Director – AI & Data Strategy; Retail Transformation

Position: Director – AI & Data Strategy (Retail Transformation)

We are seeking a Director – AI & Data Strategy (Retail Transformation) to lead executive-level AI initiatives and build a scalable retail delivery practice for Intellibus.

This role sits at the intersection of:

• Retail business strategy

You will partner directly with CIO, CTO, CDO, and business executives
, translate strategy into executable programs, and oversee delivery across multiple squads covering:

• Data foundations

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone equally comfortable in the boardroom and deep in delivery planning and technical reviews.

What We Are Specifically Looking For

We are targeting leaders with experience in:

• Brick-and-mortar retail, grocery, or omnichannel enterprises
• Merchandising and supply chain platforms
• Store operations and POS ecosystems
• Retail data platforms and analytics
• AI applied to operational decision-making

Ideal backgrounds include companies such as:

Large grocery chains, big-box retailers, or retail technology divisions where technology had to coexist with real-world operations.

Retail transformation experience is mandatory
.

Key Responsibilities Executive Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as the primary Intellibus partner to the client’s Executive Leadership Team.
• Translate business priorities into a prioritized portfolio of AI and data initiatives.
• Lead executive AI roadmap reviews and value realization discussions.
• Ensure all initiatives align with governance, compliance, and ethical AI standards.
• Act as a trusted advisor balancing ambition with technical and operational reality.

Program Direction & Delivery Oversight

• Own delivery across three core work streams
• AI pilots and rapid experimentation
• Data foundations and integration platforms
• Engineering excellence and modernization
• Coordinate ~20–30 engineers, data scientists, and delivery leads
• Manage execution plans, sprint cadence, and dependency resolution
• Track KPIs including productivity, cycle time, and business impact
• Ensure integration across AI, data, and engineering initiatives

Technical & Operational Leadership

• Provide architectural oversight for AI and data platforms
• Guide AI problem framing, experimentation design, and success metrics
• Advise on cloud platforms, MLOps, and data engineering practices
• Understand retail systems (POS, loyalty, merchandising, supply chain) and how AI enhances them
• Review and approve major technical deliverables
• Build and scale Intellibus’ Retail AI delivery practice
• Mentor squad leads and technical managers
• Standardize methodologies across AI, data, and engineering teams
• Partner with internal operations to scale delivery globally
• Represent Intellibus’ standards of engineering excellence and ethical AI
• Weekly squad syncs
• Bi-weekly sprint reviews
• Monthly executive checkpoints
• Deliver executive dashboards quantifying ROI and operational impact
• Publish quarterly AI practice updates and roadmap adjustments
• Drive continuous improvement across delivery and governance

Required Qualifications

• 12–20 years in technology, AI, data, or digital transformation
• 5+ years in executive-facing leadership or consulting roles
• Direct retail, grocery, or supply chain domain experience (mandatory)
• Strong understanding of:
• AI/ML systems and experimentation
• Data engineering and analytics platforms
• Cloud and modern software architecture
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams (20–30+)
• Executive communication and influence skills
• Consulting or systems integration background strongly preferred
• Based in or near Phoenix, AZ (hybrid presence required)

Interview Process

• 15-minute introductory video call with a member of our team
• Proctored GQ assessment and slide presentation exercise to evaluate problem-solving and presentation skills
• Leadership and Executive interviews (panel or individual sessions, as needed)
• Offer decision and onboarding

If you are interested in contacting us, please apply, and our team will reach out to you within the hour.

Seniority level

Director

Employment type

Contract

Job function

Engineering and Information Technology

Industries

IT Services and IT Consulting

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