Director-AI Product Strategy & Program Management

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Director-AI Product Strategy & Program Management Company: American Express Location: New York, New York, United States Job Type: Full-time Category: Marketing Operations / Product Strategy & Management Date Posted: 2025-11-24T22:44:56 Experience Level: 5-10 years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Define and execute the long-term vision for AI and Agentic Marketing capabilities, establishing a strategic roadmap for next-generation marketing technology solutions.
• Drive the identification, validation, and prioritization of high-impact AI use cases across the marketing ecosystem, fostering innovation and business value.
• Lead the evaluation and integration of best-in-class AI capabilities and vendor solutions, ensuring robust due diligence and governance.
• Champion AI fluency and adoption across the organization, developing comprehensive training and enablement programs to build essential skills and confidence.
• Manage cross-functional collaboration and change management initiatives to ensure seamless integration of AI into marketing and product strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title specifies "Director," the experience level (5-10 years) suggests a senior individual contributor or a manager of a small team, aligning with a "Director" level in many organizations. The focus on AI, GenAI, and Agentic Marketing within MarTech positions this role within the broader sphere of Marketing Operations and Digital Transformation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a 2-3 year AI strategy and roadmap for marketing technology, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities and emerging technology trends.
• Partner closely with Product Development, Marketing teams, and Technology stakeholders to identify, assess, and prioritize AI use cases, including applications for enterprise tools like LLM agents and vibe coding.
• Conduct thorough evaluations of AI capabilities and vendor solutions, leading the due diligence, negotiation, and governance processes for onboarding external partners.
• Develop and manage financial models to quantify the impact of AI use cases, track value realization, and monitor key performance metrics.
• Design and implement AI fluency and adoption programs, creating training materials and enablement sessions to enhance capabilities and user confidence in AI tools.
• Lead change management initiatives and facilitate the adoption of new ways of working related to AI, in collaboration with Marketing Operations, Product, and Marketing teams.
• Foster strong cross-functional collaboration with stakeholders in Marketing, Technology, Risk, Legal, and Compliance to ensure AI implementations are compliant, scalable, and aligned with business objectives.
• Continuously monitor external trends in AI, Generative AI (GenAI), and marketing innovation, integrating insights into Amex's AI strategy and roadmap.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a strategic, cross-functional role that bridges technology, product, and marketing. It requires a deep understanding of AI's application in marketing and the ability to drive adoption and measure impact, which are core tenets of advanced Marketing Operations and GTM strategy roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Computer Science, Marketing, Business Administration, or a related discipline is typically expected for a Director-level role. A Master's degree or MBA is often preferred.

Experience:

• 5-7 years of experience in management consulting, strategy, or innovation roles, with significant exposure to marketing technology or AI applications.
• Minimum of 3-4 years of experience in people leadership, managing teams, and mentoring junior talent.
• Proven ability to translate emerging technologies into practical applications that deliver tangible business value.
• Demonstrated success in driving transformation initiatives across multiple functions, balancing strategic vision with practical operational execution.
• Comfortable operating in environments with tight deadlines and making informed decisions with incomplete information.

Required Skills:

