Director of AI and Automation Project Management

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Director of AI and Automation Project Management

Be Bold.

The Director of AI and Automation Project Management coordinates and leads a high profile and critical initiative deploying AI and automation solutions to enable academic and administrative innovation across Duke schools, institutes, centers, and administrative units. Working closely with AI developers, administrators, and faculty leaders, the position leads project planning and coordinates execution, ensuring alignment with Duke’s strategic goals and AI objectives.

Be Bold.

As the director, you will:

Lead processes soliciting requests from leaders for small projects that can be planned and implemented in an expedited timeframe and participating in the evaluation and selection of projects, developing and leading the creation of formal project plans with associated timelines, problem-solving to achieve project goals, providing regular progress updates to management and to the primary external funding agency for the initiative, and managing the budget. The Director works closely with project management and software development teams in the Office of Information Technology where developer and project management resources dedicated to the initiative are embedded.

The Director of AI and Automation Project Management is the primary staff position accountable for achieving the results of this AI and Automation initiative across the schools and academic units.

Supervisor

Position reports to the Vice Provost Finance and Administration.

Work Performed

• Create and lead processes soliciting requests from leaders for small projects that can be planned and implemented in an expedited timeframe and participate in the evaluation and selection of projects.
• Develop and lead the creation of formal project plans with associated timelines, including the ability to consistently monitor progress and adjust plans to meet project objectives and timelines. Manage timelines, resources, and communications for AI and automation projects that enhance student services, faculty research, and university operations. Problem-solve to achieve project goals.
• Include as important components to the project plan substantial development, functional, and user-interface testing, evaluation of project outcomes at intervals after go-live, and plans for ongoing support and maintenance needs after project completion.
• Ensure formal sign off from the primary customer and the Vice Provost to formalize project goals and timelines and at project completion.
• Provide regular progress updates to management, including sharing challenges and plans to overcome to achieve project goals.
• Develop and implement metrics to allow for measurement of success for each project, including elements of cost-savings and service enhancements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in a highly matrixed environment, translating academic and administrative needs into project plans and actionable milestones within Duke’s infrastructure. Develop project plan timelines that rapidly advance the completion of the project, while also acknowledging the complexities inherent in the academic environment and a university setting that often require the engagement of multiple offices, faculty, and/or students to achieve outcomes.
• Communicate with customers (usually administrative leaders of the unit that has asked for the project) in a proactive, timely, service-oriented way to ensure needs are met.  Operate with a highly planful and proactive approach that ensures clarity about the customer’s expectations for the project and includes commitments of time needed from the customer to support the project advancing on schedule.
• Produce progress and budget spending reports for the primary funding sponsor of the initiative. 
• Manage the budget for the initiative. Review, adjust, and make recommendations for computer software and hardware maintenance contracts.
• Ensure systems and process developed meet Duke and industry best practice standards and are compliant with Duke policies, including those related to IT security and the protection of sensitive and confidential data.
• Facilitate user training sessions, deployment coordination, and adoption monitoring promoting sustainable AI integration.
• Supervise and coordinate the activities of assigned personnel. Perform departmental personnel functions including, but not limited to, performance evaluations, hiring, rate recommendations, promotions, transfers, and vacation schedules.

Choose Duke.

We’re looking for someone with:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, including computer science, information systems, software development, or project management preferred.
• At least four years of professional experience as a project manager leading technical projects full-cycle enterprise software development and support including data architecture design (transactional and warehousing), integration, and security. This should include two years of experience managing AI, IT, or higher education environments, Web services, Win and Web form development, as well as experience with complex application security models.
• At least two years of experience working in a university setting.
• Experience with multiple AI tools and their application in a professional setting preferred.
• OR ANY OTHER EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Skills

• Working knowledge with project management software and methodologies.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Ability to translate end-user customer needs and requests into clear requirements for software developers and system integration personnel.
• Working knowledge of AI technologies and challenges preferred.

Job Code: 00003791 PROJECT LEADER, SYSTEMS
Job Level: 15

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression,gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodationwill be provided by each hiring department.