Program Leader, Artificial Intelligence Transformation

Join us as we empower the world to work out, creating healthier lives together. At Life Fitness / Hammer Strength, we inspire the world to work out. We are ​a high-performing team focused on using AI, data, and technology to improve how we operate, build products, and serve customers around the world. We are looking for a Leader of Artificial Intelligence to lead the development and deployment of AI solutions across operations, supply chain, commercial, and product functions. This role combines technical leadership, business partnership, and team development to deliver scalable solutions with measurable business impact. HOW YOU'LL MAKE AN IMPACT (RESPONSIBILITIES): Lead AI Solutions That Drive Results • Lead AI initiatives from concept through deployment and adoption • Translate business challenges into scalable machine learning, optimization, and generative AI solutions • Deliver use cases including: • Predictive maintenance and reliability analytics • Demand forecasting and inventory optimization • Production scheduling and operational efficiency • Quality and warranty analytics • Sales forecasting and margin insights • Embed solutions into business workflows to improve decision-making and performance Partner Across the Business • Collaborate with Operations, Supply Chain, Commercial, Product, Engineering, Finance, and IT teams to identify and prioritize AI opportunities • Communicate technical insights in clear, business-focused language • Support measurable outcomes including efficiency gains, cost savings, and revenue impact Advance Product & Digital Innovation • Partner with Product Management and Software Engineering teams to support AI-enabled capabilities within connected products and digital platforms • Contribute to customer-facing and internal AI applications that enhance training, performance, and user experience • Support scalable, secure, and reliable model deployment practices Lead & Develop Talent • Lead and develop a small team of data scientists and machine learning engineers • Promote best practices in model development, governance, and MLOps • Help strengthen AI literacy and adoption across the organization WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM (QUALIFICATIONS): • 6 to 10+ years of experience in AI, machine learning, analytics, or data science • Experience developing and deploying models in production environments • Strong understanding of machine learning, predictive analytics, optimization, and generative AI • Experience supporting manufacturing, operations, supply chain, or product organizations preferred • Experience in B2B, industrial, or performance-driven environments strongly preferred • Familiarity with cloud platforms, enterprise systems, and modern analytics toolchains • Strong problem-solving, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills • Ability to operate with ownership, urgency, and continuous improvement mindset in a matrixed environment WHY LIFE FITNESS / HAMMER STRENGTH • Help shape how AI transforms a global fitness and performance brand • Work on high-impact operational, commercial, and product challenges • Collaborate with teams that value innovation, accountability, and execution • Be part of a culture built around performance, teamwork, and inspiring healthier lives If you are passionate about applying AI to solve complex business problems and building solutions that create measurable impact at scale, we would love to talk with you. At Life Fitness / Hammer Strength,  we think customer first ,  play as one team , and  raise the bar on fitness innovation —in the gym and in every corner of our facilities. We  persevere and get it done , with a clear purpose to  inspire each other to live healthier lives . If you’re ready to bring out the best in people while powering the future of fitness manufacturing, we invite you to apply. Want to take the next step in your career? Life Fitness / Hammer Strength takes pride in our talented employees and believes in providing opportunities for further growth and advancement. We encourage you to test your strengths, push your limits, and unleash your potential. If you feel the position is right for you, we invite you to apply. We’ll work with you closely to support you throughout the hiring process. If your CV/ resume shows that your skills and experience have synergy with the job description, then we’ll hop on a call to get to know you and your experience and discuss the position in more detail. If it’s not the right opportunity this time, we’ll always let you know. At Life Fitness / Hammer Strength, we believe in taking care of our team with a comprehensive total rewards package that includes competitive pay and a range of valuable benefits. The salary range for this position, intended for U.S. applicants, is $149,400 - $182,500 annually.The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities. The salary range reflected is based on a primary work location of Rosemont, IL and the actual salary may vary for applicants in a different geographic location.This position is eligible to participate in Life Fitness / Hammer Strength’s annual Manager Incentive Plan to receive an annual discretionary bonus in addition to base salary. The amount of bonus varies based on company and individual performance goals and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan. Life Fitness / Hammer Strength offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time team members, including, but not limited to: a 401(k) savings plan with 4% employer match; medical, dental and vision insurance, parental, medical and military leaves of absence, paid time off, including 12 paid holidays throughout the calendar year, paid vacation days beginning at 13 days annually, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, company paid short-term disability and optional long-term disability, health savings account, health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts, employee and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance, hospital indemnity; identity protection, legal services, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, employee discounts, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies. Life Fitness / Hammer Strength is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. Life Fitness / Hammer Strength complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding employment , recruitment and hiring. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. There continues to be a significant increase in phishing attempts across all industries where fraudsters are impersonating real employees and sending fictitious job offers to applicants in a scheme to obtain sensitive information. Please note that Life Fitness/Hammer Strength will never ask for your financial information at any part of the interview process, including the post-offer stage, and will only correspond through “@lifefitness.com” or "@indoorcycling.com" domain email addresses or “ lifefitness@myworkday.com ” for U.S. opportunities. Life Fitness/Hammer Strength does not accept applications, inquiries or solicitations from unapproved staffing agencies or vendors.