Director of Applied AI & Automation
Posted Today by 411 Locals
Negotiable
Undetermined
Undetermined
EMEA
Summary: The Director of Applied AI & Automation at 411 Locals is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of practical AI and automation solutions, transforming business challenges into operational systems. This role integrates IT Development, Business Analysis, and Development QA to ensure initiatives are reliable and scalable. The ideal candidate is a builder-leader with extensive experience in software engineering and a strong focus on delivering measurable outcomes. This position emphasizes operational excellence and accountability in a fast-paced environment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own Applied AI & Automation Delivery (End-to-End)
- Unified Ownership of IT Development, Business Analysis & QA
- Business-Driven Automation Strategy
- Operational Excellence & Reliability
- AI That Delivers Value (Not Hype)
- Governance, Metrics & Accountability
- Team Leadership & Capability Building
Key Skills:
- 8–12+ years in software engineering, automation, and/or applied AI roles
- 5+ years leading cross-functional delivery teams (Dev + BA + QA)
- Proven experience shipping production AI or automation systems
- Strong understanding of system architecture, APIs, and integrations
- Experience with automation frameworks and AI/ML implementation
- Ability to translate business needs into working systems
- Experience supporting digital marketing, sales, or call-center ecosystems
- Experience implementing ITIL-aligned operational practices
- Strong financial and ROI mindset
- Experience with cloud platforms and scalable automation
- Comfort working in high-growth, fast-changing environments
Salary (Rate): undetermined
City: undetermined
Country: undetermined
Working Arrangements: undetermined
IR35 Status: undetermined
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: IT
411 Locals is seeking a Director of Applied AI & Automation to own the end-to-end delivery of practical, production-grade AI and automation solutions across the company. This is not a research, innovation lab, or experimentation role. This leader is responsible for turning business problems into working systems. Owning IT Development, Business Analysis, and Development QA as one integrated delivery engine, ensuring AI and automation initiatives ship, scale, and stay reliable, and converting IT from a cost center into a measurable operational and revenue accelerator. The ideal candidate is a builder-leader: someone who understands strategy but is most comfortable shipping systems, enforcing discipline, and holding teams accountable to outcomes.
Qualifications:
- Required 8–12+ years in software engineering, automation, and/or applied AI roles
- 5+ years leading cross-functional delivery teams (Dev + BA + QA)
- Proven experience shipping production AI or automation systems
- Strong understanding of:
- System architecture
- APIs and integrations
- Automation frameworks
- AI/ML implementation (applied, not academic)
- Demonstrated ability to:
- Translate business needs into working systems
- Drive delivery under real operational constraints
- Experience supporting digital marketing, sales, or call-center ecosystems is a strong plus
- Preferred Experience implementing ITIL-aligned operational practices (practical, not theoretical)
- Strong financial and ROI mindset
- Experience with cloud platforms and scalable automation
- Comfort working in high-growth, fast-changing environments
Key Responsibilities:
- Own Applied AI & Automation Delivery (End-to-End)
- Unified Ownership of IT Development, Business Analysis & QA
- Business-Driven Automation Strategy
- Operational Excellence & Reliability
- AI That Delivers Value (Not Hype)
- Governance, Metrics & Accountability
- Team Leadership & Capability Building
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
- Automation Impact: Reduction in manual effort, errors, and cycle time
- Delivery Velocity: Time from requirement to production
- System Reliability: Uptime, incident frequency, regression rates
- Business Value: Cost savings and revenue enablement from AI/automation
- Team Effectiveness: Retention, skill growth, delivery consistency
411 Locals is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.