About the Role
The Manager, AI Strategy & Enablement is accountable for executing SanMar's enterprise approach to AI adoption so it becomes a trusted, practical, and scalable capability across the organization. This role influences AI strategy, and drives how employees use AI in daily work, how teams test AI-powered workflows safely, and how successful ideas scale into supported solutions. Partnering with business, IT, and Architecture leaders, this role connects AI opportunities to measurable outcomes while ensuring AI usage aligns with governance, security, cost controls, and responsible AI standards. The Manager also leads and develops the AI Enablement team and sets clear priorities, expectations, and results.
Responsibilities
- Influence and execute the AI enablement strategy and roadmap aligned to enterprise priorities and emerging AI capabilities.
- Act as an internal AI advisor to IT delivery teams, Architecture, and enterprise AI initiatives — ensuring insights from adoption and experimentation inform platform and architectural decisions.
- Partner with business leaders to identify, prioritize, and sequence high-value AI use cases.
- Lead enterprise adoption of Microsoft Copilot, including rollout approach, engagement, and sustained usage.
- Establish role-based AI literacy programs with Talent Development that build confidence and everyday use.
- Measure adoption, usage, and business outcomes, using insights to improve the program and roadmap.
- Design and operate governed AI experimentation environments that enable safe innovation.
- Enable teams to test AI-powered workflows and agents within their business domains using approved guardrails.
- Define pathways and criteria to promote successful experiments into production solutions in partnership with IT and Architecture.
- Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing AI Enablement team through clear goals, feedback, and support.
- Communicate priorities, progress, and results with credibility to audiences from individual contributors to executives.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Comply with all policies and standards.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or equivalent practical experience
- At least 4-6 years of progressive experience in technology roles with exposure to AI tools, automation, and enterprise adoption.
- 1-3 years of experience leading or managing a team.
- Ability to evaluate emerging technology and translate it into prioritized enterprise recommendations
- Experience driving technology adoption programs with measurable business impact
- Hands-on experience with a range of AI tools including Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Studio, Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT, etc.
- Proven ability to influence strategy and evangelize new capabilities across diverse audiences
- Working knowledge of AI concepts such as large language models, prompt design, and AI agents
- Experience designing or operating governed experimentation or sandbox environments
- Familiarity with enterprise AI platforms such as Azure OpenAI or Azure AI Studio
- Understanding of responsible AI practices, security, and data privacy expectations
- Strong communication and influencing skills across technical and non-technical audiences
- Facilitation skills for workshops, training sessions, and leadership briefings
- Ability to build, sustain, and lead a high-performing team
- Experience with workflow automation or low-code platforms