Head of AI Security Governance and Data Security

Duties & Responsibilities

UMB is seeking a proven expert to lead how we secure AI and protect sensitive data across our financial institution. This person will help our teams use AI confidently, with clear expectations around security, accountability, and responsible use.

The role brings together AI security, security governance, and data protection. You’ll set standards, assess risks, review controls, and work with teams to address gaps. You’ll also help leadership understand where the risks are and what needs attention.

You’ll work closely with Technology, Engineering, Risk, Compliance, Legal, Privacy, and business leaders. Technology and engineering teams will handle deployment and daily operations; your responsibility will be to establish security requirements and make sure those requirements are met.

Responsibilities:

• Lead & build a strategy for the AI security, governance and data security program, with clear priorities, ownership, and reporting.
• Develop practical policies and standards for AI use and the protection of customer, employee, and confidential business information.
• Review new AI tools, business use cases, and significant changes to identify security risks and required safeguards.
• Cover AI developed internally, employee-facing tools, and AI capabilities built into third-party products.
• Set requirements for data access, encryption, sharing, retention, and data loss prevention.
• Work with engineering and technology teams to build security into designs and review evidence that controls are working.
• Partner with vendor management, Legal, and Privacy to assess how AI providers access, store, use, and protect our information.
• Track security findings and exceptions, follow up on remediation, and escalate unresolved risks.
• Provide security approval within the role’s delegated authority and bring material risk decisions to the appropriate leaders or committees.
• Coordinate with enterprise AI governance and Model Risk so security reviews fit into the institution’s broader review and approval processes.
• Support audits, regulatory examinations, and incident response involving AI or sensitive data.
• Give employees clear, practical guidance on using AI and handling information securely.
• Other Duties as assigned.

Knowledge & Skills

MINIMUM:

• Demonstrated ability leading a security or data protection program, including setting priorities and holding teams accountable for results.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across all organizational levels, particularly senior management
• Demonstrated ability managing large technology development efforts within a major line of business
• Strong ability to communicate complex technical, information protection issues and value/impact in simple terms to very senior business and technology leaders
• A high level of comfort working with ambiguity or uncertainty and converting information into quantifiable concepts
• Ability to handle on-call, heavy workload, and a flexible schedule

• Ability to negotiate and facilitate issue resolution
• Ability to interact with all levels of an organization
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong knowledge of data protection, cloud security, identity and access management, encryption, and data loss prevention.
• Demonstrated ability turning policies and risk requirements into controls that technology teams can implement and demonstrate.
• Ability to explain technical risks clearly and work through decisions with both business and technical leaders.

Requirements

MINIMUM:

• A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience. Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC, CCSP, or AIGP are helpful.
• Ten (10) or more years of experience across cybersecurity, data protection, security architecture, technology risk, or governance.
• Four (4) + years of leadership or people management
• Experience in financial services or another regulated industry, with an understanding of audit and regulatory expectations.
• Practical experience assessing AI security risks, including generative AI, AI agents, and third-party AI services.

Work Environment

Typical Office Environment. Some Travel may be required.

Supervision/Management:  direct reports comprising of managers, technical professionals, and administrative staff that are geographically distributed

Compensation Range:

The posted compensation range on this listing represents UMB’s good faith and reasonable estimate based on its budget and what it expects to be the starting pay for this role, but the actual compensation may vary by geographic location, experience level, and other job-related factors. Please see the description of benefits included with this job posting for additional information.

UMB offers competitive and varied benefits to eligible associates, such as Paid Time Off; a 401(k) matching program; annual incentive pay; paid holidays; a comprehensive company sponsored benefit plan including medical, dental, vision, and other insurance coverage; health savings, flexible spending, and dependent care accounts; adoption assistance; an employee assistance program; fitness reimbursement; tuition reimbursement; an associate wellbeing program; an associate emergency fund; and various associate banking benefits. Benefit offerings and eligibility requirements vary.

Are you ready to be part of something more?
You're more than a means to an end—a way to help us meet the bottom line. UMB isn't comprised of workers, but of people who care about their work, one another, and their community. Expect more than the status quo. At UMB, you can expect more heart. You'll be valued for exactly who you are and encouraged to support causes you care about. Expect more trust. We want you to do the right thing, no matter what. And, expect more opportunities. UMBers are known for having multiple careers here and having their voices heard.

UMB and its affiliates are committed to inclusion and diversity and provide employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, military service, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need accommodation for any part of the employment process because of a disability, please send an e-mail to [email protected] to let us know the nature of your request.

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