Director of Applied AI & Automation

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:Required8–12+ years in software engineering, automation, and/or applied AI roles5+ years leading cross-functional delivery teams (Dev + BA + QA)Proven experience shipping production AI or automation systemsStrong understanding of:System architectureAPIs and integrationsAutomation frameworksAI/ML implementation (applied, not academic)Demonstrated ability to:Translate business needs into working systemsDrive delivery under real operational constraintsExperience supporting digital marketing, sales, or call-center ecosystems is a strong plusPreferredExperience implementing ITIL-aligned operational practices (practical, not theoretical)Strong financial and ROI mindsetExperience with cloud platforms and scalable automationComfort working in high-growth, fast-changing environmentsKey Responsibilities:1. Own Applied AI & Automation Delivery (End-to-End)Lead the design, build, deployment, and maintenance of AI-driven and automation systems used in real production environments.Ensure every initiative has:A clear business ownerMeasurable KPIsDefined success and failure criteriaEliminate “proof-of-concept purgatory” — systems must work in production or be shut down.2. Unified Ownership of IT Development, Business Analysis & QAConsolidate Development, Business Analysis, and QA into a single execution pipeline.Ensure:Business requirements are clearly translated into technical specsQA is embedded early (not after-the-fact)Automation and AI systems are testable, observable, and supportableEnforce disciplined SDLC practices with speed and accountability, not bureaucracy.3. Business-Driven Automation StrategyWork directly with business leaders to identify:Manual workflowsBottlenecksHigh-error, high-cost processesPrioritize automation initiatives based on:ROIRisk reductionRevenue enablementTranslate business pain into automated workflows, AI decision systems, and scalable tools.4. Operational Excellence & ReliabilityImplement standards for:System reliabilityMonitoring and alertingIncident responseRegression testing for AI-driven systemsReduce downtime, rework, and system fragility.Own post-deployment accountability — delivery does not end at launch.5. AI That Delivers Value (Not Hype)Apply AI where it materially improves outcomes, including:Workflow automationClassification and decision supportQA and auditing automationCustomer operations, sales, and marketing systemsEvaluate AI tools pragmatically:Build when neededBuy when fasterKill when ineffective6. Governance, Metrics & AccountabilityEstablish clear governance for:AI usageAutomation logicData qualityChange managementDefine and track KPIs across:Delivery speedAutomation coverageError reductionCost savingsRevenue enablementCommunicate progress with facts, metrics, and outcomes, not narratives.7. Team Leadership & Capability BuildingLead and develop:DevelopersBusiness AnalystsQA EngineersBuild teams that:Understand the businessOwn their systemsThink in outcomes, not ticketsCreate a culture of ownership, clarity, and execution.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):Automation Impact: Reduction in manual effort, errors, and cycle timeDelivery Velocity: Time from requirement to productionSystem Reliability: Uptime, incident frequency, regression ratesBusiness Value: Cost savings and revenue enablement from AI/automationTeam 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.