General Manager - AI Strategic Foresight at Datacom

Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

15 Sep, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

17 Jun, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

AI Strategic Foresight, Commercial Strategy, Technology Foresight, Use Case Identification, Stakeholder Influence, AI Landscape Monitoring, Portfolio Decision Making, Executive Communication, Strategic Planning, Enterprise AI Adoption, Framework Development, Market Analysis

Industry

IT Services and IT Consulting

Description

Shape the AI Agenda. Define What's Next. Datacom is one of Asia-Pacific's most established technology companies, and we're building an AI Centre of Enablement (AI CoE) that's serious about delivering real impact — for our business and our customers. We're looking for a General Manager – AI Strategic Foresight to be Datacom's radar for everything happening in the AI landscape and the driving force behind identifying where we place our AI bets. This is a rare opportunity to operate at the intersection of technology foresight, commercial strategy, and organisational transformation — at a company with the scale to turn insight into action. The Role As GM AI Strategic Foresight, you'll own Datacom's early warning system for shifts in the AI landscape — translating emerging signals into clear, timely decisions. You'll identify and initially prioritise AI use cases from across the business, then hand them to the AI CoE Programme Manager for business casing, deeper prioritisation, and delivery routing. This isn't a research role. It's an advisory and operating role with real influence on where Datacom invests, builds, and moves. What You'll Be Doing AI Landscape Monitoring & Foresight Continuously monitor the AI landscape — models, hyperscaler and platform changes, agentic tooling, partner roadmaps, regulatory shifts, and competitor moves Translate signals into clear, actionable implications: what it means for Datacom, what it means for our customers, and what we need to do now Surface emerging threats and opportunities to the GLT and AI CoE with a recommended response — on the timescales the market window demands Use Case Identification & Initial Prioritisation Own the end-to-end process for identifying AI use cases across Datacom through a consistent, structured approach — not ad-hoc idea capture Draw from multiple inputs: leader-led reimagination of work, common patterns across business areas, foresight-derived signals, partners, and internal stakeholders Apply Datacom's materiality filter as the initial sift — prioritising ideas that save material internal cost ("customer zero") or can be reused at scale across our customer base Hand prioritised use cases to the AI CoE Programme Manager and Domain Experts for business casing and delivery routing Continuously evolve the identification framework and scoring criteria based on what makes it through programme-level gates Strategic Input to Investment & Portfolio Decisions Bring foresight and use case insight into AI Council, AI CoE, and GLT investment discussions Inform build vs. buy vs. partner decisions across the AI portfolio Identify emerging capability gaps — skills, tools, data, and partnerships — that need to be closed before they become liabilities Who We're Looking For You're a sharp, commercially grounded technology leader who can read the AI landscape with confidence and translate complexity into clear direction. You think strategically but operate with urgency — you understand that market windows don't wait. You'll bring: Deep knowledge of the AI landscape — models, platforms, hyperscalers, agentic tooling, and the competitive dynamics shaping enterprise AI adoption Strong commercial instincts — you can identify an opportunity, size it quickly, and make a compelling case for action Experience working at a senior level within a technology business, consultancy, or innovation-led environment The ability to synthesise complex signals into clear, executive-ready insights and recommendations A structured approach to use case identification and prioritisation — you build frameworks, not just lists Exceptional stakeholder influence — you're credible with the GLT, AI Council, and technical teams alike A bias for action and a low tolerance for analysis paralysis Why Datacom? A genuine seat at the table — your insights will directly shape Datacom's AI investment decisions at the highest level Work alongside a high-calibre leadership team building AI capability at real scale Reporting to the Head of AI CoE with a dotted line to the AI Director and close collaboration with the AI Council A company with the breadth and customer base to turn foresight into impact quickly Competitive remuneration and flexible working arrangements A collaborative, inclusive culture that values bold thinking Ready to Define Datacom's AI Future? If you're the kind of leader who sees around corners and knows how to turn insight into action, we want to hear from you. Apply now and tell us how you've translated emerging technology trends into strategic advantage. Datacom is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Responsibilities

The role involves monitoring the AI landscape to translate emerging signals into actionable strategic decisions and investment bets for Datacom. The GM will identify and prioritize AI use cases across the business to drive internal efficiency and customer-facing scale.