Chief Data and AI Officer

Kokosing (www.kokosing.biz) is one of America's 50 largest General Contractors and services a broad spectrum of clients in both the private and public business sectors. Kokosing's services include heavy civil/industrial construction such as highways, bridges, underground utilities, water/wastewater facilities, and marine construction. For over 75 years, Kokosing has successfully attracted the most qualified technical personnel in the construction industry by offering visible challenges, superior quality, and attractive rewards. With over $2.8 billion in annual sales and a commitment to its workforce, Kokosing is the winning team.

Job Description:

We are seeking a results-driven Chief Data and AI Officer (CDAIO) to lead digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data innovation across a growing construction organization. Reporting directly to the CEO and serving as a strategic advisor to executive leadership and the Board of Directors, the CDAIO will drive modernization initiatives that enhance operational performance, scalability, profitability, cybersecurity, and competitive advantage.

This executive will lead the transformation of the organization into a digitally enabled, data-driven enterprise by aligning technology investments with business objectives and delivering measurable outcomes across field operations, corporate functions, and customer experience.

The ideal candidate combines deep proven transformational leadership, technical expertise with exceptional business acumen, and experience scaling technology organizations within complex, multi-site operational environments.

Organizational Culture

The CDAIO will embody and reinforce the organization’s core cultural values, including:

• Customer-focus - We are passionate about building long-term customer relationships (internal and external). Our culture allows us to respond to our customers with turnkey solutions and quality results. Our goal is to exceed expectations.
• Shirt-sleeve management - We believe “None of Us is as Smart as All of Us”. We have a leadership mindset that together we can accomplish anything. We collectively roll up our sleeves and deliver quality results safely, and on time.
• Financially strong - We make decisions for the long term. We analyze risk and implement smart strategies that allow us to reinvest profits back into the company and secure resources that help make us a better construction partner and industry leader.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership & Talent Development

• Build, lead, and mentor high-performing teams across IT operations, cybersecurity, infrastructure, applications, data engineering, analytics, and AI functions.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Lead organizational change management efforts that support enterprise transformation and technology adoption.
• Develop succession planning and leadership development programs for critical roles.

Strategic Technology & Business Leadership

• Develop and execute a multi-year enterprise technology strategy aligned with organizational growth, operational excellence, and long-term business objectives.
• Serve as the primary technology advisor to the CEO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors on digital innovation, cybersecurity, AI, data strategy, and technology investments.
• Translate complex technical concepts into clear business value, measurable ROI, and strategic outcomes.
• Lead enterprise-wide modernization initiatives that improve productivity, collaboration, operational efficiency, and profitability.

Digital Transformation & Innovation

• Lead large-scale digital transformation initiatives across construction operations, field technology, enterprise systems, and corporate platforms.
• Modernize legacy systems and drive adoption of cloud-native, scalable, and integrated technology ecosystems.
• Partner with business leaders to identify and implement technology-enabled process improvements and automation opportunities.
• Evaluate emerging technologies including Generative AI, machine learning, IoT, predictive analytics, robotics, and intelligent automation.

AI, Data & Analytics Leadership

• Develop and execute an enterprise-wide AI and data strategy that positions data as a strategic organizational asset.
• Establish scalable data governance, architecture, analytics, and business intelligence capabilities that support informed decision-making at all levels of the organization.
• Drive deployment of AI and machine learning solutions that improve forecasting, operational performance, risk management, workforce productivity, and project delivery outcomes.
• Ensure ethical, secure, and compliant use of AI technologies and enterprise data assets.

Enterprise Systems & Infrastructure Management

• Oversee enterprise applications including ERP, HRIS, CRM, project management, collaboration, and construction technology platforms.
• Lead cloud strategy and infrastructure management across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Ensure enterprise systems deliver high availability, scalability, reliability, performance, and security.
• Drive adoption of modern engineering practices including Agile, DevOps, automation, and platform standardization.

Cybersecurity, Governance & Risk Management

• Establish and continuously mature enterprise cybersecurity, IT governance, and risk management frameworks.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, cybersecurity standards, privacy regulations, and internal controls including NIST, SOC 2, CMMC, and related frameworks.
• Oversee threat detection, incident response, vulnerability management, disaster recovery, and business continuity programs.
• Maintain accountability for the protection of organizational data, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure.

Financial, Vendor & Operational Leadership

• Develop and manage enterprise IT operating and capital budgets with strong fiscal discipline and ROI accountability.
• Lead technology investment planning, vendor negotiations, strategic sourcing, and contract management.
• Establish KPIs and performance metrics that measure technology effectiveness, operational impact, cybersecurity posture, and business value realization.
• Optimize technology spend while supporting innovation and organizational scalability.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience

• Proven success leading enterprise digital transformation initiatives with measurable business outcomes.

• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise IT strategy, governance, cybersecurity, cloud modernization, and large-scale systems implementations.
• Experience managing complex, multi-functional technology organizations in geographically dispersed environments.
• Strong experience presenting technology strategy and investment recommendations to executive leadership and Boards of Directors.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Cybersecurity, or related field required.
• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Information Technology, Data Science, or related discipline preferred.

Technical Expertise

• Deep expertise in AI/ML, enterprise data platforms, analytics, data governance, and business intelligence.
• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms including AWS, Azure, and/or Google Cloud Platform.
• Experience with enterprise architecture frameworks and scalable infrastructure design.
• Knowledge of ERP, construction management platforms, field technologies, and enterprise integrations.

Certifications Preferred

• CISSP, CISM, CRISC Cloud certifications (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• AI, Data, or Cybersecurity certifications

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive information technology leadership experience, including 10+ years in senior or executive leadership roles.
• Experience within the construction, engineering, infrastructure, or asset-intensive industries strongly preferred.
• Proven track record leading technology integration during rapid growth, mergers, acquisitions, or multi-site expansion.
• Demonstrated success implementing AI-enabled operational improvements and data-driven business strategies.

Critical Success Factors

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Organizational Leadership & Change Management
• Enterprise Digital Transformation Leadership
• AI & Data-Driven Business Innovation
• Executive Influence & Strategic Partnership
• Scalable Technology & Cloud Leadership

Core Competencies

• Strategic Technology Leadership
• Digital Transformation
• Artificial Intelligence & Data Strategy
• Cybersecurity & Risk Management
• Cloud Architecture & Infrastructure
• Enterprise Applications & ERP
• Business Intelligence & Analytics
• Executive Communication
• Organizational Leadership
• Change Management
• Operational Excellence