Chief of Staff & Strategic Partnerships

About AI Strike Team

The AI Strike Team is a dynamic, industry-driven initiative focused on establishing Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania as frontrunners in the emerging AI-driven economy, integrating artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing, energy, and capital to catalyze real economic advancement. Programs like AI Horizons facilitate collaboration among executives, investors, policymakers, and academia to boost job creation, attract investments, and scale AI deployments.

As the organization transitions into its next stage, Strike Team 2.0, it is adopting a lean and execution-oriented model geared towards agility, speed, and measurable impact.

Role Overview

The team is recruiting a Chief of Staff & Strategic Partnerships (title adjustable) to collaborate closely with the CEO as a senior strategic advisor and executor. This pivotal role requires an autonomous operator comfortable with ambiguity, possessing a comprehensive perspective and the ability to convert strategic goals into effective actions across diverse stakeholders. The role acts as a multiplier for the CEO, managing priorities, propelling impactful initiatives, and ensuring organizational alignment amid rapid opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities

• Work closely with the CEO to drive strategic priorities and partnerships swiftly, with a solid grasp of AI/ML technologies and their practical applications.
• Contribute to shaping and adjusting organizational strategy in response to evolving opportunities.
• Facilitate coordination internally to integrate personnel, ideas, capital, and execution across various projects.
• Assist in executing prominent AI-focused economic development events such as AI Horizons.
• Gain an operational understanding of AI innovation, capital investment, and commercialization ecosystems, linking AI components to economic outcomes.
• Communicate complex AI and economic topics clearly for executive, policy, and partner audiences.
• Manage stakeholder engagement across industry, academia, investors, and government sectors.
• Support board activities including meeting organization and follow-up on key objectives, occasionally representing the CEO in interactions with board members and executives.
• Develop and sustain strategic relationships with key partners including CMU, University of Pittsburgh, corporate entities, and public sector stakeholders.
• Engage selectively with elected officials and institutional leaders within broader economic development programs.
• Occasionally represent the organization publicly in coordination with the CEO.
• Oversee simultaneous critical initiatives, anticipating challenges, harmonizing timelines, and ensuring execution without excessive bureaucracy.
• Identify and proactively communicate risks, gaps, and opportunities to maintain momentum.

Desired Qualifications and Experience

• At least 10 years working in high-growth and high-pressure settings.
• Backgrounds from diverse, non-linear paths such as founders, senior consultants, government or public sector leaders, corporate strategy or economic development professionals are encouraged.
• Track record of scaling initiatives that contribute to job creation, investment attraction, or economic growth.
• Excellent executive communication skills, with strong writing and speaking ability suited for interaction with CEOs, academics, and public figures.
• Strong interest and awareness of the AI economy, capital markets, and innovation trends; technical expertise is not mandatory.

Preferred Personal Characteristics

• Ability to think broadly while driving concrete execution.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-paced environments.
• Effective at relationship-building with sound decision-making skills.
• Highly self-motivated, organized, and composed under pressure.
• Independent and able to perform without demanding strict processes or supervision.

Engagement and Remuneration

• Engagement structured as a consultant-based role.
• Compensation is competitive and aligned with candidate experience and role responsibilities.
• Flexible role with considerable responsibility and visibility within the organization.

Additional Information

• This role may not suit candidates who require rigid processes or narrowly defined responsibilities.
• Positions focused solely on communications or administrative tasks are not appropriate matches for this job.

Significance

This role is pivotal during a crucial economic phase for Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. The Chief of Staff & Strategic Partnerships will drive the AI Strike Team’s ability to act with urgency and purpose, ensuring strategic vision is translated into measurable execution as the region capitalizes on the new AI-driven economy.