Delivery Director

About Appen

Appen is a leader in AI enablement for critical tasks such as model improvement, supervision, and evaluation. To do this we leverage our global crowd of over one million skilled contractors, speaking over 180 languages and dialects, representing 130 countries. In addition, we utilize the industry's most advanced AI-assisted data annotation platform to collect and label various types of data like images, text, speech, audio, and video.

Our data is crucial for building and continuously improving the world's most innovative artificial intelligence systems and Appen is already trusted by the world's largest technology companies. Now with the explosion of interest in generative AI, Appen is helping leaders in automotive, financial services, retail, healthcare, and governments the confidence to deploy world-class AI products.

At Appen, we are purpose driven. Our fundamental role in AI is to ensure all models are helpful, honest, and harmless, so we firmly believe in unlocking the power of AI to build a better world. We have a learn-it-all culture that values perspective, growth, and innovation. We are customer-obsessed, action-oriented, and celebrate winning together.

At Appen, we are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Responsibilities

* Oversee end-to-end project delivery for LLM Solutions, including but not limited to data creation, evaluation, and annotation projects, ensuring adherence to project timelines, budget, and quality standards.

* Establish, execute, and adjust delivery strategies in a fast-paced and continuously evolving business environment.

* Oversee project goals, objectives, and deliverables in collaboration with stakeholders.

* Lead a team of delivery professionals, providing guidance, mentorship, and support to ensure successful project completion.

* Regularly communicate updates and status reports to executive management and relevant stakeholders.

* Collaborate closely with corporate functions, including Sales, Solutions, Engineering, Crowd Ops, and Product, to align objectives and direction with the LLM delivery strategy, and to drive changes to support evolving LLM delivery needs.

* Establish effective communication channels and foster strong relationships with cross-functional teams, ensuring seamless coordination and cooperation.

* Work closely with stakeholders to understand requirements, provide project updates, and address any concerns or challenges that may arise.

* Identify opportunities for process improvements and drive initiatives to enhance project efficiency and effectiveness.

*Oversee the development and implementation of quality assurance processes and procedures for LLM datasets, relying on your deep subject-matter expertise in the field.

* Monitor and evaluate data quality, implement quality control measures, and continuously improve quality related processes.

* Build and lead a high-performing delivery team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

* Recruit, train, and mentor staff, providing guidance and professional development opportunities to enhance their skills and capabilities.

* Conduct regular performance evaluations, set performance goals, and provide constructive feedback to ensure individual and team growth.

* Foster a positive and inclusive work environment, promoting diversity and equal opportunity.

Qualifications

* 5 years minimum senior management experience working in a metrics driven setting.

* 5 years’ experience in a client facing role.

* 10 years minimum experience managing teams and mentoring others, including hiring and managing fulltime and contract staff or consultants.

* Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Data Science, Business Administration) is required. Advanced degree is a plus.

* Proven track record of successfully delivering LLM datasets, with the ability to demonstrate deep SME of LLM, data creation, evaluation and annotation processes.

* Understanding of natural language processing, machine learning, and deep learning techniques.

* Experience with real-world AI applications or products.

* Strong project management skills, including project planning, resource allocation, risk management, and problem-solving..

* Excellent leadership abilities with experience in managing and developing high-performing teams.. * Motivated self-starter that can establish a course of action for self and others and drive initiatives to completion.

* Ability to identify problems and then analyze, evaluate the relevancy, discover solutions, make recommendations and drive resolution.

* Demonstrated time management and organizational skills with attention to details.

* Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders at all levels of the organization

* Results-driven mindset with a strong focus on delivering high-quality projects on time and within budget.

* Demonstrated ability to adapt to a fast-paced and evolving environment, effectively managing multiple priorities simultaneously

Appen is the global leader in data for the AI Lifecycle with more than 25 years’ experience in data sourcing, annotation, and model evaluation. Through our expertise, platform, and global crowd, we enable organizations to launch the world’s most innovative artificial intelligence products with speed and at scale. Appen maintains the industry’s most advanced AI-assisted data annotation platform and boasts a global crowd of more than 1 million contributors worldwide, speaking more than 235 languages. Our products and services make Appen a trusted partner to leaders in technology, automotive, finance, retail, healthcare, and government. Appen has customers and offices globally.