Sr. Director of AI Applications & Operational Effectiveness

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Chicago, IL, US

Salary: $ to $ annually, with bonus potential

At Harris & Harris, we believe in harnessing the power of emerging technologies to elevate performance, experience, and outcomes. As we build our enterprise AI fabric, we are seeking a visionary leader to operationalize AI at the intersection of modern contact center practices. This role is foundational to our strategic direction—optimizing how we invest in and deploy AI to drive efficiency, scale, and an exceptional consumer experience.

As the Senior Director, AI Applications and Operational Effectiveness
, you will lead the charge in translating AI investments into measurable business value across inbound/outbound channels, workforce productivity, process automation, and contact center optimization. You will own AI use cases, measurable ROI, and the transformation roadmap that propels Harris & Harris into the future of customer engagement.

You will lead a high‑impact shared services team, charged with executing on the enterprise AI agenda, driving continuous improvement, and aligning our people, processes, and systems to deliver operational excellence and customer delight. Your insights, decisions, and collaborations will be central to our competitive advantage and enduring success.

Schedule: Regular business hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, after hours or weekend work may be required.

Location: Can work remote in most areas of the United States, or in our offices in Dallas, TX or Chicago, IL.

Additional Compensation and Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurances from premium providers
• 401K with matching
• Company paid Accident and Disability Insurance, Long Term Disability Insurance, EAP, and Travel Assistance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Time Off
• Identity theft protection, flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, and more.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the conceptualization, development, deployment, and adoption of AI‑enabled tools and solutions that create seamless, low‑friction experiences for employees and consumers
• Be the organizational expert in emerging trends, competitive technologies, associated risks, and strategic opportunities in AI, automation, and contact center domains
• Create robust business cases to justify new initiatives, process changes, or technology investments—balancing cost, benefit, and risk
• Define, monitor, and analyze key performance metrics, using insights to drive iterative improvements and corrective actions
• Benchmark and evaluate internal operations against industry best practices to identify gaps and lead transformation
• Design and execute strategies to improve process efficiency, throughput, and quality across communication channels
• Evaluate, source, and deploy best‑in‑class tools aimed at process automation, knowledge management, and AI augmentation
• Own the continual improvement agenda for inbound virtual agents, ensuring their performance, learning, and adaptability
• Define and manage a roadmap of process improvements and automation initiatives across channels
• Oversee workforce planning, scheduling, dialer/campaign management, and capacity optimization efforts in contact center operations
• Drive deployment of technology (including AI, machine learning, knowledge management systems) to increase agent knowledge, productivity, and performance
• Work closely with cross‑functional partners—IT, Analytics, HR/Training, Quality, Product—to align strategy, deliver projects, and sustain performance gains
• Post‑implementation, rigorously monitor results, course‑correct, and report on outcomes and ROI
• Lead by example: promote a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement throughout your teams

Key Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Operations, or related) or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in customer operations, digital transformation, process improvement, or AI‑enabled operations—preferably in a…