Associate Director - AI Innovation Lab, Human-centered Design

Who We AreAt Kyndryl, we run and reimagine the mission-critical technology systems that drive advantage for the world's leading businesses. We are at the heart of progress; with proven expertise and a continuous flow of AI-powered insight, enabling smarter decisions, faster innovation, and a lasting competitive edge. For our people-Kyndryls-that means doing purposeful work that powers human progress. Join us and experience a flexible, supportive environment where your well-being is prioritized and your potential can thrive.The RoleAs Associate Director you lead customer innovation engagements end to end - from challenge framing and executive workshops through prototype direction, evidence and the decision that follows. You are the customer's strategic contact throughout and a trusted advisor to their senior leadership, bridging the gap between business problems, research insight and tangible concepts people can test.This is a design-leadership and consulting role, not an engineering one. Practical AI fluency is essential - a point of view on how AI reshapes what we design, and enough understanding of agentic systems to direct credible prototypes - but you do not need to be the deepest engineer in the room. You are composed in ambiguity, create just enough structure to move fast and help a complementary team do its best work.What you will ownThe customer journey. Shape the brief, engagement arc and success measures with the customer and account team; connect immersion, co-design, workshops, build, test and post-Lab follow-through.Executive momentum. Lead CIOs, CTOs, COOs and their leadership teams through ambiguity, constructive challenge and the decisions required to move.The opportunity frame. Translate business priorities, user needs and operational realities into a precise opportunity, a credible value hypothesis and an actionable design challenge.The human-AI system. Define what people, agents and systems each know, decide and do - handoffs, exceptions, control