• AI Strategy & Roadmap Development: Ability to define long-term visions and actionable 2-3 year roadmaps for AI in marketing technology.
• Marketing Technology Ecosystem Expertise: Deep understanding of AI, GenAI, and the broader MarTech landscape.
• Product Strategy & Management: Experience in identifying, validating, and prioritizing AI use cases for marketing applications.
• Vendor Evaluation & Management: Skills in evaluating, recommending, and onboarding external AI capabilities and vendor solutions, including due diligence and governance.
• Financial Modelling & ROI Analysis: Proven ability to lead financial modeling for impact assessment and track value realization through performance metrics.
• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Strong consultative skills with a proven track record of influencing senior leaders across diverse departments (Marketing, Technology, Risk, Legal, Compliance).
• Change Management & Adoption: Experience in leading change initiatives and developing training/enablement programs to drive AI fluency and new ways of working.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Ability to drive collaboration across Marketing, Technology, Risk, Legal, and Compliance teams.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Aptitude for structured thinking to derive meaningful, data-driven insights and navigate ambiguity.
• Communication Skills: Excellent oral and written communication, adept at simplifying complex concepts and bridging business and technical conversations.
• Business Acumen & Creativity: Strong understanding of business principles and creativity in identifying opportunities for new capabilities.
• Operational Rigor: Ability to balance strategic vision with practical, day-to-day operational execution.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with enterprise tools like LLM agents and vibe coding.
• Familiarity with data privacy regulations and compliance frameworks relevant to AI and marketing.
• Experience in Agile methodologies and product development lifecycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred qualifications, particularly those related to people leadership and consulting background, indicate a need for a seasoned professional capable of strategic influence and team development. The inclusion of "vibe coding" suggests a forward-looking approach to AI integration within the tech stack.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• AI Strategy & Roadmap Examples: Showcase examples of strategic plans or roadmaps developed for AI initiatives, demonstrating foresight and alignment with business goals.
• AI Use Case Prioritization Frameworks: Present methodologies or frameworks used to identify, validate, and prioritize AI use cases, highlighting impact assessment and feasibility analysis.
• Vendor Due Diligence & Integration Case Studies: Include examples of how you've evaluated, selected, and integrated third-party AI solutions, detailing the governance and partnership process.
• Impact Measurement & ROI Demonstrations: Provide case studies or examples where you've led financial modeling to size AI impact and tracked value realization through key performance indicators.
• Training & Enablement Program Design: Showcase examples of training materials, enablement programs, or adoption strategies designed to foster AI fluency within an organization.

Process Documentation:

• AI Strategy Development Process: Document the steps involved in creating and refining an AI strategy and roadmap, including stakeholder engagement and market trend analysis.
• AI Use Case Development Lifecycle: Outline the process from ideation and validation through to prioritization and implementation of AI use cases.
• Vendor Selection and Governance Process: Detail the structured approach for evaluating, selecting, and governing AI vendor solutions, ensuring compliance and scalability.
• Change Management and Adoption Process: Describe the methodology for managing change and driving adoption of new AI technologies and ways of working.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on AI Product Strategy and Program Management, a portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, process-driven execution, and quantifiable results is crucial. Applicants should be prepared to showcase their ability to translate complex AI concepts into actionable plans and measurable business outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $144,250.00 to $256,250.00 annually + bonus + equity (if applicable) + benefits.

Benefits:

• Competitive Base Salaries: Reflecting the strategic importance and experience required for the role.
• Bonus Incentives: Performance-based bonuses tied to individual and company achievements.
• Retirement Savings: 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan, supporting long-term financial security.
• Financial Well-being: Free financial coaching and comprehensive financial well-being support.
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits.
• Work Flexibility: Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite, or virtual arrangements depending on role and business needs.
• Parental Leave: Generous 20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, supporting work-life balance during significant life events.
• On-site Wellness: Free access to global on-site wellness centers (location dependent) staffed with nurses and doctors.
• Mental Health Support: Free and confidential counseling support through the Healthy Minds program.
• Career Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, career development, and training.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Director-level role in New York City, particularly in the tech and finance sectors. American Express's benefits package is extensive, emphasizing holistic well-being and professional development, which is highly attractive to senior operations and strategy professionals. The hybrid work model offers flexibility while maintaining a connection to the company's in-person culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Credit Card, Payments, Financial Technology) Company Size: Large Enterprise (American Express is a global financial services corporation with tens of thousands of employees worldwide). Founded: 1850 (Over 175 years of history, emphasizing innovation and a strong set of values).

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the Enterprise Comms & MarTech Experiences (ECMX) team, specifically within the MarTech organization.
• This team is part of Membership Portfolio Services (MPS) within the US Consumer Services Business.
• The position reports to the Vice President, Digital Product Transformation & Planning.
• Collaboration is expected with Product Development, Marketing, Technology, Risk, Legal, and Compliance teams, indicating a matrixed and highly cross-functional environment.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: Emphasis on leveraging data to inform strategy, identify opportunities, and measure impact.
• User-Centric Experiences: Focus on creating frictionless, flexible, and flawless marketing and servicing experiences for customers.
• Agile & Iterative Development: Implied by the need to define roadmaps, validate use cases, and adapt to evolving technology trends.
• Strategic Planning & Execution: A blend of long-term vision setting and rigorous operational execution.

