[Hiring] Vice President Research, AI Planning and Operations @IDC Research Inc.

Role Description

IDC is seeking a Vice President, Research, Planning & Operations to join its AI Economics research team. The role will help enterprise leaders prioritize investments in artificial intelligence (AI), understand the full cost of deployment and operation, and measure business value across a portfolio of business processes and use cases.

We are looking for a senior practitioner who has held direct responsibility for the financial and operational outcomes of AI deployments in large organizations, across multiple business functions and domains. You will bring that experience into independent research, financial models, and executive advice for chief information officers (CIOs), chief financial officers (CFOs), and business leaders.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the research agenda for enterprise AI economics, addressing investment prioritization, budgeting, forecasting, cost management, and value realization across business functions.
• Help develop and validate IDC AI economic models and methods covering cost structures, value realization, unit economics, payback, and scenario analysis.
• Advise CIOs, CFOs, and business leaders on AI portfolio decisions, including build or buy choices, deployment options, funding, scaling, and redesign or discontinuation of use cases.
• Build benchmarks and case studies across horizontal business functions and domain-specific processes.
• Partner with the IDC sourcing advisory team to incorporate ongoing price benchmarks and commercial terms into economic models.
• Produce syndicated and custom research, brief clients, and represent IDC in executive discussions and industry events.

Qualifications

• Senior practitioner experience leading AI deployments in large organizations, with direct responsibility or defined shared accountability from business case and funding through production, adoption, and post-deployment performance.
• Hands-on delivery across multiple distinct business functions or domains, including finance, procurement, human resources, customer service, and supply chain or industry operations.
• Direct responsibility for AI budgets, forecasts, and investment models covering capital and operating expenditure, cost structures, value realization, unit economics, and sensitivity analysis.
• Detailed knowledge of lifecycle costs: data, integration, software and model licensing, compute, implementation, evaluation and monitoring, security and governance, adoption, human oversight, and ongoing support.
• Evidence of measuring and realizing business value, including cash savings, cost avoidance, capacity released, revenue or margin contribution, and service or risk improvements.
• Experience presenting to and advising both CIOs and CFOs on AI investments, funding, operating costs, and realized value.
• Ability to produce clear research and executive presentations, evaluate financial and operational data, and normalize survey and benchmark findings.
• Candidates may come from enterprise operating roles or consulting firms, with identifiable responsibility for implementation economics and measurement of results after launch.
• A bachelor's degree is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience publishing research, developing reusable economic models, or advising multiple enterprise clients; experience with generative AI and agentic AI.
• A master's degree in a relevant field.

Location and Travel

This role can be based remotely in an approved U.S. location or at IDC's Boston office. Travel of approximately 25-30% is expected.

Why This Role Stands Out

At IDC, your work helps shape how the world understands technology and where it goes next. You collaborate with curious, high-caliber colleagues who value rigor, integrity, and shared success.

Compensation Transparency

At IDC, we are committed to fair and equitable pay practices. The expected total annual compensation, depending on location and experience, is between $180,000-$240,000, inclusive of base salary and variable compensation.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IDC is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. Employment eligibility verification required. We participate in E-Verify.