AI Lead - Enterprise AI Strategy & Transformation

AI Lead - Enterprise AI Strategy & Transformation Location: Remote (Houston, TX area preferred)

Duration: 12-Month Contract-to-Hire

Client combines the power of strategy, execution, and innovation to help organizations accelerate digital transformation and achieve meaningful business outcomes. We invest in our people, foster an inclusive culture, and provide opportunities to work on some of the most challenging and impactful technology initiatives across the globe. Job Summary Client is seeking an experienced AI Lead to drive enterprise AI strategy, governance, and adoption across a large-scale IT organization. This individual will serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership while also leading the execution of high-impact AI initiatives. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, generative AI, automation, and enterprise transformation with the ability to communicate effectively at the executive level.

This role requires a leader who can identify business opportunities, establish AI governance frameworks, align cross-functional stakeholders, and deliver measurable business outcomes through responsible AI adoption. Key Responsibilities

• Partner with executive leadership to define and execute an enterprise AI strategy aligned to business objectives.
• Identify, prioritize, and lead AI use cases that improve productivity, operational efficiency, employee experience, service quality, and risk management.
• Develop AI roadmaps, investment recommendations, business cases, and implementation plans.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, translating complex AI concepts into actionable business recommendations.
• Establish alignment across IT, security, architecture, legal, compliance, risk, and business teams.
• Create repeatable methods for evaluating AI opportunities, including value assessment, feasibility analysis, data readiness, and adoption planning.
• Lead AI pilots and enterprise-scale implementations from ideation through production deployment.
• Promote responsible AI practices, including governance, privacy, security, transparency, and model risk management.
• Define and track KPIs, success metrics, realized value, and adoption outcomes.
• Help develop and mature the organization’s AI operating model, standards, processes, and governance structures.
• Stay current with emerging AI technologies, market trends, enterprise platforms, and industry best practices.
• Coach technical and business teams to improve AI fluency and adoption across the organization. Required Qualifications
• Significant experience leading AI, machine learning, generative AI, automation, or data transformation initiatives within large enterprise environments.
• Proven ability to influence executive stakeholders and senior business leaders.
• Strong understanding of translating AI capabilities into measurable business outcomes and ROI.
• Experience communicating technical concepts to executive and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional programs and strategic initiatives.
• Experience with AI governance, risk management, cybersecurity, privacy, and responsible AI frameworks.
• Strong program management skills, including roadmap development, prioritization, stakeholder management, and value realization.
• Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, and leadership skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Business, or related field. Preferred Qualifications
• Experience serving as an AI leader, enterprise architect, transformation leader, product leader, or senior consultant.
• Experience within financial services, technology organizations, or other highly regulated industries.

Hands-on experience with:

• Generative AI
• Large Language Models (LLMs)
• AI Agents
• Machine Learning Platforms
• MLOps
• Enterprise Automation Platforms
• Modern Data Platforms
• Experience building AI Centers of Excellence (CoE), enterprise AI portfolios, or AI operating models.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms, enterprise architecture, IAM, observability, and modern software delivery practices.
• Experience measuring AI adoption, productivity gains, cost optimization, risk reduction, and operational improvements. Desired Outcomes Within the first year, this individual will help establish:
• An executive-aligned AI strategy and prioritized enterprise roadmap.
• A transparent pipeline of AI initiatives with mea…