Axial Search recruits for AI transformation roles across North America, building long-term relationships with leaders across every industry vertical. Apply today to express your interest in this position and others like it. Visit our website to learn more about our process and to find free tools to support your job search — including our live job market dashboard with salary, skills, and hiring-trend data from thousands of AI transformation roles.

What the market looks like

We've tracked 4,400+ senior-level AI strategy postings in the last six months, concentrated across technology, financial services, and professional services, with significant activity in California, New York, and Texas. Compensation for executive-level AI strategy roles clusters around a $240,000 median, with top-tier packages reaching $450,000. The strongest candidates bring proven experience scaling AI capabilities across enterprise organizations, deep fluency in translating technical capability into business value, and a track record of building and leading AI-focused teams from the ground up. These leaders excel at both setting vision and navigating the practical constraints of legacy systems, governance, and organizational change.

Job responsibilities

Own the strategic roadmap for AI adoption and capability development across the enterprise, aligning technical investment with business objectives and competitive positioning
Lead and build the AI leadership team, defining organizational structure, hiring strategy, and talent development to scale technical and domain expertise
Partner with C-suite and board leadership to articulate AI business cases, investment priorities, and risk mitigation strategies tied to measurable outcomes
Drive cross-functional governance, ethics, and compliance frameworks for AI systems, including data governance, model validation, and responsible AI practices
Identify and execute high-impact AI initiatives that unlock new revenue streams, improve operational efficiency, or strengthen customer experience
Establish metrics, KPIs, and reporting cadences to track AI program maturity, ROI, and progress against strategic milestones
Build external relationships with technology partners, academic institutions, and industry peers to maintain awareness of emerging AI capabilities and best practices

Candidate requirements

10+ years of experience in AI, machine learning, data science, or related technical discipline, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership or executive role
Demonstrated success building, scaling, and leading teams of engineers, data scientists, or AI specialists in enterprise or high-growth environments
Proven track record translating complex technical concepts into business strategy and securing executive buy-in for multi-million-dollar AI investments
Experience navigating AI governance, compliance, bias mitigation, and responsible AI frameworks in regulated or high-stakes industries
Strong financial acumen and ability to build business cases, project ROI, and manage large budgets tied to strategic outcomes
Comfort operating in ambiguity, driving change across legacy organizations, and balancing innovation with organizational readiness

Chief AI Officer