Senior Director, AI & Digital Transformation

About Gagen MacDonald 

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Chicago, Gagen MacDonald, an APCO company, is a global advisory and advocacy communications consultancy. 

Gagen MacDonald is a woman-owned, people-focused transformation consulting firm and trusted partner to the C-suite. We are dedicated to accelerating human-centered transformation and enhancing business performance by connecting strategy, structure and culture to purpose, brand and reputation.

For more than 25 years, we have been working with organizations to navigate the human struggle of change. By changing the employee experience through culture, communication, leadership and design, we unite employees across all levels of an organization around a single vision, working from the inside out.

At Gagen, we are committed to delivering on our firm’s core value, “Our cause is our clients’ success,” to help organizations build a healthier business for a better world. 

To do that, we need highly talented people for whom client service and high-quality change communication are a priority. 

About the Role 

Are you a visionary? Someone who explores the intersection between transformation and technology? Do you have a passion for leading clients through the unknown while pushing the boundaries of what is possible as a leader? Then we have the opportunity for you! 

Gagen is seeking a Sr. Director, AI & Digital Transformation to serve as a senior counselor and a primary point of contact with clients, while helping the firm grow by generating new business opportunities, and lead a cross-functional team of talented consultants . This is a senior level consulting role for someone who has passion for AI and Digital Transformation readiness and adoption strategies that help organizations navigate the complex balance between technical implementation and the human struggle of change.  

This role is responsible for leading adoption of AI and digital transformation strategies (helping companies integrate AI and other digital technologies to enhance business operations and modernize processes through associated change management and organizational effectiveness solutions), business development and client management.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background advising IT and technology executives, experience with enterprise technology adoption, and a proven ability to bridge operational change with technical execution. This person will also help shape go-to-market strategies and represent Gagen MacDonald in high-stakes client engagements.

The job can be based at one of our U.S. offices (Chicago, NYC, DC, Raleigh) or a home office, and it requires some travel to client sites and company meetings.

What You'll Do 

Join us and make a positive impact with some of the world's most admired brands using your expertise in AI tools, digital transformation, internal communications, change management and employee engagement. 

Firm Strategy & Business Development

• Develop and own Gagen's AI Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy to drive revenue-generating AI offerings in partnership with client leads.
• Build a comprehensive roadmap and strategy for AI readiness, implementation and adoption aligned with the firm’s business objectives and client needs.
• Lead the identification, prioritization and execution of AI initiatives across service lines, including client solutions, internal operations and new product development.
• Drive business development, prospecting and sales efforts, targeting large enterprise clients.
• Contribute to the firm's growth by generating new business and leading the development of proposals and RFP responses for multi-disciplinary engagements with new clients. 
• Monitor and report on the performance and impact of AI initiatives, adjusting strategy as needed to maximize value and mitigate risk.

Client Delivery 

• Monitor and analyze broader trends and drivers of change impacting AI adoption and organizational effectiveness—such as technological innovation, demographic shifts, regulatory developments, and evolving consumer values—to enable our clients to anticipate shifts in their operating environment and shape transformation strategies and roadmaps to position and capitalize on new opportunities or mitigate emerging risks.
• Advise our clients on AI change and communications strategies and solutions to translate complex AI concepts into compelling narratives the drive AI adoption, and ensure that our offerings remain at the forefront of industry innovation.
• As Senior Director of AI & Digital Transformation, enable clients to set their strategic direction for AI transformation and integration, and ensure that AI initiatives are value drivers for the organization and encomp