AI Innovation Specialist

30-40 hours/week with benefits-eligibility Organization Summary

Founded in 2020, School of Government Services (SOG Services) is an associated entity of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a nonprofit organization, SOG Services supports the faculty and staff of the School of Government in advancing the School's mission to improve the lives of North Carolinians by engaging in practical scholarship that helps public officials and citizens understand and improve state and local government.

Through this work, SOG Services also supports the broader public service, educational, and research missions of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the UNC System.

The Office of the Chief Operating Officer (COO), reporting directly to the President of the University, is responsible for overseeing internal and campus-focused operational priorities, including leadership and coordination of key teams such as Human Resources, IT, Enterprise Data, Project Management, Advancement Shared Services, HR Shared Services, Workforce Policy, and Operational Strategy. These divisions support both the UNC System Office's internal operations and provide strategic leadership across campus.

The COO's office advises the President, fosters relationships on his behalf, and engages with Chancellors to further the President's strategic priorities, ensuring alignment between operational practices and institutional goals while driving efficiency and innovation throughout the University.

The AI Innovation Specialist serves as an internal consultant and strategic partner to University of North Carolina System Office (UNCSO) divisions, helping teams identify opportunities to improve business processes, enhance services, and increase operational effectiveness through the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

Working collaboratively across Finance, Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Legal, Communications, Information Technology, and other System Office units, this position facilitates the evaluation, design, implementation, and adoption of AI-enabled solutions that support institutional priorities while ensuring alignment with governance, security, privacy, and ethical standards.

The position combines business analysis, project coordination, process improvement, change management, and emerging AI technologies to help internal teams solve business challenges and improve organizational effectiveness.

This position is a hybrid work arrangement and will work at least three days per week onsite at the Dillon building in downtown Raleigh's Warehouse District.

Note:

Remote and hybrid work arrangements may be reviewed annually and are subject to change based on business need.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to UNCSO departments to identify opportunities where AI can improve efficiency, service delivery, and decision-making.
• Facilitate discovery sessions with business units to understand operational challenges and identify high-value AI use cases.
• Build collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders to support successful planning and implementation of AI initiatives.
• Translate business needs into actionable project plans and technology requirements.

• Evaluate emerging AI technologies and recommend practical applications aligned with UNCSO priorities.
• Support the design, development, testing, and deployment of AI-enabled tools and workflows.
• Coordinate pilot projects and proof-of-concept initiatives with internal business partners.
• Assist departments in measuring outcomes and continuously improving AI solutions.

• Coordinate cross-functional AI initiatives involving multiple UNCSO departments.
• Track project milestones, risks, dependencies, and deliverables.
• Facilitate communication among stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support adoption of Agile or other project management methodologies where appropriate.

• Analyze current business processes and identify opportunities for automation or workflow optimization.
• Document existing and future-state processes.
• Develop recommendations that improve efficiency while maintaining compliance and data integrity.

• Support organizational change associated with AI implementation.
• Develop training materials, user documentation, and communications that promote adoption.
• Provide guidance and coaching to staff on effective and responsible use of AI technologies.
• Encourage continuous learning and knowledge sharing across the organization.

• Promote responsible, ethical, and secure use of AI technologies.
• Collaborate with Information Technology and governance stakeholders to ensure compliance with institutional policies and…