Acting Director of the Massachusetts Artificial Intelligence Hub

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative seeks a highly motivated and experienced Director to spearhead the development and implementation of the newly established Massachusetts Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub.

This role is ideal for an ambitious professional who thrives in complex, multi-stakeholder environments. You will leverage your established relationships and expertise in navigating the intricacies of starting up and developing a mission-oriented organization focused on developing and ethically adopting artificial intelligence applications and technologies across the Commonwealth. Your ability to build consensus and collaborate effectively with key stakeholders, as well as your ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituencies, will be paramount to the success of this effort.

As part of the commitment of state government to make Massachusetts a national leader in artificial intelligence innovation, the Massachusetts AI Hub is being established at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech). This pioneering initiative will drive cutting-edge collaboration between government, industry, startups, and academia, pursue solutions to the world’s most critical challenges, and unlock economic opportunities for businesses and residents across the state.

The AI Hub will strive to make AI technology more accessible to small and large enterprises in the state’s key sectors, enable researchers, entrepreneurs, and startups to pursue the development and commercialization of innovative new ideas, and, most importantly, the AI Hub will work to prepare the state’s workforce for the emerging opportunities in AI and will strive to enable all citizens to benefit from the inevitable changes that AI will introduce into society.

The framework for the Massachusetts AI Hub, informed by recommendations from the report of the Governor’s AI Strategic Task Force, calls for the establishment of ethical and equitable AI as a bedrock principle of the Massachusetts AI Hub. The full report is available here.

Modelled after its recently established Northeast Microelectronics Coalition (NEMC) Hub, MassTech is launching the Massachusetts AI Hub, as a new division and is seeking candidates to serve as its inaugural Director, responsible for leading efforts around the startup and development of the Massachusetts AI Hub at the Mass Technology Collaborative.

Role & Responsibilities

The Acting Director for the Massachusetts AI Hub is responsible for building and leading this new division at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative; while ensuring it will position Massachusetts to be a leader in applied AI and unlock new economic opportunities for businesses and residents across all regions of the Commonwealth.

The Massachusetts AI Hub Director will be responsible for leading and managing an AI Hub team on the execution of programs and activities centered around three core Hub components: (1) Equity and Values, (2) Infrastructure, and (3) the Innovation and Talent Ecosystem. The Director will work in partnership with Mass Tech leadership and staff, an AI Hub Advisory Committee, and key stakeholders on the implementation of an impactful Massachusetts AI Hub that achieves the recommendations of the Governor’s Strategic Task Force. Further, the Director will work collaboratively to advance and implement the vision, plans, and policies that guide the AI Hub, consistent with the leadership provided by the Governor of the Commonwealth and by the Secretary of Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) and the Secretary of Executive Office of Technology Safety and Security (EOTSS).

Partnerships are of the upmost importance in the role; as such, the Director will need to advance existing and establish new relationships with research, priority industry sectors, education and workforce development, state and federal agencies and the academic and nonprofit organizations that will help to establish the AI Hub’s reputation as a leading resource to support development of responsible AI in the Commonwealth.

Additionally, the Director will explore other grant funding and revenue opportunities as part of AI Hub’s financial model. This may include federal and state funds, industry, membership models, philanthropy, and other revenue-generating services to ensure the organization's long-term sustainability and impact.

High Priority Skills and Experience

Strategy and Vision

• An experienced leader adept at collaborating across industry, academia, and government to define long-term strategic vision and translate that vision into near-term execution across a networked organization structure.
• Passion for service and recognition of the once-in-a-generation opportunity to create lasting impact for MA and the Northeast in artificial intelligence.
• Understanding the complexities of research and development in AI technologies, ethical use and adoption of AI, talent and workforce development, public/private funding, and development of supportive ecosystems for AI startups.

Knowledge and Experience

• Current knowledge of trends in the artificial intelligence ecosystem.
• Understanding current business and technology needs.
• Understanding of impacts on current labor market trends, particularly the impact on occupations outside of technology centered sectors.
• Familiarity with programs and services to support an AI workforce and programs to support awareness and responsible utilization of AI in society.
• Ability to assess and anticipate the impact of the broader macroeconomic outlook and emerging technology on the artificial intelligence industry.

Management and Collaboration

• Work in partnership with Mass Tech Collaborative staff, including members of the Innovation Institute cluster development team and other internal teams across MassTech
• Lead a Mass AI Hub Advisory Committee and support the work of ad hoc Working Groups.
• Work in partnership within MassTech to effectively manage and report about project activities and metrics outlined within state and federal contracts.
• Understand and work within structured state and federal government guidelines.
• Create and deliver relevant conceptual or technical presentations to large stakeholder groups, and build relationships with partners, members and potential new members to drive development and success of the AI Hub.
• Skillfully design and implement organizational structures, implementation plans, and business strategies and processes that ensure clear delineation of responsibilities and effective, timely decision making that will enable the AI Hub to operate and scale smoothly. At the same time, maintain an entrepreneurial mindset and culture that keeps the AI Hub agile and able to act quickly.

Team Leadership

• The Director will set a culture based on the achievement of excellence through collaboration, trust, and teamwork, focusing on organizational success of the Massachusetts artificial intelligence sector and the full range of Hub constituents, rather than individual success or that of an affiliated entity.
• Able to build a strong, high performing team. Established record of attracting, managing, and retaining high quality team members.
• Ability to think and act creatively to develop programs, collaborative partnerships and alliances, and member value.
• Willing to work as an employee of the AI Hub at MassTech without affiliation with any of its members/contributors.

Personal Characteristics:

• Honesty & Integrity.
• Brings a positive, enthusiastic, can-do attitude.
• A good listener who is not ego driven.
• Able to relate well to a broad base of stakeholders across industry, academia, and government in an open constructive manner that inspires collaboration and engenders mutual trust.

Requirements

• 10+ years of professional industry and academic experience in research, development, and or program management.  A combination of working in academia, nonprofit institutions, and industry is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a mission-oriented organization.

Travel within the state is required (often not accessible by public transportation); occasional travel out of state is anticipated. 

** PLEASE NOTE: THIS POSITION REQUIRES CANDIDATES TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN EITHER BOSTON OR WESTBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS AT LEAST TWO DAYS PER WEEK. THIS IS NOT A FULL-TIME REMOTE POSITION. **

Benefits

MassTech offers a hybrid work schedule and a competitive total rewards package.