GenAI Technical Analyst & Functional Lead - Skechers

Skechers is enabling our business with AI through the development and adoption of private, proprietary AI technologies. The GenAI Technical Analyst & Functional Lead is a key role within the Software Engineering and Architecture organization and will be central to continually developing and improving our Generative AI platform and technologies within Skechers.

The GenAI Technical Analyst & Functional Lead will be at the helm of managing Skechers’ private GenAI platform, SkechAI, which features two privately instanced Generative AI models, Claude & Stable Diffusion, along with several business-focused GenAI use cases. This pivotal role involves steering the platform to maximize its value to Skechers by overseeing the entire lifecycle of GenAI use case development from ideation to delivery and beyond. The GenAI Technical Analyst & Functional Lead will be the visionary force, identifying and prioritizing GenAI use cases and product enhancements, ensuring strategic alignment and effective deployment of resources. They will be the lead-from-the-front technology and Agile delivery experts deeply dedicated to their projects

This role will collaborate and work within high-velocity software engineering teams, bringing expertise in Agile software delivery. The candidate should be an experienced and motivated technologist who possesses a unique balance of technical depth and strong interpersonal skills. Should have excellent design, lead skills showing commitment, end to end vision, planning, integrity, and pragmatic approach to drive the organization towards continual success.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Lead workshops with business stakeholders to collect user feedback and identify potential GenAI use cases.
• Lead the collection and prioritization of GenAI use cases and product enhancements, ensuring alignment with Skechers’ strategic goals.
• Serve as the primary liaison between business units, enabling functions, the AI Innovation Council, and the product team to foster collaboration and ensure the platform’s success.
• Advise the software engineering team on the development of use cases and product features based on a comprehensive understanding of Skechers' business needs.
• Stay abreast of leading practices in GenAI product development and integrate these into Skechers’ strategy to remain competitive and innovative.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR, the EU AI Act, and other relevant data privacy and security regulations by working closely with legal and compliance teams.
• Establish and monitor OKRs and KPIs to manage and measure the value of the GenAI platform, adapting strategies as necessary to meet business objectives.
• Represent the Software Engineering & Architecture group in end-to-end solution conversations with customers and stakeholders.
• Participate in strategizing the modernization of the overall technology ecosystem with the head of Software Engineering and Architecture.
• Demonstrate leadership skills in driving and owning solutions.
• Participate in providing mentoring support and guidance to team members to help grow skills and capabilities of the Architecture practice at Skechers.
• Engage, collaborate, and partner with Skecher’s Digital, Retail, Wholesale, Customer Service, Supply Chain leaders and partners across Business and Technology to understand long and short-term business strategies, provide architecture leadership, and engage in proactive planning of an executable Design.
• Actively contribute to a culture of high performance, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Build trust and confidence with solutions to various business stake holders assuring expected tech outcomes and desired results.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• No.

Job Requirements

• Demonstrated capability in understanding and leveraging generative AI models, specifically Claude & Stable Diffusion, within a business context.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to analyze data, understand trends, and develop recommendations for action based on the analysis. Proven experience in strategic planning and execution within the AI domain.
• Experience managing value & benefits of products through Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), value-based prioritization, and product roadmap/backlog management.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with demonstrated experience in effectively engaging with stakeholders at all levels, including business units, enabling functions, and executive leadership.
• Strong project management skills, with experience in agile methodologies and familiarity with tools such as JIRA. Ability to lead cross-functional projects from conception to implementation, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• In-depth knowledge of data privacy and security regulations, including GDPR and the EU AI Act. Ability to work closely with legal and compliance teams to ensure all GenAI initiatives comply with relevant laws and regulations.
• A passion for staying updated on the latest trends and developments in generative AI and bringing innovative solutions to drive business value. Commitment to continual learning and improvement in both technical and business areas.
• Conceptualize and solution for key business use cases in collaboration with Business and Engineering partners.
• Ability to produce high quality presentations, architecture diagrams, and have strong communication skills.
• Collaborate with Architects to document reference architectures.
• Break down design plans into actionable project plans.
• Understand the business & application requirements and translate them into system / technical requirements.
• Build and communicate the GenAI strategy and roadmap for the Skechers GenAI platform (SkechAI) that will be aligned to the business strategy.
• Ability to learn quickly to adapt to the changes in the Skechers ecosystem.

Education and Experience-

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in product management or business analysis, with a strong preference for candidates with experience in Generative AI, Artificial Intelligence, or related products.
• Experience working in a hybrid IT environment with a mixture of traditional and modern technology stacks.
• Ability to communicate complex topics with precision and accuracy.
• Ability to categorize and communicate requirements accurately and effectively.
• Experience working directly with business facing groups outside of development is a plus.
• Experience working within an Agile team a plus.
• Extensive experience documenting development requirements, process flows, testing requirements, coordinating code reviews and documentation signoffs.
• Ability to create good presentations, roadmaps, and work with senior technology leaders.
• Good communications and team player