Senior Director II,  A-2-A

Description Senior Director II, A-2-A Let’s be unstoppable together! Circana is a leading provider of technology, AI, and data solutions for consumer packaged goods companies, manufacturers, and retailers. Our predictive analytics and Liquid Data® platform help clients measure market share, uncover consumer behavior, and drive growth—powered by six decades of expertise and an expansive, high-quality data set. At Circana, we are fueled by our passion for continuous learning and growth, we seek and share feedback freely, and we celebrate victories both big and small in an environment that is flexible and accommodating to our work and personal lives. We’re a global company dedicated to fostering inclusivity and belonging. We value and celebrate the unique experiences, cultures, and viewpoints that each individual brings. By embracing a wide range of backgrounds, skills, expertise, and beyond, we create a stronger, more innovative environment for our employees, clients, and communities. With us, you can always bring your full self to work. Join our inclusive, committed team to be a challenger, own outcomes, and stay curious together. Circana is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. This prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Circana. Learn more at www.circana.com. Role Overview Circana is seeking a Lead for Agent ‑ to ‑ Agent (A ‑ 2 ‑ A) Technology to lead the vision, strategy, and architecture for next ‑ generation AI agent interoperability. This role is accountable for enabling secure, scalable, and seamless collaboration between client ‑ side AI agents (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Gemini) and Circana’s internal AI ecosystem. As a senior platform leader, the A ‑ 2 ‑ A Lead will define how autonomous and semi ‑ autonomous agents discover, authenticate, communicate, and transact across enterprise boundaries. Operating at the intersection of AI platform engineering, SaaS integration, and client value creation, this role will shape Circana’s leadership in emerging standards such as Agent Protocol Architecture (APA), Agent ‑ to ‑ Agent (A ‑ 2 ‑ A) frameworks, and Model Context Protocol (MCP). Job Responsibilities Strategy & Vision Define and deliver Circana’s enterprise A ‑ 2 ‑ A strategy aligned with business priorities and client needs Establish Circana as a leader in agent-based collaboration and AI-driven platform ecosystems Partner cross-functionally (Product, Engineering, Security, Legal, and Client Leadership) to drive adoption and value realization Architecture & Platform Leadership Own and evolve the reference architecture for A ‑ 2 ‑ A communication across internal and external systems Lead design and implementation of emerging protocols and standards, including APA, MCP, and A ‑ 2 ‑ A communication frameworks Ensure robust security, identity management, authorization, policy enforcement, and observability across agent interactions Client & Ecosystem Integration Enable integration between client-owned AI agents and Circana’s AI platforms Define APIs, schemas, agent contracts, and governance models for cross-enterprise interoperability Collaborate with hyperscalers and strategic partners to shape and influence evolving A ‑ 2 ‑ A standards Leadership & Governance Build, lead, and scale a high-performing team of platform leaders, architects, and engineers Establish governance for agent lifecycle management, compliance, risk mitigation, and ethical AI usage Serve as an executive thought leader in client engagements, industry forums, and partner ecosystems Requirements Required 15+ years of experience in enterprise SaaS, platform engineering, AI systems, or distributed architectures 7+ years in senior leadership roles (Director, VP, or equivalent) with responsibility for platform strategy and delivery Deep expertise in AI agent architectures, orchestration frameworks, and LLM-powered systems Hands-on experience with multi-agent systems, A ‑ 2 ‑ A communication models, and context-sharing protocols (e.g., MCP) Proven ability to operate at both strategic and technical levels, influencing architecture and execution Preferred Experience integrating with major AI ecosystems (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude) Background in data-intensive, analytics-driven SaaS environments Experience contributing to or influencing industry standards and open protocols Strong executive presence with demonstrated success in client-facing and partner-facing roles Circana Behaviors Beyond technical skills, experience, and role-specific attributes, these shared behaviors are fundamental to our culture and success. We seek individuals who consistently demonstrate and champion these behaviors in their daily work: Stay Curious: Being hungry to learn and grow, always asking the big questions. Seek Clarity: Embracing complexity to create clarity and inspire action. Own the Outcome: Being accountable for decisions and taking ownership of our choices. Center on the Client: Relentlessly adding value for our customers. Be a Challenger: Never complacent, always striving for continuous improvement. Champion Inclusivity: Fostering trust in relationships engaging with empathy, respect, and integrity. Commit to each other: Contributing to making Circana a great place to work for everyone. Location: This position can be located in the following area(s): Remote, US. The below range reflects the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, any collective bargaining agreements, and business or organizational needs. The salary range for this role is $170,000 to $190,000. This job is also eligible for bonus pay. We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees. An offer of employment may be conditional upon successful completion of a background check in accordance with local legislation and our candidate privacy notice . Your current employer will not be contacted without your permission. You can apply for this role through the Circana careers website or Intranet site for internal candidates. This role is subject to AI-assisted screening. Circana uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assess resumes for alignment with job requirements by helping locate details in resumes that relate to the job description. This position is expected to remain open for approximately 30 days and may close earlier if sufficient qualified candidates are identified. #LI-SD2