Director - Data Products & AI Strategy

At ERCOT, our diverse and dynamic work environment provides a platform on which employees can work together to build the future of the Texas power grid and wholesale market utilizing the latest technologies and resources.  We encourage you to join our talented, dedicated workforce to develop world-class solutions for today and tomorrow’s energy challenges while learning new skills and growing your career.

ERCOT is committed to fostering inclusion at all levels of our company. It is the cornerstone of our corporate values of accountability, leadership, innovation, trust, and expertise. We know that individuals with a wide variety of talents, ideas, and experiences propel the innovation that drives our success. An inclusive and diverse workforce strengthens us and allows for a collaborative environment to solve the challenges that face our industry today and in the future.

JOB SUMMARY

Leads ERCOT’s Data Products and AI Strategy organization, driving enterprise data product development, analytics and business intelligence solutions, and AI capabilities that enable ERCOT’s vision to be the most reliable and innovative grid in the world. Oversees three teams: Data Product Management, Analytics & BI Development, and AI/ML Operations. Owns strategy, portfolio planning, and delivery of governed data products—reports, dashboards, APIs, curated datasets, ML models, and AI-powered solutions—aligned with business objectives and regulatory requirements. Partners with business domains and leadership to translate strategy into actionable roadmaps. Technology stack includes Oracle RDBMS, Informatica, Azure Data Lake with Databricks, Power BI, IBM Cognos, and Microsoft Foundry, ensuring robust governance and operational excellence.

JOB DUTIES

• Responsible for hiring, coaching, training, and performance management of staff.
• Regularly interacts with executives and/or major customers. Interactions frequently involve special skills, such as negotiating with customers or management regarding matters of significance to the organization.
• Typically directs and controls the activities of a broad functional area through several department managers within ERCOT. Has overall control of planning, staffing, budgeting, managing expense priorities, and recommending and implementing changes to methods.
• Responsible for budgetary decisions within functional areas according to organizational policy/guidelines. Recommends financial decisions that impact area of responsibility.

ADDITIONAL JOB DUTIES

• Define and execute enterprise data product and AI strategy aligned with organizational objectives and innovation initiatives.
• Develop multi-year roadmaps for data product innovation, analytics capabilities, and AI/ML maturity.
• Drive digital transformation through advanced analytics, data products, and artificial intelligence.
• Own enterprise data product portfolio planning, prioritization, and lifecycle management.
• Ensure predictable, high-quality delivery of data products, analytics assets, and ML models.
• Define enterprise standards for data product specifications, validation frameworks, and MLOps practices.
• Embed governance, risk, and compliance controls across data products and AI/ML models.
• Ensure ethical AI practices, fairness assessments, and responsible AI frameworks are integrated into operations.
• Drive privacy-by-design and security-by-design principles across all data products and AI initiatives.
• Build and lead high-performing teams across data product management, analytics, and AI/ML operations.
• Establish organizational structure, roles, and career development frameworks to support strategic goals.
• Develop and manage annual budgets, expense priorities, and ROI tracking for strategic investments.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with IT, business domains, regulatory affairs, and technology partners.
• Build trusted advisor relationships with executives and facilitate governance forums for data and AI initiatives.
• Negotiate with internal and external stakeholders on product requirements, SLAs, and delivery commitments.
• Manage escalations, resolve conflicts, and maintain transparency with executive leadership.
• Sponsor innovation programs, pilot projects, and adoption of industry best practices for analytics and AI.
• Benchmark capabilities against industry peers and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Coordinate unified strategies and priorities with platform and governance teams to ensure alignment.
• Represent the organization in industry forums, conferences, and strategic partnerships related to data and AI.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience