Executive Director of AI Innovation & Integration, Haslam College of Business - UTK
Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at University of Tennessee
Software Engineering, Data Science
Knoxville, TN, USA
Posted on Dec 13, 2025
Reporting to the Dean of the Haslam College of Business, this position will work with leadership, faculty, staff, and students within the college and partner with external stakeholders to provide guidance and advice that positions the college as a leader in innovative, leading-edge AI, analytics, and digital transformation in business education. This individual will provide college-specific leadership and coordination in:
- Establishment of an appropriate leading edge AI governance model
- AI integration in teaching and research
- AI deployment to improve college processes and associated decision making
- Ongoing technology innovation
- Collaborating to create robust industry and corporate partnerships
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.
UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.
Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!
The Haslam College of Business (HCB) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, invites applications for an Executive Director of AI Innovation & Integration (Full-time, Exempt) to join our college’s leadership team.
Required Qualifications
- Education: Graduate degree (MBA or technical Master’s) required
- Experience:
- Minimum 10 years of experience in partnership development, change leadership, or a related field
- Proven leadership in IT, AI, or data strategy
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Ability to think strategically and creatively
- Excellent leadership and team management abilities
- Strong communication and negotiation skills
- Knowledge of AI industry trends
- Ability to communicate effectively with audiences including faculty, students, and industry partners.
- Ability to develop and maintain relationships with industry partners.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience: Higher education experience preferred
Work Location
- Location: Knoxville, TN
- Onsite
Compensation and Benefits
- Anticipated hiring range: competitive salary commensurate with experience
- Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
- Find more information on UT Benefits here
Application Instructions
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments.
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- List of 3 Professional References
- Curriculum, Faculty Support, and Student Experience:
- Embed AI/analytics into courses, support faculty adoption, and ensure AACSB accreditation alignment
- Partner with academic advising, undergraduate business units, and Career Services as needed to integrate AI fluency into different stages of professional development
- Identify opportunities to apply AI to college-wide and departmental administration (i.e., workload optimization, course scheduling, admissions insights, etc.)
- Differentiate the college in recruiting students, faculty, and external partners.
- Lead coordination for the responsible adoption of AI in curriculum and research. Help define and erect structures to manage compliance, academic freedom, privacy, ethical data use, and related issues.
- Research Enablement, Engagement, Collaboration:
- Develop tools and partnerships for data-driven business research.
- Develop industry partnerships, executive education programs, and events on AI in business practice
- Serve as the College’s representative to the university’s CIO, CDO, and CAIO for enterprise strategy.
- Assist the principal investigators in establishing the foundation for a future AI and Future-of-Work Research Office (at Knoxville Maplehurst)
- Connect business research priorities with institutional AI/data initiatives and funding opportunities.
- Create and manage a college-wide data governance and control model, aligned with university policies, for all AI related activity, applications, investments, partnerships, etc.
- Communications & Marketing:
- Collaborate with Haslam’s Marketing and Public Relations department to position HCB as a national leader in applied AI education.
- Represent the Haslam College of Business at external events, conferences, and industry meetings. Promote the college's brand and values to external stakeholders.