Institute of Foundation Models

Researches and develops foundation models

Associate – Strategic Projects

Corporate StrategyConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeAbu Dhabi - United Arab EmiratesNo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Law, or a related field is required.
Three to five years of experience in strategy consulting, corporate strategy, investment banking, strategic projects, or a similar role.
Experience in the artificial intelligence, technology, or telecommunications, media, and technology sector.
Ability to analyze complex problems deeply and produce clear, well-founded conclusions.
Ability to produce written documents and presentations for senior audiences.
Ability to work across strategy, business, technology, and operations and engage effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Advanced proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel or financial modeling tools.
Fluency in English.

Responsibilities

Drive end-to-end execution of strategic initiatives from scoping and planning through delivery, including tracking milestones and unblocking issues across teams.
Conduct market and competitive landscape analyses, develop business cases and financial models, and evaluate partners or deals to inform leadership decisions.
Support go-to-market and commercial efforts for foundation models, including positioning, pricing inputs, launch planning, and adoption strategies.
Identify, structure, and manage strategic partnerships with industry, government, and academic stakeholders.
Produce executive-ready strategy papers, board and leadership briefings, and partner materials.
Collaborate with research, engineering, product, legal, and finance teams to translate technical capabilities into value propositions and actionable plans.
Design and improve internal processes, operating models, and governance for strategic programs.
Monitor developments in the artificial intelligence ecosystem, including models, market players, policy, and infrastructure, and turn them into strategic insights.
Perform other duties reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with the role's functional objectives.

Desired Qualifications

A master's degree, such as an MBA or MSc, or equivalent experience.
Experience supporting commercial, go-to-market, or partnership initiatives from concept to execution.
Familiarity with the UAE and wider GCC technology ecosystem.
International experience.
Proficiency in languages other than English.

About the Institute of Foundation Models

We are a dedicated research lab for building, understanding, using, and risk-managing foundation models. Our mandate is to advance research, nurture the next generation of AI builders, and drive transformative contributions to a knowledge-driven economy.

As part of our team, you'll work at the intersection of frontier AI research and real-world impact, alongside world-class researchers, engineers, and business leaders. You will help shape how groundbreaking AI models are positioned, partnered, and deployed across industries, contributing to establishing MBZUAI as a global hub for foundation model development and adoption.

The Role

As an Associate on the Strategic Projects team, you will help turn IFM's frontier AI models into real-world impact. You will work on the institute's highest-priority initiatives, including strategy, commercial and go-to-market, partnerships, and operational programs. You will move fluidly between analysis, execution, and stakeholder engagement. The role suits a versatile, hands-on profile who blends strategy, business, technology, and operations skills, and who takes full ownership from problem definition to delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Drive end-to-end execution of strategic initiatives, from scoping and planning through delivery, tracking milestones, and unblocking issues across teams.

Conduct in-depth analysis to inform leadership decisions, including market and competitive landscapes, business cases, financial models, and partner or deal evaluations.

Support go-to-market and commercial efforts for IFM's foundation models, including positioning, pricing inputs, launch planning, and adoption strategies.

Help identify, structure, and manage strategic partnerships with industry, government, and academic stakeholders.

Produce crisp, executive-ready documents and presentations, such as strategy papers, board and leadership briefings, and partner materials.

Collaborate closely with research, engineering, product, legal, and finance teams to translate technical capabilities into clear value propositions and actionable plans.

Design and improve internal processes, operating models, and governance for strategic programs.

Stay on top of developments in the AI ecosystem, including models, players, policy, and infrastructure, and turn them into insights for IFM's strategy.

Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager commensurate with these functional objectives.

Academic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Law, or a related field required.

Master's degree (e.g., MBA, MSc) or equivalent experience preferred.

Professional Experience - Required

3–5 years of experience in strategy consulting, corporate strategy, investment banking, strategic projects, or a similar role.

Experience in the AI, technology, or TMT sector (exposure to AI models, cloud, or data infrastructure is a plus).

Highly analytical, with a proven ability to dive deep into complex problems and come back with clear, well-founded answers.

Excellent written and verbal communication, with a track record of producing sharp documents and presentations for senior audiences.

Hands-on, execution-oriented mindset with strong ownership and a drive to get things done in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.

Ability to work across strategy, business, technology, and operations, and to engage effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Advanced proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel/financial modelling (or equivalent tools).

Fluent in English.

Professional Experience - Preferred

Experience supporting commercial, go-to-market, or partnership initiatives from concept to execution.

Familiarity with the UAE and wider GCC technology ecosystem.

International experience is preferred.

Proficiency in other languages is a plus.

About the Company

Institute of Foundation Models

Researches and develops foundation models

IFM builds and studies foundation models—large AI models designed to learn broadly from diverse data and be used across many tasks. Its work centers on academic research to create open, fast, and practical models that address real-world societal needs, rather than narrow applications. The models are developed by a global team across Abu Dhabi, Paris, and Silicon Valley, with a strong emphasis on openness and collaboration to advance AI science and accessibility. Unlike typical private labs that lock models behind paywalls, IFM aims to provide publicly accessible, efficient models that can be used by researchers and developers to solve real problems. The overarching goal is to push the science of foundation models forward while ensuring their benefits reach society at large.

Company size: Not listed
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: United Arab Emirates
Founded: Not listed

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