Director Artificial Intelligence and Data

Work Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments, or projects.*

Work Location: The Edney Innovation Center

FLSA Status: This is an Exempt position.
Salary: GS.16 $84,982 - $102,668

Department: Technology Services

CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:
Incumbent in this classification will lead the city's integrated AI and data strategy and implementation efforts. This pivotal role will be responsible for developing, executing, and overseeing a comprehensive AI and data roadmap that aligns with the city's strategic goals. Reporting to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), the Director of AI & Data will serve as the city's leading expert on both AI and data management, guiding policy, fostering innovation, and ensuring ethical, responsible, and data-driven decision-making and AI deployment across all city departments and initiatives. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of Chattanooga by harnessing the transformative power of both AI and data for the benefit of our community.

SERIES LEVEL: The Director Artificial Intelligence and Data is a stand-alone position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
(The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)

Develop and champion a city-wide integrated AI and data strategy and roadmap, outlining key priorities, initiatives, and measurable outcomes for both areas.

Conduct ongoing research and analysis of emerging AI trends and data technologies to identify opportunities for city applications.

Advise the CIO, city leadership, department heads, and stakeholders on AI and data best practices, ethical considerations, data governance, and potential risks and benefits.

Establish a comprehensive framework for responsible AI and data governance, including relevant policies, ethical guidelines, data privacy protocols, data security standards, data quality standards, and transparency measures.

Foster trust and credibility throughout the organization for AI and Data initiatives and outcomes by delivering meaningful solutions reliably, quickly, and with high quality.

Lead the development and implementation of a city-wide data strategy that supports all city operations and fuels AI initiatives.

Oversee the design, development, management, maintenance, of the city's data infrastructure, including data collection systems, data storage solutions (data warehouses, data lakes), data pipelines, data integration platforms, and data analysis and visualization tools.

Establish and enforce data quality standards, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and consistency of city data.

Work with other DTS divisions to implement robust data security measures and ensure compliance with all relevant data privacy regulations (e.g., HIPAA if applicable to certain city data, general data protection principles).

Develop and manage data cataloging, metadata management, and data discovery capabilities to promote data accessibility and usability across departments.

Ensure all data pipelines are well-structured, secure, documented, resilient, and maintained to ensure data is always available and accessible for use within the operation of City government and sharing of data through the City’s open data initiatives.

Identify and prioritize high-impact AI projects across city departments (e.g., transportation, public safety, utilities, citizen services, economic development), ensuring these projects are underpinned by sound data practices.

Lead the conceptualization, design, development, and implementation of AI-driven solutions, ensuring access to and proper utilization of necessary data.

Oversee the entire lifecycle of AI projects, from needs assessment and data acquisition/preparation to model development, deployment, monitoring, and maintenance.

Collaborate with other DTS divisions and city departments to integrate AI solutions into existing workflows and systems effectively.

Promote a culture of data-driven decision-making across all city departments.

Support departments in leveraging data and analytics to gain insights, improve operational efficiency, and measure the impact of programs and initiatives.

Lead data analysts within the function and collaborate with data analysts across the city to create a culture of practice for data analytics. Deliver analytical support and reporting for the city overall and for city departments.

Build strong relationships with city departments, community organizations, academic institutions, and private sector partners to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing in AI and data.

Work with the CIO and Mayor’s Office to educate and inform citizens about the city's AI and data initiatives and address public concerns about data usage and AI adoption.

Represent the City of Chattanooga at regional and national AI and data forums, conferences, and workshops.

Seek and secure external funding opportunities (grants, partnerships) to support AI and data initiatives.

Build, train, supervise, and mentor a high-performing team of AI specialists and data analysts.

Foster a collaborative and innovative work environment. 

Develop annual plans and goals for the team. Monitor progress against goals, provide feedback and coaching as required. 

Supervise and review team performance and provide effective coaching and counseling when required. 

Build and execute annual technical skills training and certification plans for each team member, ensuring completion.

Foster a culture of AI and data literacy and innovation within city government.

