Role Overview for Head of AI – Consumer Products & Food/Beverage Company | Miami – Fort Lauderdale, FL
The Head of AI will be the most senior authority on Artificial Intelligence within the organization, tasked with building and scaling an AI Center of Excellence. This executive role is pivotal in shaping the company’s future, with a clear mandate to embed AI and machine learning into the core fabric of the business. You will be responsible for identifying high-impact opportunities, developing a strategic roadmap, and overseeing the end-to-end execution of AI initiatives that drive revenue growth, enhance operational efficiency, and create unparalleled customer experiences. Your leadership will be critical in leveraging AI to transform the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry and solidify our client’s position as a market leader.
This is a greenfield opportunity to build a team, define the technology stack, and establish the governance and ethical frameworks for AI. You will collaborate closely with executive leadership across all business functions—including Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain, R&D, and Finance—to evangelize the potential of AI and ensure that projects are prioritized based on strategic value and ROI. Success in this role requires a unique blend of deep technical expertise, strong business acumen, exceptional leadership skills, and an entrepreneurial spirit. You will be the architect of an intelligent enterprise, harnessing the power of data to predict trends, personalize consumer interactions, optimize the supply chain, and accelerate product innovation.
Key Responsibilities of Head of AI – Consumer Products & Food/Beverage Company | Miami – Fort Lauderdale, FL
AI Strategy and Vision
Develop, articulate, and execute a comprehensive, long-term AI strategy and roadmap that aligns with the company’s overarching business goals. Identify and prioritize key business problems and opportunities where AI/ML can deliver significant value.
Leadership and Team Building
Recruit, mentor, and lead a world-class team of data scientists, machine learning engineers, and AI product managers. Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, continuous learning, and intellectual curiosity.
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Evangelism
Partner with senior leaders across the organization to act as a strategic advisor and evangelist for AI. Translate business needs into technical requirements and AI solutions into clear business outcomes. Drive adoption of AI-powered tools and insights throughout the company.
Solution Development and Deployment
Oversee the entire lifecycle of AI/ML model development, from data acquisition and feature engineering to model training, validation, deployment, and monitoring. Implement robust MLOps practices to ensure scalability, reliability, and efficiency.
Innovation and R&D
Stay at the forefront of advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and related fields. Champion research and development initiatives to explore emerging technologies (e.g., Generative AI, Large Language Models, Computer Vision) and their potential applications within the CPG and food/beverage sectors.
Data Governance and Ethics
Establish and enforce a robust framework for data governance, data quality, and the ethical use of AI. Ensure all AI initiatives comply with privacy regulations and company policies, building trust with consumers and stakeholders.
Performance Measurement and ROI
Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the business impact and ROI of all AI initiatives. Regularly communicate progress, outcomes, and insights to the executive team and board of directors.
Vendor and Technology Stack Management
Evaluate, select, and manage relationships with external technology vendors, cloud service providers, and data partners. Make critical decisions regarding the enterprise AI technology stack to support current and future needs.
Requirements for the Head of AI – Consumer Products & Food/Beverage Company | Miami – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Educational Background
An advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field is required.
Executive Leadership Experience
A minimum of 12-15 years of professional experience in technology, with at least 7+ years in a senior leadership role specifically focused on data science, machine learning, or artificial intelligence. Proven track record of building and leading high-performing, multi-disciplinary AI teams from the ground up.
Industry Expertise
Significant experience within the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG), Food & Beverage, Retail, or a closely related B2C industry is strongly preferred. A deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in these sectors (e.g., demand forecasting, supply chain optimization, trade promotion, consumer personalization) is highly advantageous.
Technical Prowess
Deep, hands-on expertise across the AI/ML spectrum, including supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning (CNNs, RNNs), natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, and reinforcement learning. Proficiency with programming languages such as Python and R, and experience with major ML frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Scikit-learn.
Cloud and MLOps
Extensive experience with cloud-based AI/ML platforms (e.g., AWS SageMaker, Azure Machine Learning, Google AI Platform). A strong understanding of MLOps principles and tools for building and managing production-grade AI/ML pipelines.
Strategic and Business Acumen
Demonstrated ability to think strategically and connect AI/ML initiatives directly to business value drivers such as revenue growth, margin improvement, and market share. Experience developing business cases, managing budgets, and presenting complex technical concepts to non-technical executive audiences.
Exceptional Communication Skills
World-class verbal, written, and presentation skills. The ability to influence, persuade, and build consensus at all levels of the organization, from engineers to the board of directors.
Benefits & Perks Offered
Our client is committed to attracting and retaining top-tier executive talent and offers a highly competitive and comprehensive total rewards package, including:
Executive Compensation
A competitive base salary, a significant annual performance-based bonus, and a meaningful long-term equity incentive plan.
Comprehensive Health and Wellness
Premium medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your dependents, along with company-sponsored wellness programs, and a generous health savings account (HSA) contribution.
Retirement Planning
A robust 401(k) plan with a generous company match to help you plan for your future.
Work-Life Balance
A generous paid time off (PTO) policy, paid company holidays, and comprehensive parental leave policies.
Relocation Assistance
A comprehensive relocation package is available for exceptional candidates moving to the beautiful Miami-Fort Lauderdale area.
Professional Development
A dedicated budget for continuous learning, including conferences, certifications, and executive coaching.
Modern Work Environment
A state-of-the-art office designed for collaboration and innovation, located in a prime, accessible location.
How to Apply
JRG Partners is the exclusive search firm managing this recruitment. We are committed to a confidential, transparent, and respectful application process. We invite qualified and interested candidates to submit their resume and a compelling cover letter that outlines their vision for AI in the consumer products industry and highlights their most relevant accomplishments.
To be considered for this career-defining opportunity, please submit your application materials directly to our team. You can learn more about our deep expertise in this sector by visiting our Chief AI Officer Executive Search practice page. We look forward to reviewing your application and discussing this exciting role in more detail.
