Executive Director, AI Transformation

CLS-Group

$250K — $300K *
Finance & Insurance
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years in innovation or tech governance roles, preferably in financial services.
  • Experience leading large-scale AI and digital transformations.
  • Strong leadership skills with proven ability to influence cross-functional teams.
  • Creative thinker with a strategic business perspective.
  • Excellent time management and prioritization abilities.
  • Strong communication skills for effective collaboration.
  • Fluency in AI/ML concepts and familiarity with model risk management.

Responsibilities

  • Build and lead a multi-disciplinary AI Center of Excellence.
  • Define and implement the firm's AI strategy and multi-year roadmap.
  • Identify measurable business value opportunities through AI.
  • Prioritize AI use cases and manage project life cycles.
  • Establish firm-wide KPIs and monitor performance.
  • Lead change management and coordination of AI initiatives.
  • Advise C-suite on AI strategy, governance, and implementation.

Benefits

  • 25 holiday days and 3 'life days' (UK/Asia); 23 holiday days (US).
  • 2 paid volunteer days for community support.
  • Generous parental leave and transition programs.
  • Wellbeing and mental health support resources.
  • Hybrid working arrangements for work/life balance.
  • Pension provision and 401K match for US employees.
  • Private medical insurance and dental coverage.
Full Job Description
  • Functional title - Executive Director, AI Transformation
  • Department - CEO Office
  • Corporate level - Executive Director (ED)
  • Report to - Managing Director, CEO Office
  • Location - New Jersey, US
  • Expected full-time salary range between $250,000 - $300,000 + variable compensation + 401(k) match + benefits.

What you will be doing:

The CEO Office supports the evolution and maintenance of the company's strategy and owns the performance metrics. In this context, it monitors business and technology trends which may impact the company's business, and steers innovation research and experimentation efforts. The CEO Office is responsible for determining and implementing the global communications marketing strategy across all external audiences and leads public policy efforts. It provides the secretariat function for CLS-internal governance bodies and facilitates the company's decision-making processes.

The Executive Director, AI Transformation plays a central role in steering and facilitating transformative cross-departmental activities around the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at CLS. They will shape the organization's AI strategy and facilitate organizational transformation activities in view of wider AI usage. The successful candidate is expected to establish and lead the firm's AI Center of Excellence of ~2-3 FTEs, plus stand up and mobilize ~10 AI Champions embedded into various functions and teams (not a direct reporting line).

The Executive Director, AI Transformation will be responsible for:
  • Building and leading a multi-disciplinary AI Center of Excellence which owns AI governance & processes and drives firm-wide AI adoption across business functions.
  • Defining and implementing the firm's AI strategy and multi-year roadmap, in view of the evolving AI landscape in financial services and aligned with the CLS mission and broader business objectives.
  • Identifying opportunities where AI can create measurable business value, and associated challenges and risks.
  • Prioritizing AI use cases and bringing them to life by driving them through the project management lifecycle, coordinating across cross-functional design & delivery teams and through associated project management governance processes.
  • Defining firm-wide KPIs and monitoring performance.
  • Leading AI change management across the organization - coordinating training, communications and adoption campaigns with HR and AI Champions embedded in key functions, and proactively providing executive briefings and guidance.
  • Providing direct advice to the C-suite and senior leadership on AI strategy, governance, and practical implementation.
  • Maintaining awareness of AI trends (e.g., novel use cases, emerging opportunities and threats) and proactively supporting the firm in addressing them.


What we're looking for:
  • Experience in leading large-scale AI and digital transformations within the financial sector.
  • Minimum of 10 years' experience in innovation or technology governance roles, preferably within financial services.
  • Proven track-record of leading diverse teams, and ability to coordinate and influence cross-functional teams
  • Creative and innovative thinking with an ability to see the bigger picture.
  • Excellent time management skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple/competing deadlines.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, to collaborate effectively with different teams and divisions across CLS.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality work with precision and accuracy, ensuring attention to detail in all aspects of execution.
  • Familiarity with model risk management (MRM) or operational risk frameworks in a regulated institution
  • Experience operating within or designing programmatic delivery governance

Professional qualifications / certifications
  • Bachelor's degree in finance/economics, law or information technology, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Project or change management certifications (e.g. PMP, Agile)
  • Demonstrated fluency with AI/ML concepts and tools


Our commitment to employees:

At CLS, we celebrate inclusion and consider this to be one of our strongest assets. We are committed to fostering an environment in which everyone feels comfortable to be who they are, and inclusion is valued. All employees have access to our inclusive benefits, including:
  • Holiday - UK/Asia: 25 holiday days and 3 'life days' (in addition to bank holidays). US: 23 holiday days.
  • 2 paid volunteer days so that you can actively support causes within your community that are important to you.
  • Generous parental leave policies to ensure you can enjoy valuable time with your family.
  • Parental transition coaching programmes and support services.
  • Wellbeing and mental health support resources to ensure you are looking after yourself, and able to support others.
  • Employee Networks (including our Women's Forum, Black Employee Network and Pride Network) in support of our organisational commitment to embrace and always be learning more about inclusivity.
  • Hybrid working to promote a healthy work/life balance, enabling employees to work collaboratively in the office when needed and work from home when they don't.
  • Active support of flexible working for all employees where possible.
  • Monthly 'Heads Down Days' with no meetings across the whole company.
  • Generous non-contributory pension provision for UK/Asia employees, and 401K match from CLS for US employees.
  • Private medical insurance and dental coverage.
  • Social events that give you opportunities to meet new people and broaden your network across the organisation.
  • Annual flu vaccinations.
  • Discounts and savings and cashback across a wide range of categories including health and retail for UK employees.
  • Discounted Gym membership - Complete Body Gym Discount/Sweat equity program for US employees.
  • All employees have access to Discover - our comprehensive learning platform with 1000+ courses from LinkedIn Learning.
  • Access to frequent development sessions on a number of topics to help you be successful and develop your career at CLS.

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