Director, AI Governance & Policy

Vertex seeks a Director, AI Governance & Policy to lead its enterprise AI governance program and enable responsible adoption of generative AI, agentic AI, machine learning, and AI-enabled business solutions. The role balances risk management and regulatory compliance with innovation, patient outcomes, and business value.

Responsibilities

• Define the enterprise AI governance strategy and evolve the Responsible AI framework, policies, standards, and operating model. Advise senior leaders and monitor regulatory and industry developments.
• Lead AI intake, review, approval, monitoring, and lifecycle management. Establish risk frameworks and controls, and ensure oversight, documentation, auditability, and accountability for enterprise AI systems, models, and agents.
• Own the roadmap, implementation, and operation of the AI governance platform, including inventories, policy management, risk assessments, workflow automation, monitoring, reporting, and compliance evidence. Develop governance approaches for generative AI, AI agents, knowledge graphs, and retrieval-augmented generation.
• Lead the AI Policy Council and AI Review process. Work with Legal, Privacy, Compliance, Quality, Information Security, Data Governance, Data & AI Product, and business teams to embed governance into regulated and non-regulated AI solutions. Promote AI literacy through training and stakeholder engagement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Engineering, Law, Public Policy, or a related field; 10+ years in technology, governance, risk, compliance, data management, AI, or related disciplines; and 5+ years leading enterprise governance, risk, compliance, AI governance, or technology platform programs.
• Deep AI governance and risk-management expertise; understanding of generative AI, LLMs, AI agents, machine learning, knowledge graphs, and RAG; knowledge of FDA, EMA, EU AI Act, HIPAA, GDPR, and GxP requirements; and strong communication, stakeholder-management, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Preferred: an advanced degree or equivalent experience; governance, risk, compliance, workflow, or policy-platform ownership; experience in biopharmaceutical, healthcare, or another highly regulated industry; and AIGP, CIPP, CRISC, CISM, ISO 42001, or related credentials.

The Boston role offers a choice of hybrid work, with up to two remote days weekly, or five on-site days with ad hoc flexibility, subject to company policy. Base pay is $184,000–$276,000, with eligibility for an annual bonus and equity awards. Listed benefits include health coverage, paid time off, educational assistance, a commuting subsidy, and a 401(k).