Director of AI Strategy - Engineering Productivity

About Zscaler Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an AI-forward enterprise, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate—we’re focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession, collaboration, ownership, and accountability. We value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you’re enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you’re driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity. Role We are looking for a Director of AI Strategy - Engineering Productivity to join our Engineering Operations team. This is a hybrid role based out of our San Jose, CA office (3 days a week in office), reporting to the Senior Director, Technical Program Management, Zero Trust Exchange. In this role, you will define and champion the company's AI strategy for engineering productivity by evaluating, securing, and integrating AI-driven developer tools and CI/CD pipeline enhancements. You will drive widespread engineering efficiency by replacing fragmented team practices with a unified enterprise governance model, measurable business metrics, and a structured budget for AI adoption. What you’ll do (Role Expectations) Define and lead the Enterprise AI Strategy by developing a unified engineering governance model to standardize AI workflows, prompting techniques, and QA frameworks Lead the hands-on evaluation, selection, and rollout of AI developer tools while driving consensus to consolidate vendors and manage a dedicated productivity budget Architect AI-enhanced CI/CD pipelines by integrating AI agents and advanced automation while establishing business-oriented metrics to measure tangible impact Partner cross-functionally with Security and IT teams to ensure all AI tools are deployed safely, addressing data privacy and protecting proprietary codebases Exercise cross-functional influence to build consensus around the AI roadmap, moving the company from isolated experimentation into a structured master plan Who You Are (Success Profile) You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action. You operate with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. You adapt to what’s needed, navigating seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution. You are a high-trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team, not just yourself. You embrace our challenge culture by giving and receiving ongoing feedback, knowing that candor delivered with clarity and respect is the truest form of teamwork and the fastest way to earn trust. You are driven by innovation. You have a deep curiosity for how things work and are energized by solving complex technical challenges. You believe in the power of technology to accelerate transformation and are always looking for a better, more secure, and scalable way. You think at scale. You connect your day-to-day work to the larger company mission and think globally. You build solutions, processes, and teams that are not just effective today but are built to last and support a high-growth, global organization. You are resilient and adaptable. You view change as an opportunity and setbacks as temporary. You maintain composure and focus in high-pressure situations, guiding yourself and your team through complexity with a steady, positive hand. What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications) Proven experience defining and executing an AI strategy specifically focused on engineering productivity Deep technical expertise in modern software development lifecycles (SDLC) with hands-on experience evolving CI/CD pipelines using AI agents Demonstrated experience navigating enterprise security protocols and partnering with InfoSec teams to deploy AI models safely within an enterprise environment Strong strategic thinking and stakeholder management skills with a proven ability to influence leadership and drive a unified master plan across multiple teams What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications) Strong foundational background in DevOps or Platform Engineering Experience establishing business-oriented metrics to measure AI ROI and managing dedicated budgets for engineering productivity tools #LI-Hybrid #LI-KM9 Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits. Base Pay Range $206,500—$295,000 USD At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure. Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including: Various health plans Time off plans for vacation and sick time Parental leave options Retirement options Education reimbursement In-office perks, and more! Learn more about Zscaler’s Future of Work strategy, hybrid working model, and benefits here. By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines. Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal link. Pay Transparency Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules. Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.