AI Program Manager, Governance & Compliance VP (C13)

The Client is seeking an experienced and highly accountable Technical Project Manager with a specialized focus on AI Governance and Responsible AI, particularly within the financial services sector. This senior, leadership-oriented role will oversee the full lifecycle of AI projects from inception through delivery, with a critical emphasis on compliance with AI governance frameworks.

The role requires strong project management expertise, technical understanding, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to navigate complex organizational structures to drive successful, ethical, and compliant AI solutions.

The position will work with various stakeholders, programmers, and governance teams to ensure standards are followed, establish governance principles and standards, determine metrics to capture, and proactively anticipate potential delays.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Leadership & Management: Lead and manage multiple technical AI projects, ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and within budget. Define project scope, goals, deliverables, and resource requirements.
• AI Governance & Responsible AI Compliance: Drive the integration of AI governance and Responsible AI principles throughout the project lifecycle. Ensure AI development adheres to established ethical guidelines, regulatory requirements, and internal policies, particularly those relevant to financial firms.
• Documentation & Approval Management: Coordinate the creation and maintenance of necessary supporting documentation for AI projects. Facilitate communication and collaboration to secure all required internal and external approvals, including legal, compliance, risk, and architecture approvals.
• Planning, Execution & Delivery: Develop comprehensive project plans, track progress against milestones, manage risks and dependencies, and ensure successful execution and delivery of AI solutions.
• Agile and Scrum Master Responsibilities: Work effectively within an Agile development environment and act as a Scrum Master when needed. Facilitate sprint planning, daily stand-ups, reviews, and retrospectives; remove impediments and foster a collaborative team environment.
• Technical Team Communication: Serve as the primary liaison between business stakeholders and technical development teams, including data scientists, ML engineers, and software developers. Translate business requirements into technical tasks and ensure mutual understanding.
• Stakeholder Communication & Reporting: Provide clear, concise, and timely status updates, executive summaries, and recommendations to senior leadership, project sponsors, and other key stakeholders. Tailor communication to different audiences while highlighting critical information and potential impacts.
• Conflict Resolution: Proactively identify, address, and resolve project conflicts, impediments, and interpersonal issues to maintain project momentum and positive team dynamics.
• Accountability & Commitment: Demonstrate a high level of accountability for project outcomes and a strong commitment to achieving business objectives while upholding Responsible AI principles.
• Forward Thinking & Driving Priorities: Exhibit a growth mindset by continuously seeking opportunities for improvement, anticipating future challenges, and actively driving strategic priorities within the AI landscape.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in technical project management, including a minimum of 3 years managing AI/ML projects.
• Thorough understanding and proven experience with AI governance frameworks, ethical AI principles, and regulatory compliance specific to the financial services industry.
• Strong experience working in Agile environments, including serving as a Scrum Master.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, track, and deliver complex technical projects on time and within budget.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts and project statuses to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.
• Proven ability to coordinate and communicate with various stakeholders, including technical, business, legal, and compliance teams, to achieve project objectives and secure approvals.
• Strong technical aptitude, with the ability to communicate effectively with technical teams and understand architectural decisions and challenges.
• Exceptional problem-solving, conflict resolution, and negotiation skills.
• Highly accountable and committed, with a growth mindset and a continuous focus on learning and improvement.