Projects Associate, AI Transformation at Rise Networks

Role Summary

• We are seeking a highly motivated and innovative Associate/Senior Associate, AI Transformation to support the design, implementation and scaling of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven solutions across our programmes, operations and strategic initiatives.
• The successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for AI adoption, support AI transformation projects, improve organisational processes and contribute to the responsible use of emerging technologies for development.

Key Responsibilities
Project & Engagement Delivery:

• Own workstreams: Manage distinct components of advisory engagements (e.g., design of a no-code agent, or creation of a training module), ensuring high-quality execution and timely delivery.
• Produce high-quality deliverables: Draft clear, compelling presentations, memos, and technical documentation that translate complex AI concepts into actionable insights for non-technical audiences.
• Build and manage relationships: Support management in building and managing trusted advisor relationships with internal and external clients.

Discovery & Workflow Diagnosis:

• Diagnose pain points: Conduct user research, interviews, and shadowing sessions to uncover bottlenecks where AI can generate the highest return on investment.
• Map user journeys: Translate fuzzy organizational problems into clear, logical process maps to identify specific intervention points for automation or augmentation.
• Prioritize opportunities: Analyze potential use cases based on feasibility, risk, and impact, helping leadership decide what to build and what to skip.

Build & Deploy AI Solutions:

• Configure agents: Build and refine tailored AI agents (e.g., CustomGPTs, Claude Projects, Gems) that solve specific user problems.
• Build automations: Design and implement low-code workflows (using tools like Zapier, Make, or n8n) to connect AI models with everyday tools (email, Slack, CRMs), moving beyond simple chat interfaces to real workflow integration.
• Curate knowledge: Structure and organize institutional data to ensure AI tools have high-quality context to draw from, ensuring outputs are accurate and relevant.

Drive Adoption & Change:

• Facilitate workshops: Lead interactive sessions that guide teams through AI skills like context building, use-case identification, and workflow optimization.
• Design learning materials: Create accessible guides, videos, and cheat sheets accelerate value creation.
• Support champions: Equip champions across teams with the resources and information they need to drive peer-to-peer learning.

Measure Impact & Ensure Governance:

• Track success: Deploy learning and impact-focused measurement strategies to support continuous iteration and achieve impact goals. Run surveys, analyze data, and conduct interviews to determine if our tools are actually saving time and improving quality.
• Safeguard quality: Conduct testing and red-teaming of AI tools to identify risks, hallucinations, or biases before widespread deployment.
• Operationalize ethics : Help implement AI governance frameworks, ensuring that every deployment adheres to data privacy and ethical standards.
• This role will be dynamic. Responsibilities are likely to change over time as we learn and our opportunities evolve.

Qualifications

• We're looking for a combination of consulting expertise, technical capability, product thinking, and entrepreneurial drive. We value demonstrated ability over traditional credentials.
• Commitment to Rise Networks' values and mission.
• 2-6 years in consulting, product operations, or digital transformation: Track record of supporting complex projects and delivering high-quality results.
• AI Power User: You are "AI native" in your work. You use LLMs daily to accelerate your output. You have a strong grasp of prompting strategies, context building, and the limitations (hallucinations, bias) of current models.
• Experience with hands-on AI implementation: Experience building and integrating no-code AI agents (e.g., CustomGPTs, Projects, Gems, etc.) and low-code automations (using tools like Zapier, Make, or n8n) that augment or automate workflows.
• Change Management: Experience supporting organizational change or technology adoption. Strong intuition that tools don't create impact unless people use them. Experience facilitating training, managing attitudes, or helping teams navigate new ways of working.
• Product Thinking: Experience conducting user research, translating fuzzy problems into clear solutions, defining problem statements, and validating assumptions through interviews and data.
• Communication & facilitation: Strong writing and presentation-building skills. Ability to distill technical concepts for non-technical audiences. Experience facilitating workshops or training sessions.
• Analytical Rigor: Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to measure impact through data. Comfortable with advanced Excel/Google Sheets or SQL/R/Python.

Bonus:

• Experience living and working in low-income country settings.
• Experience working within social sector organizations, especially nonprofits, research organizations, consulting organizations, or foundations.
• Ability to collaborate with technical teams building AI solutions and agents.
• Knowledge of agile/lean methodologies and rapid experimentation frameworks.

Not required:

• Data science or data engineering background. This role will likely not require heavy coding.