VP, AI Transformation

The VP, AI Transformation is responsible for defining, establishing, scaling, and leading AI transformation in a complex, high-value industry environment, building and scaling enterprise-wide adoption of AI capabilities from the ground up. This role will define how AI drives competitive advantage across manufacturing, engineering, and aviation training operations, and be accountable for evolving AI from experimentation into enterprise capability, delivering measurable impact across cost structure, operational performance, and product innovation. This role requires a leader with demonstrated experience building foundational capabilities, educating stakeholders, identifying high-value opportunities, and implementing secure, compliant, and scalable AI solutions for the business. This candidate will balance innovation with risk management while ensuring compliance with defense industry requirements, cybersecurity regulations, global data protection laws, and international operational considerations.

* Define and execute a multi-year AI strategy roadmap aligned to business priorities and the modernization of digital initiatives
* Build a value-backed portfolio of AI initiatives tied to cost reduction, throughput and quality improvements, and revenue enablement
* Establish a roadmap which balances innovation, operational efficiency, risk management, and quantitative value
* Develop a scalable AI operating model (people, process, technology, governance) and partnering with executive leadership to identify & prioritize the opportunities across all business units
* Partner with finance and establish clear ROI frameworks and accountability for outcomes
* Deliver material EBITDA impact through AI-driven initiatives
* Stand up and scale an AI Center of Excellence (CoE)
* Lead operational transformation across corporate functions, manufacturing operations, engineering and simulation by incorporating AI into core business workflows and processes building executive & leadership understanding of AI capabilities, limitations, risks and emerging trends.
* Define the enterprise AI architecture in partnership with IT and executive leadership
* Establish enterprise AI governance, including responsible AI principles, model risk management and data privacy and IP protection
* Partner with Legal, Risk, and Cybersecurity to mitigate emerging threats
* When appropriate, ensure AI initiatives align with defense industry requirements, including:
* CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
* NIST SP 800-171, NIST SP 800-53
* Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) handling requirements
* Export control considerations
* Government customer cybersecurity requirements
* Establish secure AI usage standards for environments containing sensitive, regulated, or controlled information.
* Collaborate with cybersecurity, compliance, legal, and contracts teams to evaluate AI-related risks, contractual obligations, and emerging threats.
* Develop policies governing use of commercial and generative AI platforms in regulated environments
* Drive enterprise-wide change management and adoption while assessing organizational and system readiness related to data quality, architecture, and governance
* Guide decisions regarding AI cloud services, private environments and enterprise architectures while ensuring the initiatives align with the evolving architecture and cybersecurity standards.

* Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or equivalent industry experience
* Advanced degree and/or certifications in AI preferred

* Seven or more years spearheading the development and execution of AI engineering, software engineering, and/or advanced data science initiatives, with experience in designing and delivering adaptive/intelligent solutions, coordinating AI platforms, and selection/use of AI embedded in enterprise applications.
* 5+ years leading enterprise-scale technology transformation programs
* Preferably ten or more years in various adjacent areas. This should include, but not be limited to, software engineering, data engineering & management, analytics, AI models life cycle management, knowledge engineering, unstructured data & information management, and familiarity with a wide array of AI techniques.
* Experience developing AI, analytics, automation, or digital transformation strategies and strong understanding of generative AI, machine learning, large language models, automation technologies, and enterprise AI platforms
* Experience operating within regulated industries or government contracting environments preferred
* Proven track record of driving measurable business impact at scale
* Experience in manufacturing, aerospace, aviation, or engineering-intensive industries strongly preferred
* Demonstrated success building and leading cross-functional transformation teams

* Understands how decision intelligence, agentic AI, and other AI practices/approaches/application areas can transform decision making and work practices. Articulate AI's transformative impact on current and future business objectives, including its potential to drive new business models, regenerate existing workflows, optimize operations, and deliver measurable value based on key performance indicators (KPIs).
* Experience integrating AI into complex, legacy-rich environments.
* Demonstrates the ability to comprehend industry dynamics and the organization's core mission to pinpoint where AI can yield the most significant impact and competitive advantage, while also identifying relevant business risks and opportunities, including how AI can disrupt or extend existing business models.
* Pragmatic and execution-focused (avoids hype-driven approaches)
* Builder mindset-comfortable creating capability from zero
* High accountability and bias for results
* Strong commercial acumen-can tie initiatives directly to P&L impact
* Ability to operate at both the Executive/board level and Hands-on execution level
* Exceptional stakeholder influence across technical and non-technical audiences
* Superior analytic and decision-making skills. Ability to quickly size up where and how the organization creates value, identify opportunities and risks, and develop appropriate, actionable plans
* Expert ability to develop strong business partnerships and influence senior and executive management
* Expert experience managing remote/virtual teams and partners
* Excellent mentoring and team development skills

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met and/or encountered by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and communicate. The employee may be required to stand, walk, and sit.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to view monitors, technical documents, and reference material.
The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.