Director, AI and Innovation

Director, AI & Innovation

Role Overview

We are seeking a Director of AI & Product Innovation to own the company’s AI strategy and execution across the product portfolio. This is a senior leadership role responsible for defining the AI vision, shaping multi-year roadmaps, engaging directly with customers, and driving measurable business outcomes through AI-powered capabilities.

This leader will operate at both strategic and execution levels — setting direction while staying close enough to delivery to validate architectures, guide critical design decisions, and occasionally prototype or pressure-test solutions. While this role may not formally sit within Engineering, it will serve as the primary executive interface to development teams, ensuring AI initiatives are delivered with quality, security, and scale.

Key Responsibilities

AI Product Strategy & Roadmap Ownership

• Define and own the enterprise AI strategy and multi-year roadmap aligned to company objectives.
• Identify high-impact AI opportunities that drive revenue, differentiation, and customer outcomes.
• Partner with Product and Commercial leadership to embed AI into core product strategy.
• Lead build vs. buy decisions, model selection, vendor strategy, and platform choices.
• Establish success metrics and ROI models for AI investments.

Executive & Client Engagement

• Act as the executive AI spokesperson externally with customers, partners, and analysts.
• Lead strategic roadmap discussions with enterprise clients and prospects.
• Support Sales and Customer Success in pre-sales, executive briefings, and solution positioning.
• Represent the company at industry events, advisory boards, and customer forums.
• Incorporate market and competitive intelligence into product strategy.

Delivery Leadership & Technical Oversight

• Serve as the senior bridge between Product and Engineering for AI initiatives.
• Provide hands-on leadership by:
  • Reviewing architectures and solution designs
  • Validating model choices and data strategies
  • Guiding MLOps and deployment patterns
• Sponsor and oversee POCs and pilots, ensuring rapid path to production.
• Define AI governance standards covering security, bias, hallucination risk, privacy, and compliance.
• Ensure AI capabilities align with pricing models and unit economics.

Innovation & Ecosystem Leadership

• Build strategic partnerships with cloud providers, AI vendors, and research institutions.
• Evaluate emerging technologies for commercial viability and competitive advantage.
• Champion a culture of innovation across Product and Engineering organizations.
• Establish internal innovation programs and capability-building initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• 8+ years in product, engineering, or technology leadership, with senior-level accountability.
• Proven ownership of enterprise product roadmaps and large-scale initiatives.
• Strong technical foundation in AI/ML and GenAI (able to review, challenge, and guide implementations).
• Demonstrated experience working directly with C-level customers and enterprise stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen around AI cost models, pricing strategy, and ROI.
• Exceptional executive communication and influence skills.
• Deep understanding of data privacy, IP protection, and responsible AI practices.

Preferred

• Experience in SaaS, Life Sciences, or regulated industries.
• Prior leadership of AI transformation programs.
• Experience building external partnerships and vendor ecosystems.
• Success in This Role
• A clearly articulated, customer-driven AI product strategy.
• Tangible revenue and differentiation from AI-enabled capabilities.
• Strong client adoption and positive market perception.
• Highly effective partnership with Engineering and Commercial teams.
• Recognition of the company as a leader in applied AI within the industry.

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:

This position is fully remote (U.S. only), with limited travel that may be required for occasional team meetings, training sessions, or business events. Work is performed primarily in a home-office environment using standard office equipment such as a computer, keyboard, mouse, and phone. Employees are expected to maintain a safe, ergonomic, and confidential workspace with reliable high-speed internet access suitable for professional remote work.

The role generally requires extended periods of sitting, viewing a computer screen, and communicating through written and verbal means. Occasional light physical activity (e.g., lifting materials or equipment up to 20 pounds) may be necessary.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Employees working remotely must ensure their workspace meets company standards for safety, ergonomics, and data security as outlined in organizational policy.

Disclaimer: This job description identifies the general duties and minimum level of skills required to perform this job.  It is not intended to represent a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned.

Notice for all applicants: we are seeking a permanent full-time employee, this is not a contractor position.

Notice for Colorado applicants as required by sb19-085 (8-5-20).: Annual salary of $200,000-$250,000+Benefits+bonus

Medispend is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive work environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.

 To all recruitment agencies: We do not accept unsolicited agency resumes and are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.