AI Program Manager

AI Program Manager (Strategy, Governance & Enablement)

This position is hybrid working three days a week in the Sally Beauty Support Center located in Legacy West area of Plano, TX.

At Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., our purpose is to inspire a more colorful, confident, and welcoming world. We are the leader in professional hair color, selling and distributing professional beauty supplies across 11 countries through our Sally Beauty and Beauty Systems Group businesses. Sally Beauty offers products for hair color, hair care, nails, and skin care to retail customers looking for salon quality products at a value price. Beauty Systems Group, branded as Cosmo Prof or Armstrong McCall stores, along with its direct sales consultants, sell professionally branded products intended for use and resale by salons to retail consumers.

About the Role

This role exists to help design, coordinate, and run key parts of our enterprise AI program so AI is used safely, effectively, and in ways that create clear business value. The AI Program Manager works across IT, merchandising, marketing, HR, and other business teams to drive adoption, manage intake and lightweight governance, and ensure initiatives move from idea to pilot to scale with measurable outcomes.

Responsibilities

Support the overall AI program plan by organizing timelines, priorities, dependencies, and cross-functional work.

Help design and run lightweight governance and intake processes so AI work is visible, aligned to business goals, and managed with appropriate guardrails.

Track AI initiatives from idea through pilot and scale, including success criteria, risks, and status, and surface issues early.

Partner with business teams to understand where AI can support real workflows and decisions and translate needs into clear workplans and tasks.

Coordinate awareness, training, and basic usage guidance for AI and productivity tools, including approved use and how to get started.

Draft concise communication materials such as one-pagers, FAQs, and short decks that explain what is possible, what is approved, and how to engage.

Partner with analytics and BI teams to define and maintain simple dashboards that show adoption, usage, and business impact.

Prepare regular updates for senior leadership summarizing progress, key risks, key decisions needed, and next steps.

Help define and track core AI KPIs such as adoption, time saved, and business value.

Use generative AI and low-code tools to accelerate work, prototype practical workflows, and capture reusable patterns, prompts, and playbooks others can adopt.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Requirements

5+ years of experience in project or program management in IT, digital, analytics, product, or a related business or technology area.

Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional initiatives and drive execution with multiple stakeholders.

Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to simplify complex topics for business and senior leaders.

Demonstrated use of generative AI tools in day-to-day work, with a clear interest in staying current on capabilities.

Experience working with enterprise productivity and collaboration platforms, and comfort partnering with technical teams.

Solid business acumen with exposure to at least two of the following : merchandising, marketing, HR, IT, finance, or corporate strategy.

Preferred : hands-on experience building solutions with low-code or no-code tools (workflow automation, simple business apps, basic dashboards).

Preferred : experience supporting technology or digital transformation programs in a retail, e-commerce, or consumer-facing environment.

Competencies & Attributes

Passionate Learner inquisitive about the business; open to feedback and coaching; applies learning quickly to improve processes; proactively shares learning.

Flexible & Agile Adapter responsive to change; works well with ambiguity; adapts to new plans; keeps calm under pressure; perseveres to achieve outcomes.

Talent Builder encourages input from others; helps build an inclusive culture; invests time as an informal coach; acknowledges and motivates teammates.

Effective Communicator clear and concise with data and context; emotionally astute while authentic; strong listener; uses probing questions.

Team Builder collaborates and shares information; values inclusion and diverse perspectives; participates in effective teams.

Customer Focused Partner understands internal and external customer needs; contributes to improving the associate and customer experience; advocates for the customer.

Strategic Thinker brings new ideas to life; works with others on cost-effective strategies; uses a broad range of data sources.

Big Picture Thinker understands interdependencies across teams; seeks feedback; adapts plans as needed; considers downstream impacts.

Results Driver drives delivery and execution; focuses on priorities; uses time and resources wisely; demonstrates grit.

Problem Solver & Decision Maker gathers and examines relevant information; makes recommendations and takes action; considers cost, risk, and impact.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Primarily office-based with hybrid flexibility where applicable.

Frequent collaboration across business and IT teams, including workshops and working sessions.

Periodic after-hours support may be needed for major go-lives, escalations, or time-sensitive executive deliverables.

Minimal travel, based on business needs.