Principal AI Transformation (f/m/d)

KoRo is a fast-growing, omni-channel food brand on a mission to make high-quality, sustainable products accessible to everyone. With ~350 employees across DACH, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, we operate at the intersection of e-commerce, retail, and brand. We move fast, build a lot of what we need ourselves, and we're now at a pivot point: AI is becoming a core lever for how we run the business – and we want someone to own it.

The Role

As Principal AI Transformation, you will define and execute KoRo's AI strategy across the entire company. You won't build AI for the sake of AI – you'll make our teams measurably more effective. Some functions need to deliver the same (or more) output with fewer people; others need to unlock entirely new capabilities. You'll work side-by-side with team leads to make both happen.

You sit at C-1 level, reporting to the COO with a dotted line to the CEO. You will lead a small team (starting with one AI Senior Manager focused on infrastructure and enablement), define the AI targets across all teams, and act as the go-to AI advisor for every team lead as they take ownership for reaching those targets.

This is a hybrid role: ~70% strategy, coaching, and enablement; ~30% hands-on building, prototyping, and unblocking. We don't want a slide-deck AI leader – we want someone who can sit down with a team and build the prototype that proves the point.

What You'll Do

• Own the AI roadmap. Translate KoRo's business goals into a focused AI agenda. Decide where we go deep, where we go broad, and where we explicitly don't play.

• Coach team leads. Every team at KoRo has an AI-related goal in 2026 – Efficiency or Opportunity. You're the trusted advisor who helps team leads turn those goals into real, shipped outcomes. Ownership stays with them; you make sure they succeed.

• Shape the tool landscape. Decide what we buy, what we build, and what we deprecate. Own the strategic direction of our AI stack, Your AI Senior Manager handles the execution layer.

• Build when needed. Prototype quickly to prove value or unblock teams. You're comfortable writing code, wiring up APIs, and shipping a working tool in days when the situation calls for it.

• Drive transformation. Your job is to make AI the default way we think and work – not a tool people reach for, but the starting assumption every team builds their processes around. And to make sure that shift delivers measurable business value.

• Report to C-Level. You'll regularly update the C-Level on progress, blockers, and recommendations. You'll also represent AI strategy to our investors and board when relevant.

• Hire and grow the team. Starting with one direct report (AI Senior Manager, Infrastructure & Enablement) and building from there as we prove out the model.

Must-haves:

• 7+ years of relevant experience, ideally a mix of strategic and hands-on roles. We're open on the exact path – founder, ex-consultant turned operator, AI lead at a scale-up, technical PM with AI focus.

• Strong technical foundation. You can read and write code, understand modern LLM tooling, and have shipped AI-powered features or internal tools yourself.

• Track record of driving change across functions, not just within a tech team. You've worked with non-technical stakeholders and made them more effective.

• Pragmatism over purism. You know when 80% is enough and when to invest in doing it right.

• Strong commercial instinct. You understand how a business makes money and you prioritize accordingly.

• Excellent communication in English (German is a plus but not required).

What makes you stand out:

• You've been a founder, early employee, or operator at a high-growth company – you've seen what it takes to build something from zero.

• You've led a small high-leverage team before and know how to keep ownership distributed without losing direction.

• Experience in consumer, e-commerce, food, or retail – you understand the operating realities of a physical-product business.

• You're someone team leads actually want to work with: low ego, high bias for action, and the kind of person who makes others around you better.

• A C-1 role with genuine influence – you'll directly shape how a 350-person company operates.

• Direct access to a C-Level team that already uses Claude daily and understands what AI can do. No convincing required at the top.

• Budget and autonomy to build the team and toolset you need.

• A growing, profitable business with the resources to invest and the discipline to focus.

• Hybrid working model, modern office in Berlin, and the usual perks (you can read about those elsewhere – they're not why you'd take this job).

Then apply via our website, including all relevant documentation (CV & letter of motivation). 
We are looking for team members, not just workers. Let us know in a few sentences who you are and what motivates you!