Job Description

Job Title: Director of AI Business Operations and Strategy

Company: Houston Chronicle Company

Reports to: President and Publisher

Location: Houston, TX

The Director of AI Business Operations and Strategy will lead the development and execution of enterprise AI initiatives that improve operational efficiency, optimize revenue, accelerate decision-making, and be accountable to measurable business value. This leader will partner with the Executive Leadership Team to define, refine, and execute the organization's AI strategy, adoption, plans, KPIs, and impact, and ensure the discipline and rigor required to deliver lasting business value. The role is accountable for the ongoing evolution of the Houston Chronicle's AI strategy and for translating it into disciplined, measurable execution.

This role owns the AI roadmap, chairs the AI Strategy Committee, represents the voice of the business in AI solution design and deployment, and ensures that AI strategy is aligned , and adopted in a way that delivers long-term enterprise value.

This is not a technology delivery role. Instead, it sits at the intersection of strategy, business operations, revenue optimization, audience growth, customer experience, and enterprise transformation-connecting AI strategy to the day-to-day work of the Houston Chronicle, its business functions, and alignment with Hearst Newspapers' strategic direction.

The Director will report to the President and Publisher and will work closely with the CRO, VP of Finance, and the Hearst Newspapers Director of AI Business Operations.

Core Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the Houston Chronicle's AI strategy and roadmap, with clear milestones and success criteria.
• Build a deep understanding of the business problems, workflows, and operational realities at the Houston Chronicle and bring that context into every AI initiative to ensure solutions are grounded in how the business works.
• Partner directly with the Executive Leadership Team to define, refine, and operationalize the company's top strategic priorities, including responsibility for identifying and implementing initiatives that drive efficiencies across:
  
  -Productivity improvements

• -Workflow acceleration

• -Revenue growth

• -ROI enhancement

• Build and manage a rigorous tracking system to ensure accountability, transparency, and progress across all departments.
• Develop and maintain implementation playbooks, training, and change-management rigor to operationalize AI at scale, including:

-Governance frameworks

-Training materials

-Adoption strategies

-Change-management processes

-Operational documentation

• Identify workflow redesign opportunities and execution gaps, and intervene to remove bottlenecks, reallocate resources, or recalibrate priorities, improving velocity and embedding AI into day-to-day operations.
• Prepare high-quality briefing materials, analyses, and recommendations for executive decision-making.
• Serve as the primary liaison between business demand and AI execution by evaluating incoming ideas against other technology investments and recommending prioritization to executives and Hearst Newspapers leadership.
• Lead AI governance, risk, and responsible AI oversight, including:

-Responsible use

-Vendor/model evaluation

-Risk management

-Legal/reputational considerations

-Human oversight and operational controls

• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive developments to inform strategy.
• Lead, mentor, train, and grow cross-functional teams focused on AI strategy and value realization.
• Prepare and present AI strategy updates to the AI Steering Committee.

AI Optimization and Deployment

• Act as the point person for the Houston Chronicle to adopt and effectively utilize Hearst AI tools.

• Identify high-impact use cases for generative and agentic AI across editorial, advertising, customer experience, and back-office functions.

• Partner with technology, product, advertising, finance, and editorial leaders to deploy AI tools that enhance productivity, content quality, personalization, and revenue generation.

• Build internal fluency through training, pilot programs, and scaling successful implementations.

Accountability Measures

• Identify and implement 5-7% cost savings through 2027-2028.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in business operations, strategy, digital media optimization, or a related field.

• Bachelor's degree.

• Demonstrated ability to drive execution in complex, matrixed organizations.

• Demonstrated success moving initiatives from pilot to enterprise deployment with measurable business outcomes.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with a bias toward action.

• Proven experience leading cross-functional initiatives with measurable impact.

• Exceptional communication skills and executive presence.

Preferred

• Experience in business transformation, media, digital publishing, or subscription-based businesses.

• Experience implementing AI and automation solutions in a business environment.

Key Competencies/Experience

• Required: applied AI execution and direct experience implementing or scaling:

-AI agents

-Copilots

-Workflow automations

-AI-assisted operational systems

-Enterprise AI applications

-Experience working with platforms and ecosystems such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, AWS, and Microsoft.

• Strategic clarity and operational discipline.

• Effective cross-departmental communication and the ability to influence without direct authority.

• Change management and media transformation.

• High degree of discretion, judgment, and integrity.

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