AI Solutions & Innovation Manager

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. Our Palmetto College campuses enable students to earn associate or bachelor's degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

About the role

The AI Solutions & Innovation Manager advances the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support's AI capabilities by identifying opportunities to improve operations through artificial intelligence and delivering practical, scalable solutions. Working collaboratively with functional units and the IT development team, the position designs, develops, and implements AI-powered applications, intelligent agents, workflow automations, and enterprise system integrations using modern low-code, automation, and AI-assisted development tools. The role partners with technical and non-technical stakeholders to translate business needs into effective solutions, evaluate outcomes, and drive continuous improvement. In addition, the position leads AI adoption by developing training, documentation, and best practices, fostering responsible use across the Division, and serving as the primary liaison with the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) to ensure all AI initiatives align with university standards for governance, privacy, security, accessibility, and ethical AI use.

Responsibilities

• AI Solutions Discovery, Design, and Delivery: Identifies, evaluates, designs, and implements AI-powered solutions that improve business processes, enhance operational efficiency, and support the Division's strategic objectives. Collaborates with stakeholders to translate business needs into scalable AI applications, intelligent automations, and integrated solutions.
• Adoption, Enablement, and Change Leadership: Leads the successful adoption of AI technologies by developing change management strategies, training programs, documentation, and champion networks that promote user engagement, responsible use, and sustained organizational adoption.
• Governance, Documentation, and DoIT Liaison: Ensures AI solutions comply with university policies and standards for data governance, privacy, security, accessibility, and ethical AI use. Serves as the Division's primary liaison with the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) to coordinate AI initiatives and maintain alignment with institutional technology and governance requirements.
• Evaluation, Continuous Improvement, and Innovation: Establishes performance measures to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of AI initiatives, analyzes outcomes to drive continuous improvement, and identifies emerging AI technologies and opportunities that advance innovation and operational excellence across the Division.

Requirements

• AI Solution Development – Ability to design and build working AI solutions using prompt and context engineering, agent development platforms, workflow automation, LLM APIs, and low-code or AI-assisted development approaches.
• Problem Identification & Needs Analysis – Ability to conduct needs analyses and feasibility assessments, identify where AI delivers measurable value, and prioritize opportunities against divisional and institutional goals.
• Adoption & Change Leadership – Understanding of change management and technology-adoption principles; ability to design champion networks, communication plans, and enablement resources that make solutions stick.
• Communication & Collaboration – Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate complex technical topics clearly and work effectively with diverse campus stakeholders at all levels.
• Ethical AI & Governance – Awareness of AI ethics, bias, limitations, and institutional governance requirements; ability to embed responsible-use practices into every solution and process.
• Project & Program Management – Ability to plan, track, and deliver multiple concurrent initiatives; maintain accurate documentation; and measure and report outcomes.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in computer science, information systems, data science, artificial intelligence, educational technology, or a related field (preferred).
• A strong foundation in both AI and machine learning concepts and their practical application in organizational settings.
• Demonstrated experience building and deploying AI solutions in real operational use (not only pilots or training programs), such as agents, automations, or AI-assisted applications. Candidates are encouraged to provide examples or a portfolio.
• Experience with enterprise AI ecosystems (Microsoft Copilot and Copilot Studio, OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google) and workflow automation platforms such as Power Automate.
• Experience leading technology adoption or change initiatives in higher education or another complex, decentralized organization.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Generous annual and sick leave accruement, along with 13 paid holidays.
• Engaging and collaborative on-campus environment in South Carolina's capitol city.
• Opportunities for professional development, including tuition assistance.
• Eligible for enrollment in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
• Health and life insurance.
• Retirement programs.
• Paid tuition and dependent scholarships.
• Paid parental leave.