Head of Innovation - Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning

Position : Head of : Chennai Tamil Nadu (Hybrid 4 : Full Period : Only Immediate Joiners / Currently Serving Notice / Notice is less than 60 days.

Head of Innovation (Director level but wants recent hands on person). Dynamic Head of Innovation to lead a high-impact innovation team. The role is responsible for designing, developing, and delivering next-generation solutions aligned with priorities recommended by GTM (Go-to-Market) teams, delivery teams, and support functions. This is a hybrid role combining strategic leadership with hands-on technical development, with a focus on building core frameworks and accelerators that can be leveraged across the organization.

The Innovation Head will be a thought leader and practitioner, staying ahead of evolving trends in Agentic AI, Generative AI, data-driven automation, and intelligent enterprise solutions, translating them into practical and scalable business Responsibilities :

• Establish lightweight governance for evaluating, prioritizing, and scaling innovation ideas.
• Ensure solutions align with enterprise architecture, security, and compliance standards.
• Define clear success metrics for innovation initiatives (ROI, adoption, time-to-value).
• Stay current with emerging technologies, AI / ML trends, and industry best practices.
• Partner with GTM teams to shape customer-facing innovation narratives and differentiators.
• Mentor and upskill team members and delivery functions on new technologies and frameworks.
• Architect, design, and prototype innovation solutions in areas such as Agentic AI, Generative AI, automation frameworks, and knowledge-driven systems.
• Build core reusable platforms (APIs, microservices, accelerators, AI frameworks) to speed up solution delivery across business functions.
• Drive proof-of-concepts (POCs) and pilots, iterating quickly with stakeholders.
• Lead the innovation team, fostering a culture of creativity, experimentation, and rapid prototyping.
• Collaborate with GTM, delivery, and support functions to identify high-impact innovation opportunities.
• Translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions and reusable Skills & Experience & Collaboration :
• Proven experience leading small, cross-functional teams in innovation, product development, or R&D.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to align with GTM, delivery, and support Expertise :
• Hands-on experience with Agentic AI, Generative AI (LLMs, prompt engineering, fine-tuning, multi-agent systems).
• Proficiency in building frameworks and reusable assets (Python, Java, APIs, cloud-native platforms).
• Familiarity with modern architectures : microservices, event-driven systems, vector databases, and AI orchestration platforms.
• Exposure to cloud ecosystems (GCP, AWS, Azure) and MLOps Mindset :
• Deep curiosity about emerging technologies, AI trends, and enterprise adoption patterns.
• Ability to translate cutting-edge technology into practical business value and differentiated Qualifications :
• 14+ years of overall experience, with at least 3 years in innovation leadership or applied R&D roles.
• Demonstrated track record of building and scaling innovative solutions in enterprise environments.
• Experience in consulting, product engineering, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills to influence senior leadership and clients.

(ref : hirist.tech)