Director of Artificial Intelligence

Job Description

Job Description

We are looking for a strategic leader to guide artificial intelligence initiatives in Columbia, South Carolina. This position will shape how AI supports research, collaboration, and innovation across multiple departments while helping establish strong standards for development and governance. The ideal candidate brings a solid foundation in AI and emerging agentic technologies, along with the ability to advise both technical teams and faculty stakeholders in a rapidly evolving space.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the direction and execution of artificial intelligence programs that support research and institutional innovation across the organization.

• Partner with faculty, research teams, and departmental leaders to identify opportunities for AI-enabled solutions and provide expert guidance on practical applications.

• Oversee the design and rollout of agentic workflows and integrated AI tools that improve research support, productivity, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Provide leadership to developers by introducing sound engineering practices, improving delivery standards, and strengthening documentation quality.

• Serve as an internal consultant on AI strategy, helping stakeholders evaluate technologies such as conversational AI and productivity copilots for academic and operational use cases.

• Build and formalize a centralized AI hub that connects people, tools, and processes to support sustainable growth in artificial intelligence capabilities.

• Work closely with research and development partners to translate emerging AI concepts into scalable initiatives aligned with institutional goals.

• Establish clear documentation, governance expectations, and operational guidelines for AI solutions to promote consistency, transparency, and responsible use

• Proven experience leading artificial intelligence strategy, programs, or technical initiatives in a complex organization.
• Strong understanding of AI development concepts, with enough technical depth to guide teams even if not serving as the primary hands-on builder.
• Experience with agentic AI, agentic planning, and the implementation of AI-driven workflows.
• Ability to advise a wide range of stakeholders, including faculty, researchers, and technical teams, on AI opportunities and best practices.
• Demonstrated success managing cross-department collaboration and influencing outcomes in an evolving environment.
• Familiarity with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, or similar platforms, along with an understanding of how they can be applied in real-world settings.
• Excellent communication, documentation, and consulting skills.
• Industry experience in AI leadership is required; prior higher education experience is helpful but not essential.