Identify and mentor talented individuals within city departments to become AI and data champions.

Maintain the City’s Open Data Portal and related datasets. The goal of this portal is to give citizens access to community data for solving problems, informing themselves and others, and better interacting with the community around them. 

Establish metrics and KPIs to track the performance and impact of both AI initiatives and the overall strategy.

Develop data analytics, reporting, and visualization for City operations in support of data-based decision making and running of City operations.

Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of AI solutions and data practices, identify areas for improvement, and report on progress to the CIO.

Ensure continuous learning and adaptation of AI and data strategies based on performance data and evolving best practices.

Participate in meetings, public events, training sessions, committees, and other related events to share and receive information.

Direct, review, and participate in creating various reports, work papers, communications, schedules, and other related documents for internal departments, government entities, external agencies, contractors, and other interested parties.

Use, carry, and answer a cell phone for business purposes as required by job duties and the department head.

Must meet regular attendance requirements.

Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers and citizens.

Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.

Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Information Management, or a related quantitative field. Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive experience in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Management/Data Analytics; or any combination of equivalent experience and education. Master's Degree is preferred. 

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS:
Driver’s License
Preferred: Information Technology Management and Leadership Professional (ITMLP); ITIL Certification; CompTIA Certifications (Security+, Network+, Infrastructure+); PMI’s Cognitive Project Management in AI; Google Cloud Associate or Professional; AWS Cloud Practitioner or Solutions Architect; Project Management Professional (PMP); Six Sigma or Lean/SixSigma Green Belt.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Knowledge of managerial and leadership principles and practices; budgeting principles and practices; advanced financial analysis principles and methods; research methods and techniques; applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, standards, and procedures; municipal government or business structures and operations; long-range planning; developing and managing budgets; managing complex and high-profile projects; using computers and related software applications; managing projects and adapting to a rapidly changing environment; deep understanding of AI ethics, responsible AI principles, and data privacy regulations: Fairness, transparency, accountability, privacy by design, security, compliance (e.g., GDPR principles, relevant state/local regulations).

Skill in developing and managing budgets; developing strategic plans; strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively exchange information and receive work direction with colleagues, supervisors, and the public; performing mathematical calculations; reading, comprehending, and reviewing financial information; interpreting and applying applicable laws, standards, and procedures; Solid understanding of core AI/Machine Learning concepts and techniques: Machine Learning (supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement learning), Deep Learning (CNNs, RNNs, Transformers), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision, Robotics, and related fields; extensive knowledge of data management principles and practices: Data governance, data architecture, data modeling, ETL/ELT processes, data warehousing, data lakes, metadata management, data quality management; proficiency in AI/ML programming languages and tools such as: Python, R, TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, cloud-based AI platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure AI); strong data analysis and statistical skills: Expertise in data wrangling, cleaning, feature engineering, statistical modeling, and data visualization; expertise in data infrastructure and database technologies; understanding of MLOps and DataOps principles: Experience in deploying, monitoring, and managing AI models and data pipelines in production environments.

Ability to analyze complex business and technical problems and make appropriate recommendations; make program decisions based on financial considerations; understand multiple objectives and assess optimal courses of action; prepare and analyze complex financial reports; project consequences of proposed actions and make recommendations supporting organizational goals; handle multiple tasks simultaneously; interpreting and applying applicable laws, standards, and procedures; Leadership: Ability to develop and articulate a compelling integrated vision for AI and data adoption in a city context; developing and executing integrated strategic plans, roadmaps, and budgets for both AI and data initiatives; problem-solving and analytical skills; identify complex urban challenges and devise innovative AI and data-driven solutions; manage complex projects from inception to completion, on time and within budget, particularly those involving both AI and data components; to navigate organizational change and foster adoption of new technologies and data practices.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Positions in this class typically require standing, walking, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: N

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check / drug screening / lift test / TB screening questionnaire / TB Skin Test / Complete Physical screening / DOT Clearinghouse / HepB Titer / fingerprinting / CJIS check.

The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
 

KNV 5/16/2025