AI Project Manager

Position: AI Project Manager

Duration: 24 Months with an option to extend for additional 24 Months

Location: West Sacramento, CA (Onsite from day 1)

Estimated Start Work Date: August 2026

 

The total services period may be up to twenty-four (24) months, with an option to extend up to twenty-four (24) additional months, at an estimated average of 160 work hours per month at the rate negotiated at contract execution. Any contract resulting from this RFO may be amended to add time or funds, at the sole discretion of CalSTRS.

 

The purpose of this is to select one (1) experienced AI Delivery Lead with detailed knowledge and experience of a technical project manager, along with advanced expertise in data analytics and AI implementation.

 

This role will be responsible for overseeing multiple projects focused on Generative AI deployment, AI adoption, and driving AI transformation across multiple business areas at CalSTRS.

 

The Vendor/Contractor must be able to perform all work on-site at the CalSTRS headquarters facility in West Sacramento, CA.  At CalSTRS’ discretion, a different approach (i.e., fully in-office, fully remote or different work hours) may be utilized based on CalSTRS business need and/or directive. Work must be performed during CalSTRS business hours and shall not be permitted on California State Holidays identified on the California Department of Human Resources website, unless pre-approved in writing by CalSTRS management. All work schedules must be pre-approved in writing by CalSTRS management and must adhere to all applicable CalSTRS policies and procedures. The Vendor/Contractor is responsible for any travel costs (including travel time) that they may incur while providing the services identified in the Statement of Work.

 

The proposed project person selected as a result of this RFO will be under the direction of the CalSTRS Enterprise IT Solutions and Innovation Director or designee and may be assigned one or more teams/programs/projects during the services period.

 

Statement of Work

This role utilizes industry’s best practices like Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Agile, and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) methodologies. The Contractor ensures that the technology projects meet business goals and success criteria using standard Project Portfolio Management (PPM) and Project Management tools such as Clarity PPM, Microsoft Project, Excel, Jama, and Jira, with an aim to complete the projects on time, within budget, and according to customer needs.

 

The Contractor is expected to perform the following tasks and produce associated deliverables including, but not limited to the following:

• Define and manage project scope, schedule, resources, strategy, risks/issues, communications, milestones, success criteria, and budget for AI-related projects.
• Develop and maintain project management artifacts, including Project Charter, Project Schedule, Communication Management Plan, Risk and Issue Management Plan, Training Plan, Transition Plan, Project Closeout Report, Agile backlogs, Agile task boards, and Agile team performance reports.
• Collaborate with leadership, data analysts, developers, business analysts, system architects, and business teams to translate AI strategy into actionable project plans and deliver high-quality software products.
• Ensure AI models and solutions align with CalSTRS strategic goals, and CalSTRS AI policy, CalSTRS AI Security standard, CalSTRS Information System Project Standards, and meet business requirements, compliance standards, and ethical guidelines.
• Lead the integration of AI tools and platforms into existing systems and workflows.
• Lead the AI adoption and change management within CalSTRS, including stakeholder education and training.
• Participate in technical design reviews with developers and architects, including architecture diagrams and integration plans to ensure alignment with business and compliance requirements.
• Review business requirements document for clarity and feasibility.
• Review data models, training datasets, and feature engineering approaches for alignment with project goals.
• Communicate and coordinate with business areas, sponsors, subject matter experts (SMEs), and Project Management Office (PMO).
• Manage vendors for performance and alignment to CalSTRS goals.
• Prepare weekly and monthly status reports and develop presentations for leadership.
• Be responsible for the quality assurance of all deliverables, including AI models, documentation, and deployment artifacts.
• Support continuous improvement of templates, processes, and methodologies for AI project delivery.
• Identify and implement lessons learned for future AI initiatives and projects.

 

Minimum Technical Qualifications 

As of the Offer Due Date, the proposed project person must have the following listed experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as evidenced by Attachment II, Proposed Project Person Skill Summary Sheet and resume:

• Ten (10) or more years of project management experience managing complex projects with over $1M budgets with proficiency level in project management tools (such as MS Project, Jira, Confluence) and Agile/Waterfall methodologies.
• Two (2) or more years of experience managing Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) and data analytic projects with strong understanding of AI/ML concepts, data pipelines, and model lifecycle.
• Five (5) years of experience in leading cross-functional teams and managing multiple concurrent projects.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, data science, or related field. CalSTRS reserves the right to request a copy of the degree/certification.

 

Desirable Technical Qualifications 

It is desirable for the proposed project person to have the following listed experience, knowledge, skills and abilities as evidenced by Attachment II, Proposed Project Person Skill Summary Sheet and resume:

• Five (5) years of experience in reviewing or creating AI technical documentations, cloud architecture diagrams, and Application Programming Interface (API) manuals.
• Three (3) or more years of experience in data governance, security, and compliance standards.
• Two (2) or more years of experience of managing cloud-based projects with cloud platforms (such as Azure or AWS) and AI services.
• Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and collaboration skills.
• The proposed project person will be able to adhere to working on-site 5 days per week at CalSTRS Headquarters, West Sacramento, CA. (no points)