplication, and ensure governance alignment
• Engage with KKR portfolio-level AI initiatives (OpenAI/ChatGPT Enterprise, SkanAI) as applicable
• Manage external partner relationships
• Support Energy Center communication: translate AIM updates, training expectations, and relevant use cases for site-level and field-based employees

GROWTH PATH

This role starts as a senior individual contributor with direct CIO reporting line and enterprise-wide influence. Within 12-24 months scope may expand to include:

• Enterprise data governance and data management leadership
• Dedicated resources for agentic AI solutions (automation, digital workers, department-specific agents)
• Team build-out: AI engineers/analysts, data governance resources, AI compliance/risk support
• This is a build-from-scratch opportunity to define how Cordia scales AI across the enterprise. The program transitions from project mode to sustained operating capability as AI governance becomes embedded in standard IT operations and the use case lifecycle becomes routine.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 8-12+ years in IT, data, or digital transformation roles with cross-functional program leadership
• Proven experience standing up governance programs (AI, data, or IT governance)
• Strong understanding of generative AI capabilities, enterprise architecture, and cybersecurity/risk frameworks
• Experience managing use case pipelines, pilot programs, and measuring business outcomes with defined KPIs
• Proven ability to influence senior leadership and drive enterprise-wide adoption at scale
• Experience with change management and workforce enablement in technology programs
• Experience reviewing and negotiating vendor contracts, with familiarity in key contract provisions, vendor onboarding, relationship management, performance monitoring, and issue resolution
• Understanding of data governance, data quality, and analytics platform strategy

Preferred

• Experience with Microsoft 365 / Copilot, NetSuite Analytics Warehouse (NSAW), Oracle Autonomous Database, or enterprise analytics ecosystems
• Familiarity with multi-model AI environments (OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, etc.)
• Exposure to agentic AI, automation, and digital worker architectures
• Experience in energy, utilities, district energy, infrastructure, or private equity portfolio companies
• Change management
• PMP or program management certification

Cordia Belief & How This Role Delivers

• Safety: Enforce governed AI usage, acceptable use policy, and data protection across the enterprise
• Talent: Enable and upskill employees with AI literacy and role-based training through Cordia University
• Value: Prioritize AI use cases that create measurable business value
• Collaboration: Foster cross-functional engagement through the AI Forum and use case sharing
• Accountability: Define clear ownership for use cases, governance, and business outcomes
• Customers: Improve service delivery through AI-enhanced operations and decision-making
• Sustainability: Protect our environment, systems, and data through responsible AI practices