American Community Bank & Trust (ACBT), the largest locally owned bank in McHenry County, is seeking a driven and strategic AI Program Manager to join our team. Reporting directly to the CEO, the ideal candidate will lead AI initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, ensure compliance, and support the bank’s strategic goals. If you are passionate about leveraging AI to create impactful solutions, we want you on our team!

What You'll Do:

Program Management:

• AI Strategy Roadmap: Develop and implement an AI roadmap aligned with business objectives and compliance, establishing clear metrics for success.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with department leaders to identify AI opportunities, scale successful pilots, and facilitate knowledge sharing across the bank.
• Implementation Oversight: Lead the design, development, and deployment of AI solutions integrated with organizational operations using project management tools for tracking.

Governance and Compliance:

• Risk Management Models: Collaborate with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to craft policies for AI security, privacy, and compliance, keeping pace with emerging trends.
• Policy Oversight: Ensure adherence to ethical AI principles, including data privacy and security protocols.
• Adoption Monitoring: Monitor the use of AI tools by bankers, reporting findings to senior management, and measuring impact on productivity.

Banker Engagement:

• Pilot Group Leadership: Guide a pilot group of AI power users, fostering adoption and implementing best practices.
• Training Initiatives: Organize training for ACBT bankers and board members to enhance their proficiency with AI tools, incorporating feedback for continuous improvement.
• Usage Promotion: Actively encourage the use of AI solutions through success stories and practical examples shared via internal channels.
• Document Successes: Highlight successful AI use cases within the organization to inspire engagement and illustrate value.

Productivity and Efficiency Improvement:

• Use Case Identification: Work with teams to identify and prioritize AI use cases that enhance productivity, using a structured evaluation framework.
• Data Collaboration: Enhance PowerBI analytics with AI capabilities for deeper insights and improved data visualization.
• Data Warehouse Support: Partner with IT on AI integration opportunities within future data warehouses.
• Reporting: Provide updates on project progress, challenges, and strategic recommendations, ensuring alignment with the bank’s goals.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Project Management, Business Administration, or related field; Master’s preferred.
• Experience: 5+ years in program or project management, with a minimum of 2 years in AI or machine learning.  Demonstrated success in managing complex projects and leading cross-functional teams. Experience in the banking industry highly preferred.  
• Technical Literacy: Familiarity with AI technologies and methodologies including supervised vs. unsupervised learning and model training, evaluation, and prompt engineering for LLMs.  Understanding of common AI applications (classification, NLP, etc.) and their appropriate use cases.  Proficient in project management and data visualization tools; hands-on experience with cloud AI platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).  Knowledge of the ML lifecycle from problem framing through model retraining.  
• Soft Skills:
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to convey complex information clearly.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
  • Leadership qualities with a collaborative spirit.

Performance Measures:

• Assess the value and adoption of AI initiatives, focusing on productivity and organizational impact.
• Deliver quantifiable improvements in efficiency and time savings derived from AI solutions.
• Measure training effectiveness through participation rates and feedback for continuous improvement.
• Stay current with AI advancements through ongoing professional development and networking.

American Community Bank & Trust (ACBT) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

Full-Time; Exempt

401k, Medical, Vision, Dental, Disability, Life, +

$85,000 - $140,000+ per year, commensurate with experience