Academy Sports & Outdoors, Ltd

Manager Artificial Intelligence COE

Academy Sports & Outdoors, Ltd$120K — $150K *
Katy, TX 77449In-Person
Enterprise Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field required.
  • Advanced degree preferred.
  • 5+ years of experience in AI/ML, data engineering, or enterprise platform development.
  • At least 2 years in hands-on experience building AI agents or automations.
  • Demonstrated experience translating business problems into measurable AI solutions.

Responsibilities

  • Design, configure, and deploy custom AI agents using Microsoft tools.
  • Develop agent logic and manage API integrations for RAG solutions.
  • Evaluate and prototype non-Microsoft AI platforms while adhering to enterprise standards.
  • Collaborate with business leaders to identify AI needs and transformation opportunities.
  • Assess proposed AI initiatives and recommend appropriate delivery paths.
  • Maintain an enterprise AI roadmap aligned with business strategy.
  • Prevent shadow AI and ensure compliance with governance standards.

Benefits

  • Robust AI training and professional development programs.
  • Access to advanced Microsoft platforms and innovations.
  • Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams.
  • Opportunities to lead and influence AI strategy across the enterprise.
Full Job Description

Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or a related technical field required
  • Advanced degree preferred

Work Experiences:

  • 5+ years of experience in AI/ML, data engineering, or enterprise platform development
  • At least 2 years of hands‑on experience building AI agents, automations, or advanced AI‑enabled solutions
  • Proven experience translating business problems into production AI solutions with measurable ROI
  • Experience working cross‑functionally with business leaders, Enterprise Architecture, and Information Security in a governed enterprise environment
  • Retail or multi‑site enterprise experience preferred

Skills:

  • Expert knowledge of Microsoft AI platforms, including Copilot Studio, Azure OpenAI Service (deployments, fine‑tuning, grounding), and the Power Platform (Power Automate, Power Apps)
  • Deep understanding of enterprise data architectures and integrations (SQL, Dataverse, SharePoint, APIs, data lakes)
  • Advanced prompt engineering skills with demonstrated ability to reduce hallucinations and improve accuracy
  • Proven experience designing and implementing Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) patterns
  • Familiarity with non‑Microsoft AI platforms such as Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, or open‑source models
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to explain complex AI concepts to non‑technical executives

Responsibilities:

  • Design, configure, and deploy custom AI agents using Microsoft Copilot Studio, Azure AI Studio, and supporting Microsoft AI tools
  • Develop agent logic, manage API integrations, and optimize RAG solutions grounded in internal Academy data
  • Evaluate and prototype non‑Microsoft AI platforms when appropriate, while maintaining Microsoft as the enterprise standard
  • Partner with business function leaders to understand AI needs, pain points, and transformation opportunities
  • Serve as the enterprise AI intake authority, assessing proposed initiatives and determining the appropriate delivery path (native platform capability, AI CoE solution, or third‑party tool)
  • Partner with Enterprise Architecture to develop and maintain an enterprise AI roadmap aligned to business strategy
  • Prevent shadow AI and tool sprawl by ensuring all AI initiatives are visible, governed, and standardized
  • Establish and enforce AI guardrails, including data privacy, model access controls, cost management, and prompt security
  • Partner with Information Security and Legal to define and maintain AI governance frameworks, acceptable use policies, and audit trails
  • Design evaluation frameworks to monitor AI agent performance, accuracy, adoption, ROI, and model drift
  • Build internal awareness and momentum so business teams proactively engage the AI CoE for the right use cases
  • Act as a trusted advisor and educator to leaders across the enterprise on AI capabilities and best practices

Physical Requirements & Attendance

  • Acceptable level of hearing and vision to perform job duties
  • Adhere to company work hours, policies, procedures, and rules governing professional staff behavior
  • Regular in-office attendance is required.

About Academy Sports & Outdoors, Ltd

Academy Sports + Outdoors is a premier sports, outdoor and lifestyle retailer with a broad assortment of quality hunting, fishing, and camping equipment and gear along with sports and leisure products, footwear, apparel and much more. The Texas-based company operates over 250 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, where the company is headquartered. Academy employs more than 29,000 team members and is committed to providing exceptional customer service, offering an unparalleled assortment of top brands, and promoting active lifestyles through its community involvement.
Learn more about Academy Sports & Outdoors, Ltd
Size
29,000 employees
Market Cap
$4 billion
Industry
Founded
1938
5 Year Trend
+7.4%
Revenue
$5.4 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Academy Sports & Outdoors, Ltd

More Enterprise Technology Jobs

Find similar Manager Artificial Intelligence COE jobs: