Vice President, Business Operations Lead (AI Challenge Lab)

This role serves as the Business Operations Lead for the AI Challenge Lab, reporting directly to the Executive Business Sponsor and driving the successful delivery, scaling, and adoption of the firm's flagship AI innovation program.

The AI Challenge Lab is a cohort-based, hands-on learning and development program designed to accelerate AI adoption by helping teams translate business problems into production-ready AI solutions. The program brings together business leaders, subject matter experts, strategists, and technologists to develop high-impact use cases that drive measurable business value.

The Business Operations Lead will play a key role in accelerating AI adoption across the organization by partnering with business sponsors, Technology, mentors, participants, and senior stakeholders to identify, develop, and advance AI solutions from concept through implementation.

The successful candidate will combine strong program management, AI fluency, stakeholder management, and change leadership skills to help scale the program globally and increase the rate of diffusion of AI capabilities across the Firm.

The role requires exceptional execution skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, and a passion for helping organizations adopt and scale emerging technologies. The successful candidate will be comfortable working directly with senior leaders, navigating ambiguity, solving problems proactively, and ensuring consistently high-quality experience and successful outcomes for sponsors and participants.

In Partnership with the Executive Business Sponsor, You Will:

Senior Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary point of contact for senior stakeholders throughout the program lifecycle, ensuring alignment, accountability, and timely decision-making.
• Build trusted relationships with business sponsors, Technology leaders, mentors, and program participants.
• Drive post-lab follow-through by establishing ownership, next steps, implementation plans, and success metrics with sponsors and participants.
• Prepare executive communications, presentations, and updates for program leadership and steering committees.
• Support the expansion of the AI Challenge Lab across businesses, regions, and functions.

Use Case Selection & Delivery

• Assist with the intake, evaluation, and readiness assessment process for prospective use cases.
• Partner with business sponsors to refine problem statements, clarify objectives, and strengthen business cases.
• Evaluate use cases based on business value, feasibility, stakeholder commitment, data readiness, and implementation potential.
• Maintain and manage a strong pipeline of use cases for future cohorts.
• Help ensure selected use cases are positioned for successful development and eventual implementation.

AI Strategy & Adoption

• Partner with business leaders and Technology teams to identify and prioritize high-impact AI opportunities.
• Help sponsors understand AI capabilities, limitations, and implementation considerations.
• Assess AI use case readiness, including business value, technical feasibility, data availability, and organizational support.
• Identify opportunities to scale successful use cases across multiple businesses and functions.
• Develop strategies to accelerate AI adoption and increase awareness of successful AI solutions throughout the Firm.
• Partner with AI Ambassadors, mentors, and business stakeholders to help accelerate the rate of diffusion of AI capabilities across the organization.
• Stay current on emerging AI technologies, industry trends, and leading practices.

Program Operations & Execution

• Own end-to-end program delivery, including communications, onboarding, scheduling, participant engagement, and operational readiness.
• Lead all program logistics, including venue planning, materials, technology setup, and event-day execution.
• Establish clear ownership, deliverables, milestones, and timelines before launch and track progress throughout execution.
• Identify and proactively address risks, dependencies, and operational issues to ensure a high-quality participant experience.
• Coordinate closely with instructors, mentors, sponsors, and Technology partners throughout each cohort.
• Manage multiple concurrent workstreams while maintaining a high level of quality and attention to detail.

Governance & Impact Tracking

• Monitor use case progress, implementation outcomes, and post-program adoption.
• Develop regular reporting and status updates for sponsors and program leadership.
• Track key program metrics, business outcomes, participant engagement, and adoption indicators.
• Analyze participant feedback and program performance to drive continuous improvement.
• Help operationalize playbooks, templates, governance frameworks, and best practices to support program consistency and scalability.
• Measure and communicate program impact, including delivery milestones, adoption metrics, business outcomes, and implementation success.

What You'll Bring to the Role

• Strong program management and execution capabilities with a proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and executive presence, with experience partnering closely with senior leaders.
• Demonstrated understanding of AI, Generative AI, and emerging technologies, with the ability to translate capabilities into business value.
• Ability to identify high-impact business opportunities and shape practical, scalable AI solutions.
• Product-oriented mindset, including experience defining objectives, success metrics, and adoption strategies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on AI, machine learning, data, digital transformation, innovation, or technology-enabled business initiatives.
• Experience supporting large-scale learning, innovation, or change management programs.
• Knowledge of financial services products, workflows, and operating models.
• Experience partnering with senior business executives and Technology organizations.
• Demonstrated interest in AI-driven transformation and the future of work.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:

At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.

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Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $160,000 and $221,500 per year at the commencement of employment. However, base pay if hired will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, incentive compensation, discretionary bonuses, other short and long-term incentive packages, and other Morgan Stanley sponsored benefit programs.

Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in experience and background. Our recruiting efforts reflect our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, where individuals are hired, developed, and advanced based on their skills and talents.

Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences.

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