Director of Data & AI

ABOUT MORTENSON

As a Top 25 builder, developer, and EPC, our expertise spans markets like sports, renewable energy, data centers, healthcare, and more. We are builders at heart, working to ensure the built environment has a lasting positive impact. Let’s Redefine Possible®

SUMMARY

The Director of Data & AI is a strategic leadership role for innovative technology and provides strategic planning, direction, innovation, and overall execution of emerging IT technologies with the focus on Data & AI to support Mortenson’s mission to ‘inspire what’s possible’. The Director of Data & AI will champion the integration of AI technologies to augment operational efficiency and introduce innovative solutions catering to a broad user base. This role emphasizes the ethical application of AI, requiring the Director of Data & AI to collaborate with Business, establish and evolve governance frameworks, and ensure Data & AI solutions are implemented responsibly in a manner that benefits the company. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with stakeholders to establish the vision for data & AI, lead the creation of its strategy & roadmap, and effectively communicate it to leadership and non-technical team members.
• Establish the governance of data and AI, also provide oversight and leadership for it.
• Influence and steer the strategic direction of the company's AI initiatives, with a particular focus on generative AI.
• Engage with leadership to define & maintain master data, data standards, policies, and conceptual models, assuring the management of data quality monitoring practices.
• Identify AI-related risks, opportunities and specific technologies that will be associated with organization’s AI adoption and map them into the strategy and roadmap.
• Identify AI/ML ideas and move them to solutions.
• Provide program and project level oversight for all data and AI-related initiatives, ensuring that work adheres to the strategy and roadmap.
• Evaluate and determine return on technology investments both financially and through user experience.
• Drive the implementation of development best practices through the organization, while governing control and ensuring objectives are achieved.
• Effectively build relationships with Business leadership.
• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of Data Engineers/AI Engineers, and foster a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and improvement within the team.
• Develop, manage, allocate and govern the annual budget.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION

• Proven data literacy - The ability to describe business use cases/outcomes, data sources and management concepts, and analytical approaches/options. The ability to translate among the languages used by leadership, business, IT and quant stakeholders.
• Gravitas to develop a framework for data governance, as well as to sell and embed it in all levels of the business.
• Excellent business acumen and interpersonal skills; able to work with Business at a senior level to influence and effect change to achieve common goals.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain digital concepts and technologies to business leaders, and business concepts to technologists. The candidate should be able to “sell” ideas and processes internally at all levels. 
• Proven record of effective leadership, including the ability to balance team and individual responsibilities, build teams and consensus, get things done through others not directly under his/her supervision, and work ethically and with integrity Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential.
• Strong ability to lead collaboratively, to solicit information and cooperation from team members, vendors and customers to assist with cooperative problem solving.
• Active listening skills and effective communication including an openness to diverse input and feedback.
• Ability to travel occasionally.
• Knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity, inclusive behaviors, and Affirmative Action plans and their intended use.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, information systems, business administration, or related field.
• Experience in developing organization’s Data strategy with roadmap and AI strategy with roadmap, together with execution.
• 10 or more years of experience