Company Website: https://www.americanexpress.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: American Express fosters a culture rooted in strong values, innovation, and customer-centricity. For a role in AI Product Strategy, this translates to an environment where data-driven decision-making, strategic foresight, and cross-functional collaboration are paramount. The company's long history suggests stability, while its focus on innovation in MarTech and AI indicates a forward-looking approach.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Director-level role, indicating significant responsibility for strategic direction, program management, and cross-functional leadership. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of AI within Amex's marketing technology stack.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to a Vice President, highlighting visibility and access to senior leadership. This position will likely influence departmental strategy and resource allocation for AI initiatives.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on accelerating business growth through optimized enterprise MarTech and MarOps solutions. By defining the AI strategy, it will influence how Amex engages with customers, improves marketing efficiency, and drives innovation in its offerings. The focus on AI and Agentic Marketing suggests a significant transformation potential for the entire marketing ecosystem.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Expansion: Potential to expand leadership scope to cover broader AI initiatives within the company or to lead larger, more complex product transformation programs.
• Deep AI & MarTech Specialization: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in AI applications within the financial services and marketing technology sectors, leading to speaking engagements or industry contributions.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: The role's nature fosters strong relationships across Marketing, Technology, and Product, opening doors to leadership positions in these areas.
• Mentorship and Team Development: With 3-4 years of people leadership experience required, there's an opportunity to build and mentor high-performing teams focused on AI product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: This Director-level position offers a clear path for career advancement within a major corporation like American Express. The emphasis on AI and emerging technologies positions the successful candidate at the forefront of innovation, providing excellent growth potential in a high-demand field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, indicating a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility. This suggests a modern approach to workplace dynamics, balancing in-person culture with individual autonomy.

