Sr. Director, AI Strategy & Transformation at Avalo… · Chesterbr…

Position Summary:

Avalo is a publicly traded, clinical-stage biotech advancing abdakibart from Phase 2 into Phase 3. The Senior Director, AI Strategy & Transformation will serve as the company’s primary champion for artificial intelligence (AI) adoption by owning a prioritized portfolio of AI initiatives, proving measurable value, and building AI literacy across the workforce. They will define the enterprise AI & data strategy, build the systems and pipelines the company runs on, and lead applied AI work that creates measurable value for scientists, R&D teams, commercial strategy, and other business functions.

This is a hands-on, build-from-the-ground-up role. The Senior Director will own the AI and data transformation roadmap, use-case portfolio, business-facing data strategy, solution execution, adoption, and value realization. The role will work directly with functional leaders to identify where data and AI can move programs forward faster and will work closely with the Vice President, Enterprise Technology to ensure solutions operate within Avalo's enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, privacy, integration, validation, and technology governance standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Own and execute Avalo's AI and data transformation strategy, roadmap, use-case portfolio, and investment plan, aligned with Phase 3 execution, pipeline expansion, and company growth; coordinate investment priorities with the Vice President, Enterprise Technology and the enterprise technology budget.
• Establish and manage a portfolio of AI initiatives using a transparent intake and prioritization framework that weighs business value, feasibility, risk, and resource needs.
• Advise senior leadership on AI opportunities, emerging technologies, investment priorities, and strategic implications for the business, including periodic reports on progress, risks, and investment needs and contribute to board and Audit Committee materials, as necessary.
• Lead company-wide adoption of approved AI tools, promoting responsible and practical use in everyday work and build AI literacy through training, playbooks, and a network of functional AI champions.
• Define business requirements for data products, pipelines, analytics, and AI solutions and lead their implementation in partnership with Enterprise Technology, which owns the underlying platforms, architecture, integration standards, infrastructure, and access-control framework.
• Lead the business data governance operating model, including data ownership, stewardship, definitions, quality requirements, and decision rights, in partnership with Enterprise Technology on data architecture, platforms, lineage capabilities, access controls, privacy, and security standards.
• Ensure data systems meet GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, and applicable industry recognized + data integrity standards and support inspection readiness.
• Lead business requirements, capability evaluation, and value assessment for AI- and data-critical solutions; partner with the Vice President, Enterprise Technology, who has final approval for enterprise platforms, architecture, cybersecurity, integration, validation, and supportability.
• Partner with functional leaders to identify high-value use cases that improve decision quality, productivity, forecasting accuracy, and operational performance.
• Establish governed data flows with external partners, including CROs, CDMOs, and central labs, and run vendor evaluations and RFP processes for data-critical platforms.
• Build a data and AI readiness roadmap tied to launch milestones across Medical Affairs, commercial, and supply chain capabilities.
• Apply human-in-the-loop design so people review and own AI-supported decisions, especially in GxP and patient-impacting processes.
• Own the responsible-AI business governance and operating practices, including acceptable use, use-case documentation, human oversight, model evaluation, adoption controls, and value monitoring; ensuring practices align with enterprise technical controls, cybersecurity, privacy, audit logging, validation, integration, and change-control requirements.
• Assess and mitigate AI risks, including data leakage, bias, and model error, while balancing innovation and business value.
• Redesign workflows with process owners so AI-enabled ways of working are embedded, not bolted on, and measure adoption, usage, and employee confidence.
• Build in compliance from day one, including firewalls between medical and commercial data, HIPAA and state privacy laws, and promotional review controls for AI-generated content.
• Plan for future hire, onboarding, and development of the Data & AI team and build a pragmatic mix of in-house talent and external partners as needs grow.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Data Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related fields. Advanced degree a plus.
• 10+ years in data, analytics, digital transformation, or data engineering, including 3+ years in AI leadership, and 5+ years in biotech, pharma, or another regulated environment.
• Track record of building a data function from zero, including hiring and managing the team.
• Working knowledge of AI platforms, large language models, AI agents, orchestration frameworks, and human-in-the-loop design, with enough technical depth to judge feasibility and implementation needs.
• Hands-on experience deploying AI, automation, or LLM-based tools with measurable business results.
• Working fluency in GxP and data integrity, including why lineage, audit trails, validation, and change control matter, even without owning compliance.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide initiatives through influence, including change management and adoption programs.
• Ability to operate as a peer to functional leaders in R&D, Clinical, CMC, and Quality.
• Experience preparing data and technical content for executive audiences.
• Clear written and verbal communication that translates between scientists, engineers, and executives.
• Comfort in a fast-moving company where the role builds systems and teams, not just manages them.

Additional Skills, Knowledge, and/or Abilities:

• Comfortable creating structure and scaling it with discipline.
• Translates technology into business outcomes and speaks credibly with executives and the board.
• Moves quickly on AI and automation while protecting data, compliance, and inspection readiness.
• Attracts strong people, develops them, and builds a team culture of ownership.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technology and risk topics to non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated vendor governance, budget ownership, procurement discipline, and contract negotiation skills.
• Ability to lead through influence across distributed teams, external partners, and executive stakeholders.

Other Requirements:

• Onsite a minimum of 3 days per week.
• Availability to respond to urgent business or system issues outside standard business hours on an as-needed basis.
• Travel may be required to meet with external partners, vendors, auditors, and/or to attend industry events.