AI Strategy & Transformation Lead
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Our Passion is Food!
At Bon Appetit Management Company we are committed to two things, great food and outstanding service! At Bon Appetit you won't find our managers referring to a corporate recipe book or our chefs microwaving the lunch special. We do not have standardized recipes or central commissaries, instead, our chefs and managers are expected to stay abreast of current culinary trends and bring cutting edge food into their cafes. We are a restaurant company that operates in contract food service. That means you will have the freedom to be creative, take risks, and truly shine. We are committed to our staff growing, trying new things, and learning all that they can. Our rapid growth and breadth of accounts translates into exciting opportunities for our people!
Job Summary
As AI Strategy & Transformation Lead, you will enable the organization to remain "first and best" in a rapidly evolving technological landscape, positioning the company at the forefront of AI-driven innovation. You will focus on "scanning the horizon" for emerging AI trends, Google tool advancements, and automation opportunities, introducing ideas that evolve the entire enterprise.
You will be the key architect of the AI roadmap, connecting leaders across technical and business units to identify, vet, develop, and pilot AI solutions.
The AI Strategy & Transformation Lead reports to the VP Program Development & Innovation and is a member of the global leadership team. You will lead and develop a team of subject matter experts in areas such as AI Ethics, Data Strategy, and Change Management, collaborating across multiple stakeholders to deliver on the organization’s digital transformation objectives.
Key to success in the role are strong stakeholder management skills, high levels of emotional intelligence to navigate the "human side" of AI, the ability to secure action by influence, and the agility to move between high-level strategic vision and operational pilot execution.
The Strategic Outcomes You Will Deliver
- Define and lead areas of AI innovation across the entirety of the enterprise (operations, internal processes, customer experience, and decision-support systems).
- Research and synthesize future trends in Generative AI, Machine Learning, and Agentic workflows to keep the leadership team ahead of the curve.
- Engage with the AI ecosystem, including startups, research labs, and tech partners, to explore and secure cutting-edge innovation solutions.
- Partner with technical and functional SMEs across the organization to vet, pilot, and iterate on AI-driven solutions that solve real business friction.
- Lead a team of SMEs in specialized areas such as Responsible AI (Ethics) and Data Governance.
- Lead the “AI Moonshots” workstream, driving high-impact, visionary projects that could fundamentally redefine the business model.
- Create and oversee R&D frameworks, establishing a structured pipeline for rapid AI experimentation and "fast-fail" pilots.
- Collaborate with Operations leaders to translate high-level AI strategies into actionable, scalable projects that improve day-to-day efficiency.
- Orchestrate Change Management, developing processes for documenting, sharing, and continuously improving AI best practices and "prompt literacy" across global regions and staying ahead of emerging trends.
Your Primary Focus Areas
- Future of AI Experience: Identifying how AI can enhance "human-in-the-loop" hospitality, service delivery, and personalized user journeys.
- Core AI Values: Leading the strategy for AI Ethics, Algorithmic Fairness, and Sustainability in compute and data usage.
- The AI Stack: Strategic oversight of data health, reporting automation, and the integration of AI agents into existing software ecosystems.
- Organizational Design: Consulting on the evolution of roles and team structures as AI automates functional tasks in Finance, HR, and Operations.
- Operational Excellence: Driving technology-supported improvements in areas like predictive supply chain management, safety monitoring, and automated business intelligence.
REQUIRED
- 3+ years of experience in AI, machine learning, analytics, data science or related field
- Proven experience developing AI tools and delivering measurable business impact
- Strong understanding of modern AI technologies, including generative AI and learning platforms
- Experience evaluating and implementing third-party AI solutions
- Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business value
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Experience building and leading high-performing teams in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
PREFERRED
- Background in hospitality, retail, or high-volume consumer operations
- Experience with LLM applications, agentic systems, or AI product development beyond traditional ML
- Experience with Google suite - Gemini
- Familiarity with venue technology ecosystems: POS systems, inventory management, BI platforms
- Experience working within or alongside enterprise organizations
Apply to Bon Appetit today!
Bon Appetit is a member of Compass Group USA.
Click here to Learn More about the Compass Story
Associates at Bon Appetit are offered many fantastic benefits.
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Life Insurance/ AD
- Disability Insurance
- Retirement Plan
- Paid Time Off
- Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
- Associate Shopping Program
- Health and Wellness Programs
- Discount Marketplace
- Identity Theft Protection
- Pet Insurance
- Commuter Benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Personal Leave
Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.
https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_BAMCO.pdf
Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.
Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.
Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Bon Appetit maintains a drug-free workplace.
Req ID: 1533887
Bon Appetit
Mehdi Mohammed
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