Office Location(s): New York, New York. This is a major financial and technological hub, offering access to a rich ecosystem of talent, innovation, and industry events.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and cross-functional nature of the role emphasize collaboration, requiring strong interpersonal and communication skills for effective teamwork.
• Technology-Rich: As a Director in AI Product Strategy, the role will likely involve access to advanced AI tools, data analytics platforms, and collaboration software.
• Strategic Engagement: Opportunities to engage with senior leaders, drive strategic initiatives, and influence the direction of marketing technology at Amex.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement provides flexibility in managing personal time and professional responsibilities, essential for roles requiring deep strategic thinking and problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment at American Express is designed to maintain the company's unique culture while offering flexibility. For an operations-focused role, this means balancing structured work for AI strategy and program management with the adaptability needed for emerging technology exploration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess general qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your experience with AI strategy, marketing technology, product management, and leadership capabilities.
• Panel Interviews: Expect interviews with cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., from Marketing, Technology, Product) to assess collaboration skills, strategic thinking, and ability to influence.
• Case Study/Presentation: A common element for strategy roles. You may be asked to prepare a presentation on a specific AI strategy, a use case analysis, or a roadmap proposal based on a given prompt. This will likely involve demonstrating your approach to problem-solving, data analysis, and communication.
• Final Round: Interviews with senior leadership (potentially the VP or higher) to evaluate strategic vision, executive presence, and overall fit for the Director role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: For each project or case study in your portfolio, clearly articulate the business problem, your strategic approach, the AI/MarTech solutions implemented, and most importantly, the quantifiable business impact (e.g., ROI, efficiency gains, customer engagement improvements).
• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Demonstrate your ability to connect AI capabilities to broader business objectives and market trends. Highlight how you developed a strategic roadmap and prioritized initiatives.
• Illustrate Collaboration & Influence: Provide examples of how you successfully collaborated with diverse teams (Marketing, Tech, Legal, etc.) and influenced stakeholders to drive adoption and achieve objectives.
• Highlight Process & Methodology: Detail the frameworks and processes you used for vendor due diligence, use case validation, and change management.
• Tailor to Amex: Research American Express's current AI initiatives, MarTech stack, and business priorities to tailor your portfolio examples and presentation to their specific context.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI Strategy Formulation: Be ready to discuss how you would approach developing an AI strategy for marketing at American Express, considering their industry, customer base, and competitive landscape.
• Use Case Identification & Prioritization: Prepare to walk through your process for identifying high-potential AI use cases in marketing (e.g., personalization, content generation, campaign optimization) and how you would prioritize them based on impact and feasibility.
• Technology Evaluation: Be ready to discuss criteria for evaluating AI vendors or technologies, including aspects like scalability, security, data privacy, and integration capabilities.
• Change Management Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would manage the organizational change associated with adopting new AI tools and processes, including overcoming resistance and fostering adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a strategic role like this, the interview process will heavily focus on assessing your thought leadership, strategic planning capabilities, and ability to drive complex initiatives. A well-curated portfolio that demonstrates tangible results and strategic thinking is critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• AI/ML Platforms: Familiarity with platforms for developing, deploying, and managing AI models (e.g., Google AI Platform, AWS SageMaker, Azure Machine Learning, or specialized MarTech AI solutions).
• LLM Agents & Generative AI Tools: Experience with or understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) and their application as agents for marketing tasks (e.g., content generation, customer service, data analysis).
• Marketing Technology (MarTech) Stack: Deep understanding of core MarTech components and how AI integrates, including CRM, CDP, Marketing Automation, Analytics, Personalization engines, and Content Management Systems.
• Project Management Software: Tools like Jira, Asana, Trello, or Microsoft Project for program management and tracking.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Proficiency in tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for data visualization and dashboard creation to track AI initiative performance.
• Web Analytics: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics to measure the impact of AI-driven marketing efforts on customer behavior.
• Data Warehousing & ETL: Understanding of data infrastructure and processes for ingesting and preparing data for AI models.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Experience with enterprise-level CRM solutions like Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms.
• Marketing Automation Platforms: Familiarity with tools such as Adobe Marketo Engage, HubSpot, Pardot, or Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
• Integration Platforms: Knowledge of tools or concepts for connecting different MarTech components and AI services (e.g., Zapier, MuleSoft, or custom API integrations).

