AI Program Owner (12 month fixed term contract) at Sonder.io

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

19 Jul, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

20 Apr, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Program management, Management consulting, Operations, Stakeholder management, Project management, AI literacy, Governance, Change management, Strategic planning, Communication, Storytelling, Vendor management, Data privacy, Clinical oversight, Workflow automation

Industry

Software Development

Description

At Sonder, we believe that every person deserves to feel safe, supported, and empowered to be at their best - wherever they are. That's why we're redefining workplace health, safety, and wellbeing through a seamless blend of technology and human expertise. Sonder's mobile platform provides 24/7, real-time support from a dedicated team of safety, medical, and mental health professionals — ensuring that our members receive immediate care when they need it most. In critical situations, we go beyond digital support, offering on-the-ground assistance to manage time-sensitive incidents. Since our founding in 2017, Sonder has experienced rapid growth, expanding operations across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Backed by Australia's leading venture capital firms, Seek and Blackbird, we are well-capitalised and on a mission to scale globally, partnering with corporations, educational institutions, and government agencies to transform workplace wellbeing at scale. Our impact and scale: 1,000,000+ members across multiple countries | 240+ team members, plus an extensive network of on-the-ground responders. About the role We are looking for an AI Program Owner to lead the activation and coordination of Sonder's AI-native transformation program. This is a hands-on, high-visibility role at the centre of one of the most significant changes Sonder has ever undertaken - how we deploy AI across every function of the business to increase capacity, improve quality, and build a more scalable organisation. You will run the program from the inside: coordinating a network of divisional champions, owning the governance framework, keeping the work moving and visible, and ensuring that what gets built is coherent, well-documented, and genuinely useful. You are equally comfortable in a governance conversation with the CFO and a whiteboard session with a team trying to automate their first workflow. This role reports to the COO and sits at the intersection of strategy, operations, and technology. It is a 12-month fixed-term contract with the expectation of meaningful impact from day one. What you’ll be doing Program Coordination and Reporting: Own the operating rhythm of the AI-native program. Fortnightly champion syncs, monthly ELT updates, progress tracking, adoption tracking and blocker resolution. Keep the program moving at pace and make status visible across the organisation. Champion Network: Convene and develop Sonder's divisional AI champions - the people within each function who own use case delivery and drive adoption with their teams. Run the forum where champions compare notes, share learnings, and accelerate each other's work. Be the person champions call when they're stuck. Governance and Standards: Design and own Sonder's AI governance framework in partnership with Legal, Clinical and Engineering. Covering deployment standards, data privacy, clinical oversight requirements, decision rights, acceptable usage guidelines and documentation standards. Ensure no deployment goes live without meeting the bar, and that the bar is clear enough for champions to self-assess against it. Internal Communications and Energy: Keep the program alive and visible inside Sonder. Surface proof points, celebrate wins, and make AI feel approachable and exciting for people across the business. Partner with Business Operations on internal communications. Be the program's most effective advocate. Baseline Education Program: Co-design and co-deliver Sonder's all-employee AI literacy program with P&C. Ensure the program is grounded in what Sonder is actually building (not a generic curriculum) and that divisional champions have what they need to drive adoption in their teams. Tool Access and Vendor Management: Oversee AI tool selection and access in partnership with the Data Engineer. Manage licence allocation across divisional champions, track usage and cost, and ensure the organisation is not accumulating a fragmented set of incompatible tools. What you'll bring to the role Experience in program management, management consulting, operations, or a similar role requiring coordination across multiple stakeholders and workstreams Demonstrated ability to run a program that depends on influencing without authority - you get things done through people who don't report to you - a project management mindset. Genuine curiosity about AI and what it makes possible - you don't need to be an engineer, but you need to be fluent enough to have credible conversations with technical and non-technical stakeholders alike Strong communicator and storyteller - able to make complex work simple and make progress feel real and exciting to a broad audience Structured thinker with a bias for action - you produce clear frameworks, move quickly, and don't wait for perfect information before making a call Experience in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where priorities shift and ambiguity is the norm Bonus points: Direct experience running an AI or technology transformation program Familiarity with tools such as Claude, HubSpot, Employment Hero, or similar platforms Why join Sonder? You will work with a collaborative, vibrant and passionate team of experienced professionals, inside and outside of the Sales Team and as we continue to grow, there will be plenty of development opportunities. Hybrid working environment + modern office facilities Learning fund - annual contribution + 2 days of study leave to support your personal development Paid parental leave with an attractive return to work policy (e.g. Return to work at 80% for the first 3 months at full pay!) Participate in our Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP) for you to be a part of Sonder’s success Induction and onboarding designed to make you succeed in your new role Salary packaging and novated leasing Wellbeing support to invest in your own wellbeing Free coffee Tuesdays and catered lunch on Thursdays Team social fund to connect with your team, plus company wide social events Dog-friendly office Volunteer leave - 2 days per year to participate in meaningful causes and contribute back to the community Check out our life page for more info - https://www.linkedin.com/company/sondersafe/life/ Due to the nature of our industry, all Sonder employees are required to complete a National Police Check and WWCC #LI-Hybrid

Responsibilities

The AI Program Owner will lead the activation and coordination of the company's AI-native transformation program across all business functions. This involves managing governance frameworks, coordinating divisional champions, and overseeing AI tool selection and adoption.