AI maturity
building
Head of AI/MLRemote
VP of AI / Head of AI Center of Excellence
Selective Insurance · Property & Casualty Insurance · 📍 Short Hills, NJ
Selective Insurance is standing up a brand-new enterprise AI Center of Excellence and needs an AVP-level operator to build and run it — owning strategy, reusable AI infrastructure, cross-business-unit deployment, and governance across a nearly 100-year-old P&C insurer.
Reports to
SVP, Enterprise Strategy & Execution
Company stage
public
Source
linkedin
Key responsibilities
- Lead operationalization of enterprise AI program: prioritization, cross-functional coordination, portfolio reporting, and value realization tracking
- Direct research, design, engineering, and delivery of reusable AI capabilities including RAG infrastructure, AI agent orchestration, core insurance system integrations, and evaluation frameworks
- Own COE engagement model with business units via embedded Forward Deployed AI Leads
- Serve as senior liaison between COE and IT application delivery and enterprise governance bodies
- Monitor external AI market for emerging innovation and applicable technology
- Ensure AI investments are measured for business impact and governed per risk and regulatory requirements
Requirements
- Demonstrated experience building or leading an enterprise AI center of excellence or equivalent program
- Hands-on knowledge of RAG architectures, AI agent frameworks, and LLM-based production systems
- Experience managing cross-functional teams of AI architects and engineers
- Ability to engage at executive and board level on AI strategy and portfolio priorities
- Understanding of AI risk, governance, and regulatory compliance frameworks
Signals
- ⚠ No salary or compensation range posted
- ⚠ AVP title may underrepresent actual scope and compete poorly against FAANG/tech-sector offers
- ⚠ Reports to SVP of Strategy rather than CTO or CEO — potential for AI to be subordinated to strategy priorities
- ⚠ Posting truncated — full requirements and qualifications not visible
- ✓ Explicitly brand-new COE — genuine greenfield build opportunity with organizational mandate
- ✓ Enterprise-wide scope with executive-level stakeholder access
- ✓ Clearly defined infrastructure roadmap (RAG, agents, knowledge pipelines) signals real investment intent
- ✓ Selective is Forbes Best Midsize Employer 2025 and Great Place to Work certified — strong culture signal
- ✓ Structured governance model (Forward Deployed AI Leads, dotted-line relationships) suggests organizational seriousness