AI Relational Lead

About the Role

We are seeking an AI Lead to drive innovation and thought leadership around artificial intelligence across Total Perform. You'll combine deep technical expertise in Claude, ChatGPT, and other LLM platforms with the ability to evangelize AI capabilities internally and externally. You'll shape how we build AI-first solutions for customers, establish best practices for AI integration, and become a recognized voice in the AI community—speaking at conferences, publishing technical content, and demonstrating real-world AI applications that drive measurable business value.

This is a hybrid role: technologist, strategist, and evangelist. You'll build AI solutions while also positioning Total Perform as a leader in AI-powered consulting and software delivery.

What You'll Do

Technical Leadership & AI Strategy

• Design and implement AI/LLM-powered solutions using Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, and emerging AI platforms
• Establish best practices, architectural patterns, and frameworks for AI integration across projects
• Evaluate emerging AI tools and platforms, separating real value from hype through hands-on experimentation
• Mentor engineers and teams on prompt engineering, AI-assisted development, and agentic workflows
• Build proof-of-concepts and pilot projects that demonstrate AI capabilities to customers and internal teams
• Collaborate with delivery, consulting, and engineering leaders to identify AI opportunities in client engagements

External Evangelism & Thought Leadership

• Be the external face of Total Perform's AI expertise: speak at conferences, webinars, and industry events
• Publish technical articles, case studies, and thought leadership content on AI applications and business impact
• Engage with the broader tech community: contribute to open-source projects, participate in AI forums and communities
• Present real-world examples of AI-driven solutions and their business outcomes to potential customers
• Build relationships with media, analysts, and industry influencers in the AI space
• Represent Total Perform at industry events and thought leadership forums

Internal Advocacy & Knowledge Sharing

• Share AI insights and best practices across the organization through training sessions, demos, and documentation
• Work with sales and marketing to develop AI-focused messaging and customer narratives
• Identify and communicate AI-driven competitive advantages and business opportunities
• Run internal workshops and brown bag sessions on AI tools, techniques, and applications
• Help frame AI within the context of our service offerings (consulting, custom software, nearshore talent)

Who You Are

• Expert-level, hands-on experience with Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, or similar LLM platforms in production environments
• Strong technical foundation in software engineering, data engineering, or AI/ML (not just hype)
• Demonstrated experience building AI-powered applications or integrations that solve real business problems
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Natural evangelist and communicator: comfortable presenting to audiences, writing technical content, and engaging on social media
• Entrepreneurial mindset: you see opportunities where others see obstacles, think strategically about market positioning
• Strong business acumen: you understand how AI creates value and can articulate ROI and competitive advantage
• Track record of thought leadership: speaking engagements, published content, community engagement, or recognized expertise in your field
• Collaborative leader who elevates teams and builds organizational capability around AI
• Deep curiosity about emerging AI capabilities and their business applications

Required Qualifications

• Hands-on production experience with Claude, ChatGPT, or similar LLM platforms (not just exploration, but real implementations)
• Strong technical background in software engineering, data engineering, AI/ML, or related field
• Proven ability to communicate AI concepts to multiple audiences (technical and non-technical)
• Experience building or architecting AI-powered solutions that deliver measurable business value
• Track record of external communication: speaking, writing, community engagement, or recognized expertise
• Strong understanding of AI capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations
• Ability to evaluate emerging AI tools and articulate their potential impact and use cases
• Experience working with customers to identify and implement AI solutions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Passion for AI and commitment to staying current with the rapidly evolving landscape

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with prompt engineering and fine-tuning LLMs
• Background in consulting, systems thinking, or strategic advisory
• Experience building agentic workflows or AI-assisted development tools
• Published technical content, speaking engagements at industry events, or recognized thought leadership
• Familiarity with multiple AI platforms and frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, Anthropic SDK, OpenAI API, etc.)
• Experience in healthcare, financial services, or enterprise software domains
• Background in product strategy or go-to-market positioning
• Data science or machine learning background
• Experience with AI governance, safety, and ethical considerations

Tech Stack & Platforms

• LLM Platforms: Claude, ChatGPT, Codex
• Frameworks & Tools: LangChain, LlamaIndex, Anthropic SDK, OpenAI API, Hugging Face
• Development: Python, JavaScript, SQL
• Cloud Platforms: Azure, AWS, Google Cloud
• Data Tools: Vector databases, RAG frameworks, embedding models
• Monitoring & Observability: Langsmith, Arize, or similar AI observability tools
• Communication Channels: LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Medium, conference speaking platforms