Senior Director, AI Risk and Compliance

Work Schedule

Environmental Conditions

Job Description

At Thermo Fisher’s PPD clinical research group (CRG), we’re using digital innovation, data science, and AI to reimagine how life-changing therapies reach patients. Our teams combine deep scientific expertise with advanced analytics, automation, and digital platforms to make research smarter, faster, and more connected.

About the Team:
CRG Digital AI is the engine that translates our digital strategy into scalable, production-ready AI capabilities that drive measurable business impact. Operating in close partnership with Product, Data, and Engineering, the team embeds AI across our digital portfolio to accelerate clinical trial execution, enhance data-driven decision-making, and unlock differentiated value for our customers. Through a combination of centralized platforms, standards, and federated execution, CRG Digital AI enables rapid innovation while ensuring consistency, quality, and responsible AI practices.

About the Position: 
Reporting to the VP, Head of Analytics and AI, the Senior Director, AI Risk and Compliance is a leadership position responsible for defining and enforcing CRG’s AI risk, regulatory compliance, and governance frameworks. As an independent function within the Applied AI (AAI) operating model, the Director ensures that all AI-enabled solutions meet enterprise, regulatory, and quality standards while enabling scalable, responsible AI deployment.

This role operates as a peer to AI Engineering, Delivery, and AI Value Realization & Enablement (AVRE), providing independent oversight while partnering closely to embed governance-by-design into AI systems and delivery processes.

Key Responsibilities:

AI Risk, Governance & Compliance (Enterprise Accountability)

• Define and operationalize a CRG-wide AI risk and governance framework aligned with Thermo Fisher enterprise policies and regulatory expectations 
• Translate regulatory and enterprise risk requirements into scalable, reusable governance patterns, templates, and automated controls 
• Partner with AI Engineering & Platform to embed compliance into model lifecycle tooling, monitoring systems and audit and traceability infrastructure. 
• Minimize reliance on manual review by enabling governance-by-design
• Ensure all AI solutions are developed and deployed with governance-by-design, including model transparency and explainability, data privacy and security compliance, bias detection and mitigation and auditability and traceability 
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, Privacy, InfoSec, and Quality teams to ensure alignment with global regulatory requirements and internal policies 
• Define and operationalize a risk-tiering framework for AI use cases: Low-risk (pre-approved patterns / fast path), Medium-risk (lightweight review), High-risk (formal governance and approval) 

This role does not own workflow transformation or change execution but ensures that all AI-enabled workflows comply with regulatory and risk standards.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Operating Model Integration

• Operate as an independent control function within the AAI operating model, with clear authority on regulatory and compliance matters 

Partner with: 

• AI Value Realization & Enablement (AVRE) to embed compliance into readiness frameworks and workflow design 
• AI Delivery & Governance to integrate risk controls into lifecycle stage gates 
• AI Engineering & Platform to ensure compliance is embedded into systems and tooling 
• Serve as the primary interface with Legal, Privacy, InfoSec, and Quality organizations

Measures of Success:

• Experience designing or implementing scalable governance frameworks in technology or AI contexts
• Ability to balance risk management with speed and innovation
• Experience embedding compliance into product or platform environments (not just policy)
• Establishment of a robust, scalable AI governance and risk framework 
• Reduction in AI-related risk exposure (compliance, quality, reputational) 
• Development of a differentiated external AI + workflow transformation offering 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred (e.g., business, computer science, digital strategy, or related field) 
• 15 years of experience in digital, innovation, strategy, content/knowledge management, or customer-facing leadership roles within clinical research, healthcare, life sciences, or technology-enabled services 
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex digital, data, and AI concepts into clear, compelling narratives for both technical and non-technical audiences 
• Experience developing high-quality, customer-facing content to support commercial engagements, including bids, proposals, value demonstrations, and executive presentations 
• Strong executive presence with the ability to engage credibly in high-stakes customer and leadership interactions 
• Proven ability to influence outcomes in highly matrixed environments through alignment, credibility, and sound judgment, without reliance on formal authority

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strategic judgment and systems thinking; ability to synthesize market, customer, and execution signals into actionable insight.
• Exceptional executive communication, narrative clarity, and storytelling capability (written, visual, and verbal).
• Strong content architecture, knowledge management, editorial, and governance skills (taxonomy, versioning, reuse, and quality control).
• Collaborative leadership style with high trust orientation and strong stakeholder management across Digital, Commercial, Operations, Marketing, and Executive leadership.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and high-stakes situations; high emotional intelligence and discretion in handling strategic information.
• Ability to manage and scale work through partners and vendors to accelerate speed-to-market and improve quality without creating unnecessary process burden.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, we are committed to fostering a healthy and harmonious workplace for our employees. We understand the importance of creating an environment that allows individuals to excel. Please see below for the required qualifications for this position, which also includes the possibility of equivalent experience:

• Able to communicate, receive, and understand information and ideas with diverse groups of people in a comprehensible and reasonable manner.
• Able to work upright and stationary for typical working hours. 
• Ability to use and learn standard office equipment and technology with proficiency.
• Able to perform successfully under pressure while prioritizing and handling multiple projects or activities. 
• May require as-needed travel (0-20%). 

Location: Remote US (east coast preference). Relocation assistance is NOT provided.  

*Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
*Must be able to pass a comprehensive background check, which includes a drug screening.

Compensation and Benefits

This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:

• A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs

• Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement

• At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy

• Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan

• Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount

For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards