AI Strategist

AI Strategist Contract | Remote (US)| CPG & Media/Entertainment Focus About the Role You are the translator. The person who sits between enterprise clients and a technical delivery team and makes sure the AI solutions being built actually solve the business problems the client cares about. This is not a project management role that tracks Jira tickets. This is a strategic role where you shape what gets built, why, and how it delivers value. Day to day, you will work directly with client stakeholders — brand managers, marketing directors, content leads, digital transformation teams — at major CPG and media companies. You will understand their business problems, identify where AI can create real value, and then work with your pod’s Senior AI Engineer and Data Engineer to scope, plan, and deliver solutions that hit the mark. The ideal candidate has a creative or strategic background blended with enough technical fluency to hold their own in architecture discussions. You do not need to write code, but you need to understand what is and is not possible with current AI capabilities, and you need to explain trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders in language they trust. Responsibilities • Lead client discovery and requirements gathering for AI engagements with enterprise CPG and media companies. • Translate business problems into AI solution specifications — defining what to build, what success looks like, and how to measure it. • Develop AI use case roadmaps and value propositions that connect technical capabilities to business outcomes (revenue, cost savings, speed to market). • Serve as the primary client interface for the delivery pod, managing expectations, communicating progress, and navigating scope changes. • Work with the Senior AI Engineer to translate requirements into feasible technical approaches and realistic timelines. • Coordinate delivery across the pod (AI Engineer + Data Engineer), ensuring work stays aligned with client priorities and timelines. • Build business cases for AI initiatives, including ROI modeling, risk assessment, and change management planning. • Present solutions, progress updates, and strategic recommendations to senior client stakeholders. Qualifications • 5+ years of experience in strategy, consulting, product management, or technical program management — with at least 2 years focused on AI/ML or data-driven solutions. • Demonstrated ability to translate between technical teams and business stakeholders. You can explain RAG vs. fine-tuning trade-offs to a CMO without losing them. • Experience scoping and delivering AI or data projects for enterprise clients in a consulting, agency, or services environment. • Strong understanding of current AI capabilities and limitations — LLMs, generative AI, content automation, personalization, computer vision — at a functional level. • Background in CPG, media, sports, or entertainment industries. You understand how these businesses operate, what their content workflows look like, and where AI creates leverage. • Experience building business cases and ROI models for technology initiatives. • Excellent client-facing presence. You have led meetings with director-level and above stakeholders and delivered strategic recommendations they acted on. Preferred Skills • Background that blends creative/content strategy with AI or technology — the "AI + design/content" profile. • Experience with AI-driven content scaling, content automation, or personalization at enterprise scale. • Familiarity with enterprise AI governance, risk frameworks, and responsible AI practices. • Experience managing or coordinating nearshore/offshore delivery teams. • Understanding of data architecture concepts at a conversational level (data lakes, warehouses, pipelines, APIs). This is a pod-based engagement where you are the orchestrator — working alongside a Senior AI Engineer and Data Engineer. If you are the kind of person who can walk out of a client meeting, distill the real problem from the stated problem, and then work with a technical team to deliver something that genuinely moves the needle, this role was written for you. Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.