Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence

About Vancity
Vancity is a member-owned credit union built on the principles of inclusion and social justice. A relentless commitment to their values has helped them challenge the status quo and break down barriers since day one in 1946. They have bold commitments to make Vancity net-zero by 2040 across all mortgages and loans and are pursuing strategies on Indigenous banking and to improve the financial resilience of their members. Vancity is the largest private sector Living Wage Employer in Canada and has been consistently recognized as one of the Top Employers in Canada. If you’re interested in joining their team of 2,700 diverse individuals and accessing competitive rewards and benefits, all while knowing you are part of a greater movement, then apply today!

About the workplace

We’re looking for a Director of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) to spearhead the development and execution of Vancity’s AI strategy, ensuring that artificial intelligence is used to empower our members, enhance our services, and deliver social and financial value. You’ll be building and scaling an AI Centre of Excellence that combines innovation, governance, and delivery — all rooted in our cooperative values.

This is a permanent, full-time role that will enjoy hybrid/remote working arrangements. Our head office is based in Vancouver, but we are open to candidates in Vancouver and Toronto.

A typical day would involve:

Strategic Leadership

• Working closely and cooperatively with our Innovation and Strategy teams, and Data and Governance teams, define and implement Vancity’s AI vision, roadmap, and priorities across the enterprise.
• Act as a strategic advisor on emerging AI trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Champion responsible AI practices and governance to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability.
• Monitor emerging legal, regulatory and industry standards in AI and provides strategic guidance to the organization.

Centre of Excellence Enablement

• Build and lead a high-performing cross-functional AI CoE, creating a hub of expertise, experimentation, and best practices.
• Establish scalable processes and platforms to develop, deploy, and monitor AI/ML models.
• Design and best practices of effective AI risk controls, metrics, compliance, performing risk management activities, and where required, support data risk management oversight including maintaining appropriate documentation (procedures, risk tiering methodology, escalation thresholds and reporting).
• Assist in the development and implementation of an AI compliance program that defines, develops, maintains, and implements policies and procedures to ensure ethical AI practices, including the day-to-day management of the AI Governance program.
• Define and implement standards, tools, and frameworks that enable safe and effective use of AI.
• Develop or contribute to ad-hoc reporting to the Board, risk committees, and senior leadership, including the collection of metrics and reports.
• Drive the development and implementation of communication strategies for new processes and procedures, focusing on training and awareness programs related to AI compliance, risk management, and ethical practices.
• Act as a thought leader in AI compliance, representing the organization in various industry forums and panels.

Innovation & Delivery

• Partner closely with our Innovation and Strategy teams to provide thought leadership and align on priorities and delivery strategies.
• Partner with business units, and Data and Governance teams, to identify and deliver high-impact AI use cases — from personalized member experiences to fraud prevention and operational efficiency.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver AI solutions that drive measurable outcomes and align with Vancity’s purpose.
• Support the research, development and deployment of AI technologies, staying abreast of emerging AI trends and technologies.
• Oversee the AI project portfolio to ensure delivery excellence and strategic alignment.

Culture & Change Leadership

• Promote AI literacy and build a culture of innovation and inclusion across the organization.
• Lead change management initiatives to ensure adoption and responsible use of AI.
• Mentor and grow AI talent and foster a thriving AI community of practice.

External Engagement

• Represent Vancity in industry and academic forums on ethical AI, data innovation, and financial inclusion.
• Build partnerships with universities, startups, and vendors to stay ahead of the curve and scale AI capabilities responsibly.

You have:

• 10+ years in data science, machine learning, and/or AI roles, with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity.
• Advanced degree in a quantitative discipline (e.g., Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Math); an MBA or executive education is a strong asset.
• Experience building and leading AI teams or CoEs in complex, regulated environments.
• Deep knowledge of AI technologies, frameworks, ML/AI model developments and ML/AI risk management best practices, relevant global laws, regulations, and ethical and risk management standards.
• Proven ability to deliver AI-enabled business value through collaboration and innovation.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and change management skills.

You Are:

• Purpose-driven and committed to using technology for positive social impact.
• A systems thinker with a bias for action and execution.
• A relationship builder who can bridge business and technology.
• Passionate about innovation, equity, and creating a better future for all.

We value lived experience, so if you are interested in this role, we encourage you to apply even if you feel your skills don't perfectly align with those listed.

Base pay offered may vary depending on factors such as relevant qualifications, skills, and previous experience. As part of our total rewards package, employees may also be eligible for our annual incentive program, subject to program eligibility requirements.

Posting Deadline: Posted until filled

A career at Vancity is more than just a job, you’re joining a tradition of change-makers who are creating lasting change for our communities. Beyond base pay, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package to ensure our employees are empowered to thrive:

We offer:

• We are the largest private-sector Living Wage Employer in Canada and have been consistently recognized as one of the Top Employers in Canada.
• Our permanent employees qualify for attractive benefit packages that can be customized and changed each year to meet their evolving needs.
• New employees receive between three to four weeks of vacation allowance per calendar year, and the number of vacation days grows.
• In addition to the 10 statutory holidays in British Columbia, Vancity provides an additional three statutory holidays. We offer care days for periods of short-term personal illness or emergency family illness.
• We have flex credits for our health care & dental benefits offer three levels of coverage for you to select from. These benefits will also be effective immediately based on your hire date.
• We understand that retirement means different things to different people and at Vancity we will offer you a Defined benefits pension plan that pays you a retirement income for life.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience for all candidates. If you require any accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out to our Talent Acquisition team at recruitment@vancity.com for confidential support. In-person assistance is also available. We will collaborate with you to ensure your needs are met promptly and effectively.