Director, AI Transformation & Enablement

Positively disrupting an industry that has not seen any innovation in over 50 years, Tekion has challenged the paradigm with the first and fastest cloud-native automotive platform that includes the revolutionary Automotive Retail Cloud (ARC) for retailers, Automotive Enterprise Cloud (AEC) for manufacturers and other large automotive enterprises and Automotive Partner Cloud (APC) for technology and industry partners. Tekion connects the entire spectrum of the automotive retail ecosystem through one seamless platform. The transformative platform uses cutting-edge technology, big data, machine learning, and AI to seamlessly bring together OEMs, retailers/dealers and consumers. This role is on site in Pleasanton, California Job Summary AI is changing the world — and at Tekion, we're shaping how our people grow with it. This is not a role about replacing what Tekionites do. It's about expanding what they're capable of. As our Director, AI Transformation & Enablement, you will architect the strategy, programs, and frameworks that help every Tekionite — from individual contributors to senior leaders — understand, embrace, and leverage AI as a genuine superpower in their everyday work. You'll also use AI as a core part of how you and your team operate, actively modeling the future we're building together. This a brand-new role on a newly formed team — which means you'll be building from the ground up, with the full support of the CPO and senior leadership. Some things are still taking shape, and that's intentional: we want someone who thrives in that kind of environment, brings structure where it's needed, and stays energized by ambiguity rather than derailed by it. You'll lead a lean but mighty team of 2+, partnering with cross-functional leaders across the business to define what the future of work at Tekion looks like — for a company that is itself building the AI products transforming an entire industry. With a small team, you'll be expected to use AI — including building and deploying AI agents in Claude and other platforms — to multiply your team's impact and model the kind of AI-powered working that you're asking others to adopt. Workforce Planning & Job Architecture Build and maintain a forward-looking workforce planning framework that maps current talent capabilities against future AI-augmented skill needs Lead a comprehensive job architecture redesign that reflects how roles and work are evolving — ensuring clarity, equity, and alignment across job families, levels, and career paths Partner with HR Business Partners and business leaders to identify skill gaps and co-design targeted upskilling and reskilling pathways Develop a data-driven approach to talent planning — using people analytics and AI-powered tools to help Tekion make smarter, faster decisions about where and how to grow Advise on human-AI collaboration models and how roles may evolve as AI capabilities expand Talent Management Embed AI fluency and enablement into key talent processes — including hiring, onboarding, performance management, and career development — in partnership with L&D, HRBPs, and Talent Acquisition Design capability frameworks and learning pathways that help Tekionites build careers that evolve alongside AI — not in competition with it Identify and develop AI champions and early adopters who can help scale enablement peer-to-peer across the organization Ensure talent programs reflect the changing nature of work and position Tekion as a place where people come to grow into their best future selves Lead, develop, and grow a lean team of 2+ people professionals — using AI tools and agents to multiply the team's output and operate above your headcount Build and deploy AI agents in Claude and other platforms to automate and accelerate team workflows, from content development to program reporting and stakeholder communications Set clear goals, OKRs, and success metrics — and track meaningful impact across all programs and initiatives Operate with a startup mindset in a fast-moving, resource-constrained environment and be tenacious about achieving goals, resourceful in how you get there, and flexible as priorities evolve in this new and growing function Stay actively connected to the external AI transformation community — bringing best practices, emerging trends, and peer benchmarks back into Tekion's strategy on an ongoing basis WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Required Qualifications 10+ years of progressive HR, People Operations, organizational development, or management consulting experience, with at least 3–5 years managing teams (consulting background a strong bonus) Demonstrated experience leading AI, technology, digital transformation, or other large-scale transformation initiatives with a strong people and change management lens Proven track record in change management — ideally with formal methodology experience (Prosci/ADKAR, Kotter, or similar frameworks) Experience personally facilitating and conducting AI transformation training and workshops at other companies — not just designing programs or managing others who deliver them Experience designing AI transformation training curricula or capability programs, with the ability to build and iterate content rapidly based on learner feedback Demonstrated ability to build and use AI agents (e.g., in Claude, OpenAI, or similar platforms) to automate workflows, enhance productivity, or deliver better outcomes with a small team Active, hands‑on use of AI tools (generative AI, copilots, productivity assistants) as a meaningful part of your day‑to‑day professional work Experience in workforce planning, organizational design, and/or job architecture redesign Experience working with and coaching senior leaders and executives through significant organizational change Exceptional executive communication and storytelling skills — able to inspire, align, and influence at all levels without always having direct authority Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business, or a related field — or equivalent professional experience Preferred Qualifications Background in a large management consulting or HR consulting firm (e.g., Deloitte, McKinsey, Mercer, Accenture, Korn Ferry) PLUS hands‑on, in‑house experience at a mid‑size, high‑growth tech company Strong, active external network within the AI transformation and future‑of‑work community — with relationships at peer companies doing leading AI internal adoption work Experience with Workday HCM and/or AI‑powered HR technology platforms Track record of building and scaling people programs from the ground up in a fast‑moving, resource‑constrained tech environment Experience designing enterprise capability academies, AI literacy programs, or large‑scale learning journeys Exposure to automotive, enterprise SaaS, or B2B technology industries (a plus, not a requirement) WHO YOU ARE You're a builder, a connector, and a genuine believer in the power of people. You've sat in enough boardrooms to speak the language of strategy, and you've spent enough time with front‑line teams to know that lasting change only happens when people feel seen, heard, and supported. You're genuinely excited about AI — not just as a concept, but as a tool you actively use, explore with curiosity, and love helping others demystify. You've personally stood in front of rooms full of skeptics and turned hesitation into enthusiasm. You know that the most effective change leaders don't mandate adoption — they make the path feel natural, exciting, and worth walking. You're comfortable with ambiguity and don't need a perfect playbook to get started. This is a new team and a new function, and some things are still being defined. You bring structure where it's needed, stay flexible when it's not, and remain tenacious in pursuing what matters most. You can operate resourcefully with a lean team — and you know how to use AI to make two people feel like ten. You're well‑connected in the AI transformation community. You know who else is doing this well, you're in conversations with peers at other companies, and you bring those insights back to inform what Tekion builds. You're not just following trends — you're helping set them. At Tekion, you'll need all of that — and we can't wait to see what you build. No Sponsorship for this role Perks and Benefits Competitive compensation and generous stock options 100% employer-paid top‑of‑the‑line medical, dental and vision coverage Great benefits including unlimited PTO, parental leave and free snacks and beverages The opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds from Silicon Valley's most dominant and successful companies Be part of an early stage, hyper‑growth start‑up with the opportunity to grow and prosper Work on the latest and coolest technologies – everything is home‑grown and built ground‑up A dynamic work environment with a strong sense of community and collaboration The open and transparent culture that encourages innovation, rewards performance and discourages hierarchy Exciting opportunities for career growth and development Current Tekion Employees – Please apply via Greenhouse Internal Job Board Tekion is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, victim of violence or having a family member who is a victim of violence, the intersectionality of two or more protected categories, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. For more information on our privacy practices, please refer to our Applicant Privacy Notice here. #J-18808-Ljbffr Tekion Corp