What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Manager AI Product Owner position at Adtran?
Welcome!
Our Growth is Creating Great Opportunities!
Our team is expanding, and we want to hire the most talented people we can. Continued success depends on it! Once you've had a chance to explore our current open positions, apply to the ones you feel suit you best and keep track of both your progress in the selection process, and new postings that might interest you!
Thanks for your interest in working on our team!
Position Summary
The candidate is the leader responsible for identifying, prioritizing, designing, and delivering AI-enabled solutions that improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and decision-making capabilities of the global finance organization. This role serves as the bridge between Finance, IT, Operations, and external technology partners to ensure that artificial intelligence initiatives deliver measurable business value.
The ideal candidate combines finance process knowledge with expertise in AI technologies, data analytics, automation platforms, and product management practices. They will drive the roadmap for AI solutions across Finance, including areas such as forecasting, close and consolidation, reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, treasury, tax operations, and management reporting.
Critical aspects of the role include identifying and delivering ROI on AI initiatives, as well as taking a lead on digitally upskilling Finance employees, including the development of citizen digital talent.
Key Responsibilities
AI Strategy & Roadmap
Education
Business Acumen
Our Growth is Creating Great Opportunities!
Our team is expanding, and we want to hire the most talented people we can. Continued success depends on it! Once you've had a chance to explore our current open positions, apply to the ones you feel suit you best and keep track of both your progress in the selection process, and new postings that might interest you!
Thanks for your interest in working on our team!
Position Summary
The candidate is the leader responsible for identifying, prioritizing, designing, and delivering AI-enabled solutions that improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and decision-making capabilities of the global finance organization. This role serves as the bridge between Finance, IT, Operations, and external technology partners to ensure that artificial intelligence initiatives deliver measurable business value.
The ideal candidate combines finance process knowledge with expertise in AI technologies, data analytics, automation platforms, and product management practices. They will drive the roadmap for AI solutions across Finance, including areas such as forecasting, close and consolidation, reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, treasury, tax operations, and management reporting.
Critical aspects of the role include identifying and delivering ROI on AI initiatives, as well as taking a lead on digitally upskilling Finance employees, including the development of citizen digital talent.
Key Responsibilities
AI Strategy & Roadmap
- Develop and maintain the Finance AI roadmap aligned with organizational goals.
- Identify opportunities to leverage AI, machine learning, generative AI, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation within finance processes.
- Establish business cases and prioritize initiatives based on value, complexity, risk, and strategic alignment.
- Evaluate emerging AI technologies and recommend adoption strategies.
- Serve as Product Owner for Finance AI solutions throughout the entire lifecycle.
- Define product vision, objectives, key results, and success metrics.
- Prioritize enhancements and manage delivery across multiple AI initiatives.
- Ensure solutions meet business requirements and deliver measurable outcomes.
- Partners with business unit leaders to mature AI capabilities across the organization while cultivating a culture that appropriately trusts and utilizes AI.
- Collaborates with technical teams to ensure that infrastructure, IT operations, software engineering and data management all support AI operations.
- Facilitate workshops to identify opportunities and define requirements.
- Translate finance business needs into technical requirements.
- Communicate project status, benefits realization, risks, and roadmap updates to senior leadership.
- Ensure compliance with corporate AI governance standards.
- Establish controls around model management, explainability, privacy, and data governance.
- Monitor AI solutions for performance, quality, and regulatory compliance.
- Drive user adoption and organizational change associated with AI initiatives.
- Develop training materials and communication plans.
- Create communities of practice that promote AI literacy across Finance.
- Support citizen-developer programs where appropriate.
- Closes the gap between rapid AI innovation and practical business application, ensuring technology solves real-world problems.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Information Systems, Data Analytics, Computer Science, or related field.
- CPA, or equivalent accounting certification is preferred, but not mandatory.
- 7 years of experience in Finance, Finance Transformation, Business Systems, Product Management, or Digital Transformation.
- 3 years leading technology-enabled finance initiatives.
- Strong familiarity in working with AI, machine learning, predictive analytics, automation, or generative AI technologies.
- Experience in product management is highly preferred.
- Finance transformation experience within a multinational organization.
- Experience developing business cases and measuring ROI from digital initiatives.
- Familiarity with AI governance frameworks and responsible AI practices.
Business Acumen
- Strong understanding of finance processes and controls.
- Ability to connect technology investments to business outcomes.
- Product vision development and roadmap ownership.
- Prioritization and stakeholder management.
- Executive presentation skills.
- Technical-to-business translation capabilities.
- Influencing with or without authority.
- Cross-functional collaboration.