AVP, AI Platforms

What you'll do

As the Associate Vice President of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platforms you will be responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, optimization and scaling of AI platforms and AI technologies across the enterprise to support a transformative business strategy within Canadian Tire. This is a new role that will be accountable for supporting a rapidly changing AI technology landscape, managing costs and cloud consumption all while meeting business needs. You will need to have a strong background in leading teams that have developed, implemented and scaled both traditional and Generative AI as well as a deep understanding of cloud computing.

• Strategy Development: Develop and execute a comprehensive three-to-five-year roadmap for AI, including Generative AI, platforms that aligns with the company's overall goals and objectives.
• Partnership: Partner with various Senior Leaders and Initiative owners to develop and manage AI platforms and end-to-end production solutions that drive revenue and cost savings objectives.
• Partner and manage existing and new strategic partnerships to continue to evolve the AI maturity for CTC.
• Platform Management: Lead the design, development, deployment, and maintenance of AI platforms, ensuring they are scalable, secure, efficient and cost effective.
• Operations: Evolve AI, ML, Automation Operations team to ensure it meets industry standards, CTC standards and can scale for the future of AI needs for the business.
• Thought leadership: Provide thought leadership on the usage of next gen AI tools, cloud computing and participate in a variety of Architectural oversight committees.
• Technology Evaluation: Manage currency on the latest advancements in AI technologies and evaluate their potential impact on the organization's platforms. Make recommendations for adoption or integration.
• Technology Decisions: Lead the organization through a take or shape model and continue to reevaluate this framework as needs change.
• Team Leadership: Provide strong leadership and guidance to a team of AI engineers, data scientists, and platform developers. Foster a collaborative environment that encourages innovation, growth, and professional development.
• Leadership of diverse teams evolving the maturity of a variety of AI platforms including RPA, Power Apps, traditional AI and generative AI.
• Collaborate closely within a matrix environment including Applied AI, AI Innovation, AI and Data Governance and Data Platforms.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate closely with various internal stakeholders, including senior business leaders, data and analytics teams, product managers, and IT teams to understand their requirements and translate them into effective AI solutions.
• Project Management: Oversee multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery, effective resource allocation, and alignment with project goals.
• Performance Optimization: Continuously monitor platform performance metrics and identify areas for improvement. Implement strategies to enhance efficiency, scalability, reliability, and security of AI platforms.
• Compliance and Ethical Practices: Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and ethical considerations in safe AI development and deployment.

What you bring

• 10 - 15 years of experience in data, analytics or AI Leadership.
• Proven experience (8+ years) in leading AI platform development teams at a senior management level.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field, Advanced degrees preferred.
• Strong understanding of AI technologies, including machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, cloud computing.
• Deep understanding of data, analytics and AI.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex projects involving large-scale AI platform deployments.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or C++
• Familiarity with cloud-based platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) for hosting AI applications.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of building high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication skills to effectively collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience in managing technology budget and resource allocation including Opex and Capex.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to act as a translator between technology and the business, ensuring business value is achieved through data and AI products.
• Experience working cross-functionally in large organizations to complex solve complex problems.
• Relationship-oriented with the ability to communicate meaningfully and influence all levels of stakeholders.
• Storyteller with the ability to translate complex technical jargon and concepts into something simple, accurate and understandable.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and work in autonomy with limited guidelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.

Hybrid

We value flexibility. We have adopted a hybrid work model whereby employees use a combination of working in office and virtually in service of outcomes. Each leader is empowered to decide what work is best achieved in person based on the unique needs of their team.

About Us

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited ("CTC") is one of Canada's most admired and trusted companies. With more than 90 Owned Brands, 1,700 retail locations, financial services, exemplary e-commerce capabilities, and exciting market-leading merchandising strategies. We dream big and work as one to innovate with purpose for our customers at every level of our business, investing in new technologies and products, and doubling down on top talent to drive the company forward. We offer competitive salaries and wages to CTC employees, as well as store discounts, supported learning through our Triangle Learning Academy, Canadian Tire Profit Sharing, and retirement and savings programs for eligible employees. As part of our enhanced flex benefits program, we offer mental health benefits in the amount of $5,000 per year for benefits-eligible employees and their families, including total well-being, and mental health tools and resources for all employees. Join us in helping to make life in Canada better through living and working our Core Values: we are innovators and entrepreneurs at our core, outcomes drive us, inclusion is a must, we are stronger together and we take personal responsibility. It is an especially exciting time to join CTC and its family of companies where career opportunities are wide-ranging! Join us, where there's a place for you here.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

We are committed to fostering an environment where belonging thrives, and diversity, inclusion and equity are infused into everything we do. We believe in building an organizational culture where people are consistently treated with dignity while respecting individual religion, nationality, gender, race, age, perceived ability, spoken language, sexual orientation, and identification. We are united in our purpose of being here to help make life in Canada better.

Accommodations

We stand firm in our Core Value that inclusion is a must. We welcome and encourage candidates from equity-seeking groups such as people who identify as racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, and beyond. Should you require any accommodation in applying for this role, or throughout the interview process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to help meet your needs.