Director for Artificial Intelligence

About the Job

The Director for Artificial Intelligence is a key member of the Information Technology leadership team, serving as the University’s senior IT leader responsible for advancing enterprise AI offerings. In strong partnership with the Vice Provost for Artificial Intelligence, who provides institution‑wide academic and strategic leadership, this role translates the University’s AI vision into actionable IT strategy and execution. Reporting to the Vice President for Information Technology and CIO, this role leads the development, delivery, and scaling of AI technology services, platforms, and infrastructure that support the diverse needs of colleges, campuses, and administrative units.

The Director partners closely with IT leaders across the system to drive alignment, enable shared capabilities, and accelerate responsible AI adoption  role focuses on advancing innovation and enhancing the effectiveness of teaching, research, and administrative functions while balancing the implementation of AI technologies in ways that are secure, reliable, and operationally sustainable.

Reports to:

Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (VP/CIO). Work Modality:
Hybrid; candidates must be located near a University of Minnesota campus, or be open to relocation.

Note:

This position is not eligible for H‑1B or Green Card sponsorship. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

• Partner with AI Hub leadership to operationalize strategy, translating research, innovation, and academic direction into scalable IT service offerings that align with institutional mission and long‑term goals.
• Translate emerging AI opportunities into actionable roadmaps, integrating academic, research, and administrative priorities.
• Manage strategic investment in AI capabilities across IT, prioritizing scalable platforms, infrastructure, and talent to enable responsible innovation and long‑term institutional impact.
• Unify AI related IT service offerings across the University, establishing a cohesive portfolio of platforms, tools, and support models that reduce fragmentation, and provide consistent, scalable access to AI capabilities for colleges, campuses, and administrative units.

• Lead the enterprise technology aspect of the University AI governance framework, ensuring transparency, accountability, and ethical use across the university.
• Oversee the development and implementation of AI‑related IT policies, guiding ethical and responsible AI use within the University’s IT technology portfolio.
• Develop policies, standards, and procedures for AI usage, including privacy, explainability, fairness, and risk categorization.
• Facilitate a collaborative process to align AI adoption with institutional security and compliance requirements, including data protection and responsible use.
• Engage stakeholders to ensure AI initiatives reflect institutional needs.

• Support the University’s AI innovation pipeline, including ideation, prioritization, and execution of high‑value AI initiatives.
• Communicate complex AI concepts clearly to audiences ranging from technical experts to nontechnical users.
• Champion a culture of continuous learning by advancing AI education initiatives that build capability, promote responsible use, and accelerate innovation.
• Promote pragmatic and strategic use of AI and an adaptive mindset across the institution.
• Oversee the creation of reusable AI use cases, ensuring scalability, operational readiness, and alignment with university priorities.

• Drive appropriate risk acceptance, articulating risks of non‑action.
• Ensure robust monitoring of AI models, including performance dashboards, drift detection, and compliance reporting.
• Prioritize cybersecurity and data privacy in all AI deployments and partner proactively with the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and University Information Security (UIS) to negotiate and establish a modernized, agile risk tolerance framework that safely accelerates AI adoption.

• BA/BS Degree plus at…