Director of Data & AI Management and Governance
This is a strategic leadership opportunity for an experienced data and AI governance professional to lead the development and implementation of comprehensive frameworks that enable responsible data activation and AI adoption while driving measurable business value. This leader balances risk management with strategic growth, designing governance practices and control frameworks that build confidence with Compliance, Risk Management, Information Security, second-line risk functions, internal audit, and banking regulators.
About the Role
The Director of Data & AI Management and Governance will lead, manage, and grow a team of technology resources supporting Data Governance, Data Management, and AI practices and processes. This role ensures transparency and trust around growing AI production use cases, enables an AI Governance Module, and integrates use case intake, scoring, and model details. This position chairs the Generative AI Steering Group, facilitating intake processes, risk assessments, and approval decisions for new AI use cases across the enterprise.
What You'll Do
AI Governance & Strategy
- Chair the Generative AI Steering Group, facilitating intake processes, risk assessments, and approval decisions for new AI use cases enterprise-wide.
- Work closely with AI development teams on standards for observability and evaluations on AI capabilities.
- Develop AI and Data Literacy campaigns and practices to measure maturity and progress.
- Conduct regular reviews with strategic vendors to understand their AI roadmaps and ensure transparency into their solutions.
Data Management & Customer Data Strategy
- Drive execution on Customer Data strategy, including quality and completeness of customer data with visibility to targets and progress and business engagement.
- Drive ongoing maturity in cataloging and tagging enterprise data assets.
Risk, Compliance & Regulatory Alignment
- Collaborate extensively with second-line risk functions including Compliance, Risk Management, and Information Security to ensure governance frameworks align with risk appetite and regulatory obligations.
- Serve as liaison to Compliance, Risk Management, and Information Security on AI governance matters, translating technical capabilities into risk implications and ensuring governance controls address identified risks appropriately.
- Partner with compliance functions to prepare for regulatory examinations, providing documentation and practice details.
- Translate regulatory and industry-recommended controls into scalable and effective practices that manage risk while enabling innovation.
Continuous Improvement & Team Leadership
- Establish a collaborative work environment that fosters autonomy, transparency, innovation, and personal growth with a fail-fast, learn-fast mindset.
- Drive continuous improvement of governance frameworks through engagement with industry working groups, regulatory forums, and peer institutions to understand emerging practices and regulatory expectations.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of technology professionals.
What Skills You Need
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.
- 5+ years of experience in technology leadership, with preferred experience in data, AI, and risk management.
- Demonstrated experience working in regulated environments with proven results.
- Experience in Data Management or Data Governance roles.
- Highly structured and results-oriented with a strong work ethic and high degree of initiative.
- Proven success in managing and developing high-performing technology teams.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technology solutions in business terms, establish rapport, and persuade others.
- Experience with financial forecasting and budgeting practices.
- Must possess unrestricted work authorization and not require future sponsorship.
Preferred Skills
- Experience in financial services or another highly regulated field.
- Certification in Change Management (Prosci, ADKAR) or Project Management (PMP, Agile).
- Broad experience working with data across multiple capacities and disciplines.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
- 5+ years of experience in technology leadership
- Experience in data, AI, and risk management
- Demonstrated experience working in regulated environments with proven results
- Experience in Data Management or Data Governance roles
- Strong organizational, structured, results-oriented, and initiative-taking abilities
- Experience managing and developing high-performing technology teams
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including explaining technology solutions in business terms
- Experience with financial forecasting and budgeting practices
- Unrestricted work authorization without requiring future sponsorship
- Experience in financial services or another highly regulated field
- Certification in Change Management, such as Prosci or ADKAR
- Project Management certification, such as PMP or Agile
- Broad experience working with data across multiple capacities and disciplines
What We Do
Cordova is a technology services company that connects exceptional technical talent with companies building the future. It provides direct-hire and contract recruiting for software engineers, data professionals, and technical leaders, alongside AI advisory, agentic systems, staff augmentation, dedicated teams, and custom software development. Founded in Omaha in 2016, Cordova serves organizations and candidates through a nationwide franchise network designed to deliver meaningful growth.
