Role Overview
Head of AI Strategy & Operations – Remote (US). This senior role is suited for leaders with strategic AI expertise who can guide enterprise-wide AI adoption responsibly.
The position reports to senior leadership at Accela and involves shaping AI strategy, governance, and operational practices across the organization.
Key Responsibilities
Define and evolve Accela’s enterprise AI strategy, aligning investments with business objectives and risk tolerance.
Work with technical and business leaders to prioritize AI opportunities based on benefit, readiness, data requirements, effort, risk, and cost.
Establish AI governance frameworks, including risk categories, review processes, and approval criteria.
Translate legal, regulatory, contractual, and policy obligations—especially for government customers—into clear security, privacy, data-use, human-oversight, and evaluation requirements.
Clarify ownership and decision-making responsibilities throughout the AI lifecycle, from experiment to deployment and retirement.
Maintain a company-wide view of AI initiatives, tools, owners, investments, dependencies, and risks.
Provide training, guides, templates, office hours, and peer-learning opportunities to support employee adoption of AI tools.
Build an AI champion network and incorporate employee feedback to improve usability of approved solutions.
Partner with functional leaders to address skill gaps, evolve roles, and set AI performance goals.
Influence technology selection, reducing duplication and fostering reusable capabilities; evaluate build- versus-buy decisions.
Define technical standards for access control, activity logging, monitoring, incident response, and ongoing AI system management.
Conduct prototype tests to validate assumptions before larger investments, collaborating closely with production teams.
Develop an executive scorecard measuring adoption, business outcomes, quality, reliability, risk, cost, and value; work with Finance to verify benefits.
Requirements
Proven strategic thinking and practical AI implementation experience.
Ability to unite cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, IT, Security, Legal, Privacy, GRC, HR, Finance, Procurement) around shared AI goals.
Strong understanding of AI risk management, governance, and compliance, especially for government contracts.
Experience translating complex regulatory and policy requirements into actionable technical specifications.
Excellent communication skills to convey AI strategy, progress, costs, and risks to executives and functional leaders.
Capability to design and oversee enterprise-wide AI portfolios, including tracking investments and outcomes.
Experience developing training programs and fostering internal AI champion communities.
Ability to assess technology options, guide build-vs-buy decisions, and set technical standards for AI systems.
Skills and Tools
AI strategy development
Governance and risk management
Cross-functional collaboration
Portfolio management and reporting
Training and change management
Technical standards for security and privacy
Salary and Benefits
Salary range: $240,000-$280,000 per year
About the Company
Accela is transitioning to an AI-first organization, aiming to embed artificial intelligence into everyday workflows to improve productivity and deliver measurable results. The company emphasizes responsible AI use, aligning technical solutions with legal, regulatory, and policy obligations, particularly for government customers.
How to Apply
Candidates should apply through Accela’s official careers page.
