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The Director of Artificial Intelligence will act as the catalyst for AI exploration and adoption across SCI. This role will be foundational in building our AI program from the ground up — shaping how we use AI to enhance customer experiences, optimize operations, and drive business growth. As the first leader in this function, you will define our AI roadmap and partner across the business with functional leaders to identify opportunities, coordinate pilots, ensure collaboration and measure business impact. This is a hands-on, high visibility role for a leader eager to shape how AI transforms the way SCI serves customers, associates and communities.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

AI Exploration & Roadmap Development

• Facilitate enterprise-wide exploration of AI use cases, ensuring alignment to business strategy
• Build and maintain an intake and prioritization framework to evaluate new opportunities
• Develop clear roadmaps for pilots in partnership with functional and business leaders

Governance & Alignment                  

• Lead the collaboration across functions to build AI infrastructure, tools, and governance
• Maintain central visibility into AI pilots and initiatives across SCI to avoid duplication and inefficiency
• Establish an AI Center of Excellence (CoE) to standardize best practices, frameworks, and deployment processes.
• Partner with IT, data, and analytics teams to ensure AI solutions integrate seamlessly with existing systems and data pipelines.
• Serve as the leader of the AI Governance Committee
• Partner with Legal and IT Security to implement AI governance to ensure adherence to data privacy policies

Incubation and Pilot Leadership      

• Manage pilot projects and scale successful initiatives into production systems
• Manage a limited innovation budget to support pilots and proofs-of-concepts

Enablement & Change Leadership   

• Champion AI adoption and literacy across the organization, educating executives and other leaders
• Help build AI literacy and confidence among associates by providing tools, frameworks and success stories

Performance and Reporting 

• Assist with development of measurements for AI performance, including ROI and impact on business outcomes

External Awareness  

• Stay current with emerging AI trends, tools, vendors and technologies
• This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the essential functions or duties related to this job

Minimum Requirements

Experience

• 8+ years of experience in digital transformation, strategy or innovation leadership roles

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Familiarity with AI applications, digital ecosystems and governance frameworks
• Proven success managing cross-functional initiatives in a complex organization
• Strong facilitation, communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Passion for innovation, curiosity and ability to translate technical concepts into business value

Work CONDITIONS                                                                  

Work Environment

• Work indoors during all seasons and weather conditions
• Comply with Corporate dress code policy

Work Postures

• Sitting continuously for many hours per day, up to 6 hours per day
• Climbing stairs to access buildings

Physical Demands

• Physical effort requiring manual dexterity is required, includes paperwork, calculators, computers and phone usage

Work Hours

• Working beyond “standard” hours as the need arises

Postal Code: 77019

Category (Portal Searching): Information Technology

Job Location: US-TX - Houston