AI Program Manager

Position: AI Program Manager

Location: fully remote

Contract to hire

Additional Info from manager (MUST HAVES vs. NICE TO HAVES)

 The role is centered on owning and driving the AI Nexus program, which includes:

• Identifying AI use cases with business teams
• Scoring and prioritizing those use cases
• Building proposals
• Presenting to executive leadership
• Coordinating delivery across internal teams and vendors

Job Description:

The AI Program Manager leads and manages cross-functional enterprise-level AI initiatives through the full project lifecycle, including requirements, planning, design/build/development, implementation, and hyper-care support. The role ensures high-quality delivery that is on time and within budget while balancing rigor with flexibility in an entrepreneurial environment. In addition to core project management responsibilities, this role identifies, prioritizes, and delivers AI and machine learning initiatives that drive measurable business outcomes across manufacturing and distribution operations.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

·         Lead end-to-end project delivery and position the PMO as a strategic advisor to the organization.

·         Develop and manage project plans, charters, communication plans, testing plans, and implementation plans.

·         Manage project scope, schedule, budget, resources, risks, and quality of deliverables.

·         Partner with IT leadership and business stakeholders to support the development and execution of AI use cases.

·         Translate business problems into AI-ready problem statements and define success metrics such as ROI, adoption, and performance.

·         Coordinate technology teams across the AI lifecycle.

·         Manage AI-specific risks including data quality, bias, explainability, security, and regulatory compliance.

·         Oversee AI pilots, proofs of concept, and production deployments, including post-launch monitoring and support.

·         Manage vendors, platforms, and partners delivering AI capabilities and services.

·         Lead AI-focused change management to drive adoption, trust, and effective use of AI solutions.

·         Assist with driving the adoption and maturation of the Agile methodologies

·         Apply Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid delivery approaches based on project needs.

·         Lead and facilitate roundtable and executive workshops

·         Collaborate with executive leadership to present prioritized AI use cases (including scoring and rationale) and provide concise updates on individual projects and overall program health (milestones, risks, dependencies, decisions needed, and value delivered).

Qualifications

1.    Education & Certifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

PMP certification or in active pursuit.

Agile certification (e.g., Scrum, SAFe).

Preferred: AI, machine learning, or data analytics training or certification.

2.    Experience

8–10 years of project management experience leading cross-functional initiatives.

5–8 years of information technology management experience.

2–5 years in manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, or operational environments.

Proven experience delivering AI, machine learning, or data-driven solutions.

Strong collaboration, communication, facilitation, and risk management skills.

Other Competencies

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts into business language.

·         Strong customer service mindset and urgency to deliver results.

·         Ability to think strategically and solve complex problems.

·         Commitment to knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.