Sr. Director of AI Applications and Operational Effectiveness [Analytics]

Harris & Harris, Ltd.; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 185,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401K matching

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid Time Off

Disability Insurance

Job summary

Harris & Harris, Ltd. in Chicago, IL, seeks a Sr. Director of AI Applications & Operational Effectiveness to lead AI-driven transformation across inbound/outbound channels, workforce productivity, and process automation.

You will own AI use cases, ROI, and the transformation roadmap driving customer engagement and efficiency. The role leads a shared services team delivering on the enterprise AI agenda, aligning people, processes, and systems to achieve operational excellence and superior

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Operations, or related field.
• 5+ years in customer operations, digital transformation, or AI-enabled operations.
• Experience managing remote or distributed teams.
• Strong analytical mindset; comfort with metrics, dashboards; SQL and Snowflake a plus.
• Proficiency with MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Experience in vendor management, procurement, contracting, and vendor partnerships oversight.
• Excellent communication skills—capable of translating technical concepts to senior executives and stakeholders.
• Change management expertise; ability to drive adoption in complex environments.
• Prior contact center operations experience desirable.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Lead the conceptualization, development, deployment, and adoption of AI-enabled tools and solutions for employees and customers.
• Be the organizational expert in trends, technologies, risks, and opportunities in AI, automation, and contact centers.
• Create robust business cases to justify initiatives, balancing cost, benefit, and risk.
• Define, monitor, and analyze KPIs to drive iterative improvements and actions.
• Benchmark operations against best practices to identify gaps and transform processes.
• Design strategies to improve process efficiency across channels.
• Evaluate and deploy best-in-class tools for process automation and knowledge management.
• Own continuous improvement for inbound virtual agents and their learning.
• Manage roadmaps of process improvements and automation initiatives across channels.
• Oversee workforce planning, scheduling, dialer management, and capacity optimization in contact centers.

Skills

Analytical mindset

Excellent communication

Change management

Leadership

Multi-tasking

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, CS, Operations, or related

Tools

SQL

Snowflake

MS Office

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Sr. Director of AI Applications & Operational Effectiveness

Chicago, IL, US

30+ days ago Requisition ID: 1545

Salary Range: $185,000.00 To $225,000.00 Annually

At Harris & Harris, we believe in harnessing the power of emerging technologies to elevate performance, experience, and outcomes. As we build our enterprise AI fabric, we are seeking a visionary leader to operationalize AI at the intersection of modern contact center practices. This role is foundational to our strategic direction—optimizing how we invest in and deploy AI to drive efficiency, scale, and an exceptional consumer experience.

As the Senior Director, AI Applications and Operational Effectiveness, you will lead the charge in translating AI investments into measurable business value across inbound/outbound channels, workforce productivity, process automation, and contact center optimization. You will own AI use cases, measurable ROI, and the transformation roadmap that propels Harris & Harris into the future of customer engagement.

You will lead a high-impact shared services team, charged with executing on the enterprise AI agenda, driving continuous improvement, and aligning our people, processes, and systems to deliver operational excellence and customer delight. Your insights, decisions, and collaborations will be central to our competitive advantage and enduring success.

Schedule: Regular business hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, after hours or weekend work may be required

Location: can work remote in most areas of the United States, or in our offices in Dallas, TX or Chicago, IL

Salary: $185,000.00 to $225,000.00 annually, with bonus potential

Additional Compensation and Benefits:

At Harris & Harris, we truly care about each employee’s health, wellness, financial stability, and education. We are proud to offer each employee the following benefits:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurances from premium providers
• 401K with matching
• Company paid Accident and Disability Insurance, Long Term Disability Insurance, EAP, and Travel Assistance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Time Off
• Additional benefits such as identity theft protection, flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, and more.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the conceptualization, development, deployment, and adoption of AI-enabled tools and solutions that create seamless, low-friction experiences for employees and consumers
• Be the organizational expert in emerging trends, competitive technologies, associated risks, and strategic opportunities in AI, automation, and contact center domains
• Create robust business cases to justify new initiatives, process changes, or technology investments—balancing cost, benefit, and risk
• Define, monitor, and analyze key performance metrics, using insights to drive iterative improvements and corrective actions
• Benchmark and evaluate internal operations against industry best practices to identify gaps and lead transformation
• Design and execute strategies to improve process efficiency, throughput, and quality across communication channels
• Evaluate, source, and deploy best-in-class tools aimed at process automation, knowledge management, and AI augmentation
• Own the continual improvement agenda for inbound virtual agents, ensuring their performance, learning, and adaptability
• Define and manage a road map of process improvements and automation initiatives across channels
• Oversee workforce planning, scheduling, dialer/campaign management, and capacity optimization efforts in contact center operations
• Drive deployment of technology (including AI, machine learning, knowledge management systems) to increase agent knowledge, productivity, and performance
• Work closely with cross-functional partners—IT, Analytics, HR/Training, Quality, Product—to align strategy, deliver projects, and sustain performance gains
• Post-implementation, rigorously monitor results, course-correct, and report on outcomes and ROI
• Lead by example: promote a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement throughout your teams

Key Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Operations, or related) or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in customer operations, digital transformation, process improvement, or AI-enabled operations—preferably in a service or financial services organization
• Experience managing remote or distributed teams
• Strong analytical mindset: comfort working with metrics, dashboards, root cause analyses; experience with SQL and Snowflake is a plus
• Proficiency with MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Experience in vendor management, technology procurement, contracting, and vendor partnership oversight
• Excellent communication skills—capable of translating technical concepts to senior executives, non-technical stakeholders, and cross-disciplinary partners
• Change management expertise; experience driving adoption and behavior change in complex environments
• Prior contact center operations experience is highly desirable
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize conflicting demands under ambiguity
• Willingness to travel up to 25% (on average ~10-15%)

What You'll Gain

• A pivotal and visible leadership role at the intersection of AI and operations
• The opportunity to define and execute the strategy that shapes how we engage with consumers
• Significant influence over technology investments, process transformation, and performance outcomes
• A collaborative, forward-looking culture that values innovation, experimentation, and accountability
• Competitive compensation, bonus structure, and benefits aligned with delivering measurable impact
• Room for growth and evolving scope as the organization scales

If you’re passionate about marrying AI, operations, and customer experience—and eager to lead transformational work that delivers real business value—we want to hear from you.

WHY HARRIS & HARRIS?

Harris & Harris is a premier, full-service revenue recovery firm headquartered and founded in Chicago, IL. Founded in 1968, we have been in business for more than 50 years, and we specialize in the utilities, government, and healthcare markets.

The family business Sam Harris started is now a firm of more than 500 hundred employees including collections professionals and customer care representatives who employ the latest technology and best ethical practices to help businesses recover revenue and provide world class customer service.

We take pride in knowing what it takes to turn a call from "average" to "excellent." We have been delighting clients and customers for decades thanks to our outstanding employees. They make the difference every day, shift, and call and transform challenges into victories.

At Harris & Harris, we’re proud to be an organization where everyone is welcome and can be their authentic selves at work. We’re passionate about celebrating the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture focuses on our employees and we look for opportunities to recognize and celebrate together. We are an organization that cares about our people. From monthly activities, bonuses and contests, to competitive wages and benefits, we foster an environment where we employees feel valued.

We also are an organization that believes in the power of giving back. Our internal cross functional committee, Harris Cares, guides our philanthropic activities. We have partnered with organizations such as One Warm Coat, Greater Chicago Food Depository, American Cancer Society, Bright Pink, The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), and Operation Stars and Stripes. Most recently we have partnered with local schools and charitable organizations to give back to our communities including the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity, A Just Harvest, and R. Nathaniel Dett Elementary School.

At Harris & Harris, everyone is important, and one person can make a difference for their colleagues, for our clients, and for our company. We look forward to hearing from you!

Harris & Harris is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against based on race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.