Director AI Enablement

We believe in the power and joy of learning

At Cengage, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.   

Cengage's portfolio of businesses supports student choice by providing a range of pathways that help learners achieve their goals and lead a choice-filled life.   

Our culture values inclusion, engagement, and discovery

Our business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work. We achieve these priorities through programs, benefits, and initiatives that are integrated into the fabric of how we work every day. To learn more, please see https://www.cengagegroup.com/about/inclusion-and-belonging/.  

Director, AI Enablement

The Director of AI Enablement provides strategic and operational leadership, responsible for translating the VP's vision into workable programs. This position leads daily operations across the AI Enablement area. The role acts as the principal executor who brings broad AI strategy into measurable results by operationalizing initiatives, establishing training programs, and ensuring the organization is ready to harness AI effectively.   

You will report to the VP of AI Enablement and lead workforce AI training and support efforts. Additionally, you will coordinate cross-functional projects and play a key role in intellectual property and patent matters. The ideal candidate possesses technical AI knowledge, solid operational leadership abilities, outstanding program management expertise, and a passion for enabling others to thrive with AI.  

Key Responsibilities

Operations & Strategy Execution

• Translate the VP's AI strategy and vision into practical plans, programs, and measurable results

• Supervise the routine operations of the AI Enablement function, guaranteeing they correspond with organizational priorities

• Develop and maintain operational frameworks, processes, and governance structures for AI initiatives

• Track progress against strategic objectives, important metrics, and turning points; report status to VP and leadership

• Identify and resolve operational bottlenecks, resource constraints, and cross-functional dependencies

• Promote responsibility across teams to guarantee prompt completion of AI enablement initiatives

• Manage budgets, vendor relationships, and prioritization for enablement programs  

AI Training & Workforce Enablement

• Conceptualize, build, and lead comprehensive AI training and enablement programs for the workforce

• Develop AI literacy curricula tailored to different roles, skill levels, and business functions

• Build and curate training content including workshops, e-learning modules, guides, and reference materials

• Partner with HR, L&D, and business units to drive AI adoption and upskilling across the organization

• Establish metrics and feedback loops to measure training efficiency and learner outcomes

• Identify AI champions and power users; build communities of practice to scale enablement

• Stay current on AI tools, platforms, and guidelines to continuously evolve training offerings  

Patent & Intellectual Property Facilitation

• Facilitate the end-to-end patent process for AI innovations, from ideation through filing

• Partner with legal, R&D, and product teams to identify patentable AI inventions and innovations

• Manage patent documentation, prior art searches, and invention disclosures

• Handle interactions with outside patent counsel and intellectual property consultants

• Track patent portfolio status, deadlines, and prosecution activities

• Educate teams on intellectual property guidelines and invention capture processes

• Support the development of IP strategy aligned with AI product roadmap and competitive positioning  

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Leverage technical AI background to provide informed mentorship on enablement content and initiatives

• Translate complex AI concepts into accessible training materials for non-technical audiences

• Assess AI tools, platforms, and technologies for organizational adoption and training purposes

• Collaborate with technical teams to ensure training content reflects current capabilities and established guidelines

• Offer technical background and insights for patent applications and invention disclosures

• Act as a reliable technical resource when interacting with engineering, product, and data science teams  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business, or related field; Master's or equivalent experience preferred

• 8+ years of progressive experience in technology, operations, or enablement leadership roles

• 3+ years of experience managing teams, programs, or cross-functional initiatives

• Technical background with proven knowledge of AI/ML concepts, tools, and applications

• Proven track record of operationalizing strategy and driving execution at scale

• Experience crafting and delivering training programs, curricula, or enablement initiatives

• Strong project/program management skills with ability to prioritize multiple priorities simultaneously

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present to executive audiences

• Experience collaborating with legal teams on intellectual property, patents, or compliance issues  

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with AI/ML technologies, LLMs, or data science projects

• Experience with enterprise AI platforms (OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, Google Vertex)

• Background in instructional build, adult learning principles, or L&D leadership

• Experience facilitating patent processes or working with IP counsel

• PMP, Six Sigma, or similar operational/project management certifications

• Experience in EdTech, learning technology, or content-intensive industries

• Change management experience driving technology adoption across organizations

• Familiarity with AI governance, ethics, and responsible AI frameworks  

Key Proficiencies

• Operational Excellence – Transforms vision into action; builds systems and processes that scale

• Technical Credibility – Speaks the language of AI; earns trust with technical and non-technical teams alike

• Enablement approach – Passionate about helping others learn, grow, and succeed with new technologies

• Execution Focus – Bias for action; delivers results and drives accountability

• Communication Skills – Distills complexity into clarity; tailors messaging for diverse audiences

• Cross-Functional Leadership – Navigates matrixed organizations; builds alignment across collaborators

• Attention to Detail – Ensures quality and rigor in training content, documentation, and IP processes  

What We Offer

• Strategic leadership role with direct impact on AI adoption across a global learning company

• Close partnership with VP of AI Enablement to build and complete AI strategy

• Opportunity to build AI enablement programs from the ground up

• Involvement in brand new AI innovation and intellectual property development

• Collaborative, innovation-focused team environment

• Competitive compensation including base salary, bonus, and equity participation

• Comprehensive benefits and flexible work arrangements  

Cengage is committed to working with broad talent pools to attract and hire strong and most qualified individuals. Our job applicants are considered regardless of race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, veteran status, and any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, provincial or local laws.  

Cengage is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities including during our job application process. If you are an applicant with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in our job application process, please contact us at [email protected].  

About Cengage

Cengage, a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms. We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.  

Compensation

At Cengage Group, we take great pride in our commitment to providing a comprehensive and rewarding Total Rewards package designed to support and empower our employees. Click here to learn more about our Total Rewards Philosophy.

The full base pay range has been provided for this position. Individual base pay will vary based on work schedule, qualifications, experience, internal equity, and geographic location.  Sales roles often incorporate a significant incentive compensation program beyond this base pay range.

In this position,  you will be eligible to participate in the company’s discretionary incentive bonus program.  This position's bonus target amount, which is not guaranteed and is dependent on individual performance and overall company results among other factors, is provided below.