Director AI Center of Excellence

Kirkland, QC
Hybrid
Posted Sep 26, 2026
1 position

Opens an external site

Employment type: Full-time
Experience level: Senior · 5+ years
Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree
Apply by: Oct 24, 2026
Posting language: English
Working hours: 40 hours per week
Seniority: Director
Application method: Direct apply is available

Job summary

Set the enterprise AI strategy and roadmap, lead the AI Center of Excellence team, and establish technical standards, reusable frameworks, and responsible AI governance. Partner with embedded business teams to deliver scalable AI and automation solutions, measure business impact, and communicate results to executive leadership.

Job details

Position Summary The Director, AI Center of Excellence (CoE) is the technical and strategic leader of Future Electronics’ enterprise AI capability. This role sets AI strategy, builds and leads a team of AI specialists, and establishes the standards, tools, and governance that let AI and automation be adopted safely and effectively across the business. This is fundamentally a hands-on AI leadership role. The ideal candidate has deep, current expertise in applied AI and automation and has personally built or led the delivery of real AI-powered solutions — not just directed others to. The Director works closely with AI Business Partners embedded in operational functions (Customer Service, Purchasing, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, and others) to turn business opportunities into working solutions, owning the technical direction, delivery standards, and team that make that possible. Key Responsibilities AI Strategy & Roadmap Define and evolve the enterprise AI strategy and multi-year roadmap. Evaluate emerging AI and automation technologies and assess their fit for the business. Prioritize AI initiatives based on business value, feasibility, and risk. Center of Excellence Leadership Build, lead, and grow a team of AI specialists / automation engineers. Set technical standards, delivery methodology, and reusable frameworks so solutions scale across functions instead of being rebuilt each time. Coach and mentor the team, staying close enough to the technology to make real technical calls, not just review them. Enabling the Embedded AI Business Partners Act as the technical backbone for AI Business Partners embedded in operational teams — providing tools, playbooks, training, and hands-on support. Translate business opportunities surfaced by embedded partners into scoped, deliverable AI/automation solutions. Drive reuse and consistency across functions rather than each team building in isolation. Governance & Responsible AI Establish governance frameworks for AI development, deployment, and monitoring. Ensure compliance with data privacy, cybersecurity, and regulatory requirements, in partnership with IT and Legal. Promote responsible AI practices and manage associated risk. Value Realization Define KPIs and success metrics for CoE-led initiatives. Track and report productivity gains, cost reductions, and business impact to executive leadership. Build the business case for continued and future AI investment. Qualifications Required Deep, demonstrated expertise in applied AI — generative AI, machine learning, or intelligent automation — with a track record of building or leading the delivery of real AI/automation solutions. This is the single most important qualification for this role. 5+ years of hands-on experience in AI, automation, or applied data science, including recent, current experience with generative AI / LLM-based tools. Experience leading or mentoring a technical team — as a people manager or as a senior technical lead. Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical business stakeholders and executives. Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related field — or equivalent practical experience. Preferred Experience with enterprise AI/automation platforms (e.g., Azure AI Services, OpenAI, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Platform, Power Automate, Microsoft Fabric, Logic Apps) or equivalents. Experience in distribution, manufacturing, supply chain, or another global operations environment. Experience establishing an AI or automation function from the ground up. Leadership Competencies AI & Technical Fluency Stays current with the fast-moving AI landscape and can personally evaluate new tools and techniques. Translates emerging AI capability into practical, scoped business solutions. Strategic Thinking Builds a roadmap that balances near-term wins with long-term capability building. Connects AI investment to measurable business outcomes. Team Building Attracts, develops, and retains strong technical talent. Creates a culture where engineers can move fast without losing rigor. Communication & Influence Builds credibility with both engineers and executives. Makes the business case for AI investment clearly and convincingly. Pragmatic Delivery Biases toward shipping working solutions over long theoretical exercises. Balances innovation with a relentless focus on business value. Why join us At Future Electronics, we mean it when we say we care about our employees. Our approach to employee wellness is holistic, which is why alongside competitive salaries, and premium health and dental benefits, corporate employees have access to: ● Onsite gym and fitness studio with scheduled group classes - think yoga, aerobics ● Telemedicine so you can get the care you need, when you need it, 24/7 ● Group RRSP plan to take care of future you ● Onsite medical clinic ● Subsidized employee cafeteria with delicious meals and snacks. Future Electronics is taking a hybrid approach to work. We value collaboration and working together, which our offices facilitate, combined with working remotely. Future Electronics is an equal opportunity employer.

What you’ll do

Requirements

Requires at least five years of hands-on experience in applied AI, automation, or data science, including current experience with generative AI or LLM-based tools and a record of delivering real solutions. Candidates must also have experience leading or mentoring technical teams, strong communication skills, and a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent practical experience.