📝 Enhancement Note: The role requires a broad understanding of the MarTech ecosystem and a specific focus on AI/GenAI capabilities. While hands-on coding might not be required, a strong conceptual understanding of how these technologies work and integrate is essential, along with proficiency in tools used for strategy, program management, and performance measurement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A core value at Amex, translated into developing AI solutions that enhance customer experience and deliver value.
• Innovation: Encouragement to explore emerging technologies like AI and GenAI and apply them to solve business challenges.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: A commitment to using data and analytics to guide strategy, measure impact, and drive continuous improvement across operations.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work together effectively to achieve shared goals.
• Integrity & Trust: Upholding the highest standards in data handling, compliance, and ethical AI deployment.
• Efficiency & Excellence: Striving for operational excellence and continuous improvement in marketing processes through technology and strategic planning.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role demands seamless collaboration with Marketing, Product Development, Technology, and business units to ensure AI strategies are aligned and effectively implemented.
• Consultative Approach: Working closely with stakeholders to understand their needs, provide strategic guidance on AI, and co-create solutions.
• Open Communication: Encouraging transparency and open dialogue to share insights, address challenges, and drive consensus on AI initiatives.
• Feedback Loops: Establishing mechanisms for continuous feedback to iterate on AI strategies, product roadmaps, and operational processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: American Express emphasizes strong values like innovation, customer focus, and integrity. For an AI Product Strategy role, this means applying these values to the ethical and strategic deployment of AI, ensuring that initiatives not only drive business growth but also align with customer trust and company principles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape: Keeping pace with the fast-changing AI and GenAI technologies and their implications for marketing.
• Organizational Adoption: Driving widespread adoption of new AI tools and methodologies across a large, established organization, often requiring significant change management.
• Data Privacy & Ethical AI: Navigating complex data privacy regulations and ensuring ethical AI practices in marketing applications.
• Measuring ROI of AI: Developing robust frameworks to accurately measure the return on investment for AI initiatives, which can be complex and long-term.
• Integration Complexity: Seamlessly integrating new AI capabilities with existing, often complex, MarTech stacks and enterprise systems.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Conferences & Training: Access to leading AI, MarTech, and product strategy conferences and training programs.
• Internal Amex AI & Tech Forums: Participation in internal knowledge-sharing sessions, innovation labs, and technology deep-dives.
• Mentorship Programs: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders or to mentor junior talent in AI and product strategy.
• Cross-functional Projects: Exposure to diverse business challenges and opportunities through collaboration on various strategic projects.
• Leadership Development: Access to Amex's extensive leadership development programs to hone management and strategic planning skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is at the cutting edge of AI integration within marketing, presenting both significant challenges and immense growth potential. The ability to navigate these challenges will be key to unlocking opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a 2-3 year AI strategy for marketing technology. What key factors would you consider for American Express?"
  • Preparation: Focus on your structured approach, market trend analysis, alignment with business goals, and how you'd incorporate Amex's specific context (e.g., financial services, customer base).
• "How would you go about identifying and prioritizing high-impact AI use cases within a large marketing ecosystem like Amex? Provide an example."
  • Preparation: Detail your frameworks for use case identification (e.g., brainstorming, data analysis, stakeholder input) and prioritization (e.g., impact vs. effort, strategic alignment, feasibility). Be ready with a hypothetical or past example.
• "Imagine we are considering adopting a new GenAI tool for content creation. What steps would you take to evaluate its suitability, conduct due diligence, and manage its integration into our MarTech stack?"
  • Preparation: Outline your vendor evaluation process, including technical assessment, risk/compliance checks, financial modeling, and change management considerations.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Given Amex's history and values, how would you ensure that AI initiatives are implemented ethically and responsibly?"
  • Preparation: Connect your understanding of Amex's values (integrity, customer focus) to AI ethics, data privacy, and bias mitigation strategies.
• "How do you foster collaboration between marketing, technology, and product teams, especially when introducing disruptive technologies like AI?"
  • Preparation: Discuss your communication strategies, stakeholder management techniques, and experience in building consensus across diverse functional groups.
• "How do you measure the success and ROI of AI initiatives, particularly in areas like marketing where direct attribution can be complex?"
  • Preparation: Prepare to discuss various KPIs, attribution models, and financial modeling techniques relevant to AI in marketing.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your strategic solution (AI/MarTech), the execution, and the quantifiable results. Use a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or similar framework.
• Visualize Data: Use charts, graphs, and dashboards to visually represent impact, performance metrics, and ROI. Show, don't just tell.
• Highlight Strategic Alignment: Emphasize how your work directly contributed to broader business objectives and company strategy.
• Demonstrate Technical Understanding: Explain the AI/MarTech concepts clearly but avoid excessive jargon unless the audience is highly technical. Focus on the business implications.
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, a deep understanding of AI's application in marketing, strong program management skills, and the ability to drive change within a large, complex organization. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase tangible achievements.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Director-AI Product Strategy & Program Management position at American Express:

• Submit your application through the official American Express careers portal via the provided link.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords and experiences directly related to AI strategy, marketing technology, product management, program management, stakeholder influence, and financial modeling. Quantify your achievements with specific metrics and impact data.
• Portfolio Curation: Prepare a concise portfolio (digital or presentation format) that showcases 2-3 key projects demonstrating your strategic thinking, AI/MarTech implementation experience, and quantifiable business results. Focus on case studies that align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research American Express's business, its current AI initiatives, and its company culture. Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method and prepare to discuss your strategic approach to AI in marketing. Rehearse presenting your portfolio, focusing on clarity, impact, and strategic alignment.
• Company Research: Understand Amex's position in the financial services industry, its commitment to innovation, and its customer-centric values. Be prepared to discuss how your strategic vision for AI aligns with the company's mission and objectives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.