AI Team Lead, Artificial Intelligence Resource Centre (AIRC)
About Western
Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.
About Us
The Department of Western Technology Services (WTS) is a central source committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective technology solutions and services to the campus community in support of the teaching and research missions of the University. WTS works collaboratively with other IT groups within Western’s faculties and support units to leverage central supported technology solutions and services where it makes sense.
The eLearning Technology Team is a unit within WTS providing Western faculty, staff, and students with the best possible resources to enable effective use of technology in teaching and learning. We believe in continual learning, and use ongoing research, testing, collaboration and training to develop and maintain a suite of technology tools that are leading edge and endeavour to engage our user community in the best use of these resources.
In 1994, Western established an Instructional Technology Resource Centre (ITRC). The Centre is staffed by a team of undergraduate students and its mandate is to assist Western’s faculty who wish to incorporate the use of technology in their course delivery. The Centre is highly regarded as a valuable resource for faculty. The eLearning Technology team manages the ITRC and provides the mentoring, guidance and leadership to the students who work in the Centre during their undergraduate studies at Western.
The Artificial Intelligence Resource Centre (AIRC) is a new vertical to be instantiated under the eLearning team, and it will mirror the operating model of the ITRC however it will cover a wider cohort of community support with services and resources available to teachers, researchers, staff and students.
Responsibilities
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Team Lead provides day-to-day operational support and guidance to the Artificial Intelligence Resource Centre (AIRC) team to oversee projects, set priorities, and ensure effective execution of AI initiatives. This role supports Western’s digital transformation by partnering with AI leaders across campus to identify opportunities to integrate AI into teaching and learning platforms as well as research and administrative uses while aligning with ethical, inclusive, and strategic institutional goals of enabling scalable, impactful AI adoption, supporting academic excellence, operational efficiency, and data security.
Qualifications
Education:
• University Degree in Communications, Education, Computer Science, Data Science or related technology or education fields with a focus on AI required
• Master’s degree in related field preferred
• Project Management certification(s) preferred
Experience:
• 5 years of working experience at a research-intensive higher education institution required
• 2 years of experience working in emerging AI technologies required
• 2 years of leadership experience with oversight of diverse teams preferred
• Change management and project management experience preferred
• Proven record of delivering complex, cross-functional projects involving AI systems or data platforms preferred
• Experience developing and implementing governance frameworks for technology adoption preferred
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
• Specialized understanding of AI technologies, their applications, limitations, and governance challenges
• Strategic thinker with demonstrated capacity to align innovation with institutional missions and risk tolerance
• Excellent leadership, facilitation, and interpersonal skills with a track record of building collaborative cultures
• High digital literacy across platforms
• Strong political acumen and emotional intelligence; capable of leading through influence and partnership
• Knowledge of project management methodologies and project life cycles
• Proven ability to effectively manage team resources for project completion, to manage multiply projects, people and schedules within an academic context
• Ability to establish effective routines for excellent communication with all members of the team to maximize productivity
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to convey information of a highly technical or complex nature to non-technical audience
• Strong understanding of staff management with an ability to develop a high functioning team
• Effective leadership, supervision and mentoring of staff in day-to-day operations
• Exceptional organizational skills, including managing multiple competing priorities
• A well-defined sense of diplomacy, including solid negotiation, conflict resolution and people management skills
• Ability to recognize and appreciate the contributions of team members
• Demonstrated coaching and mentoring skills to enable team members to achieve high-quality outcomes
• Ability to explain the immediate context of the situation, asking questions with follow-up, and soliciting advice prior to acting
• Ability and willingness to stay abreast of AI technology developments with a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development
• Critical thinking and discernment to assess and scope areas for process improvement and an ability to offer creative solutions
• Strong customer service skills to handle inquiries and resolve issues in a professional and timely manner
• Builds relationships with, across, and external to organizational boundaries
Western Values Diversity
The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.
Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.
Please Note:
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.
Learn more and Apply