AI Enablement Lead

W.W. Grainger, Inc., is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products and solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. Known for its commitment to service and award‑winning culture, the Company had 2024 revenue of $17.2 billion across its two business models. In the High‑Touch Solutions segment, Grainger offers approximately 2 million maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and services, including technical support and inventory management. In the Endless Assortment segment, Zoro.com offers customers access to more than 14 million products, and MonotaRO.com offers more than 24 million products. Compensation The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $176,900 – 294,800 for a Chicago based position and $163,800 – 273,000 for a virtual position. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 20%, based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change. Rewards and Benefits Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing. 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full‑time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year. 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required. Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools. Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non‑birth parents. We are seeking an AI Enablement Lead to design internal AI education, use case discovery, and hands‑on solution development across Grainger's corporate and business functions. This role sits within our Grainger Technology Group and reports to the Director, Machine Learning Platform & Operations. You will operate as a player‑coach, combining deep technical expertise with strong facilitation, consulting, and change management skills. This role is ideal for someone who has built AI solutions hands‑on, thrives in ambiguity, and has experience working directly with business leaders—particularly in a consulting or advisory capacity. The work location will be in Chicago or Lake Forest, IL on a hybrid basis (2 days a week in office). We will consider candidates located outside of Chicago provided they are able to travel to Chicago up to 25%. We will also consider partial relocation funding. You Will Design and deliver AI training, education, and enablement sessions for business teams across corporate functions (e.g., sales, supply chain, merchandising, finance, HR) and act as a trusted AI advisor to senior business leaders, helping them understand what is possible with modern AI tools and where AI can meaningfully impact their workflows. Drive internal evangelization of AI capabilities, best practices, and responsible usage. Regularly plan and facilitate structured AI design sprint workshops with business teams on‑site. Design and build AI prototypes, internal tools, and workflow automations using tools like ChatGPT Enterprise / Microsoft Copilot / Onyx AI, LLM APIs and agent‑based frameworks, and low‑code / automation platforms (e.g., n8n or similar). Partner with ML, MLOps, engineering, and product teams to hand off validated solutions for production hardening when appropriate. Leverage rotational support from ML, MLOps, engineering, and product teams to accelerate delivery and knowledge sharing. Partner with business stakeholders to define baseline metrics and quantify realized value from AI‑enabled workflows. Your own metrics will include things like the number of business teams enabled through training and workshops, the number of AI‑powered solutions prototyped and delivered, adoption and sustained usage of AI tools and solutions across the organization, as well as concrete business impact metrics. You Have Bachelor's Degree in Data Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field or equivalent experience. 7+ years of experience building and delivering technology solutions, with significant hands‑on experience in AI / machine learning / data‑driven applications. 2+ years of experience operating as a trusted advisor or consultant to business stakeholders, or as a solutions architect, translating business problems into technical solutions. Demonstrated experience building and evaluating LLM‑powered and agent‑based solutions, including prompt engineering, tool orchestration, and workflow automation. Strong technical fluency with modern AI platforms, APIs, and frameworks, with the ability to personally build working solutions. Familiarity with the language and methodology of continuous improvement / Lean. Proven ability to design and facilitate workshops, design sprints, and working sessions with cross‑functional teams. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non‑technical audiences and influence without formal authority. Familiarity with enterprise AI governance, responsible AI practices, and change management. Preferred Prior experience in management consulting, internal consulting, forward deployed engineering or a similar advisory role. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance. #J-18808-Ljbffr