Title:  Senior AI Lead - Scotia Jarislowsky Fraser - Toronto

Requisition ID: 255482 

Join a purpose driven winning team, committed to results, in an inclusive and high-performing culture.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

We are looking for a strategic, hands-on Senior Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lead to drive and sustain our AI strategy and applications at Scotia Jarislowsky Fraser (SJF). This role will be pivotal in embedding AI into our culture, workflows, and infrastructure to transform how we operate and deliver value. The Senior AI Lead will work cross-functionally with business leaders, technology teams, and external partners to ensure AI becomes a core part of our operating model over the next five years.

IS THIS ROLE RIGHT FOR YOU

In the role you will:

AI Integration & Use Case Delivery

• Establish a value framework for prioritizing AI use cases.
• Own and continuously refine the end-to-end use case intake, triage, prioritization, and delivery process.
• Lead and manage all phases of the AI initiative lifecycle, including design, delivery, testing, and sustainment of solutions.
• Craft business and technical requirements in partnership with business and technology teams.
• Maintain a centralized view of all AI initiatives and ensure alignment with business priorities and technical feasibility.
• Work with procurement to manage end-to-end vendor engagements for prioritized initiatives, from initial scoping through implementation.
• Collaborate with IT to design a citizen development framework aligned with SJF guardrails and best practices.

Strategic Leadership & Culture Enablement

• Champion a clear and compelling vision for AI across the organization.
• Partner with HR, IT, and Executive Office to define training, communication, and support plans.
• Run training, demos, and hands-on events in collaboration with SJF advisors.

Tools, Infrastructure & Innovation

• Continuously scan the market for new AI tools and assess their fit.
• Collaborate with IT to understand the AI roadmaps of existing applications.
• Build business cases for onboarding new tools where needed.

Governance & Risk Management

• Collaborate with IT to review and enhance the AI governance practices, including cybersecurity, ethical use, and lifecycle management.
• Provide monthly program updates and quarterly value reviews to key stakeholders, using metrics such as adoption, ROI, lead time, and error rates.
• Support the evolution of the AI governance body and ensure sustained executive engagement.

Over the longer term, key responsibilities may include:

• Identify opportunities for strategic differentiation through custom-built AI solutions.
• Collaborate with business sponsors to ensure strong ownership and measurable outcomes.
• Lead feasibility assessments and business case development for in-house builds.
• Define long-term KPIs and success metrics to track progress and maturity.
• Develop a roadmap to transition AI from a standalone initiative to a core part of SJF’s operating model.

DO YOU HAVE THE SKILLS

We would love to work with you if you have:

• Minimum 5+ years of relevant professional work experience in AI/ML, data science, data transformation, and/or investment technology in financial services and investment management or other relevant experience;
• A university degree in relevant STEM field including Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Finance, or related field;
• Strong understanding and hands-on experience of AI/ML technologies, agentic development, platforms (Azure/OpenAI), and other GenAI models from Anthropic, Meta, and Google;
• Experience delivering AI solutions for real-world business problems (e.g., process automation, client reporting, investment lifecycle, analytics, etc.);
• Experience at managing cross-functional AI/ML or data-driven transformation programs from conceptualization to delivery and sustainment;
• Experience with governance, risk, and compliance in AI or data environments.
• Demonstrated ability to engage, influence and forge relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels;
• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills with sound business judgement and ability to use data to inform product decisions and drive continuous improvement;
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex product concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders;
• Team player who enjoys a collaborative environment and high-performance culture.

#SWM

Location(s):  Canada : Ontario : Toronto 

Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: "for every future", we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets.  

At Scotiabank, we value the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the Bank, and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternate format documents, ASL Interpreter, or Assistive Technology) during the recruitment and selection process, please let our  Recruitment team know. If you require technical assistance, please click here. Candidates must apply directly online to be considered for this role. We thank all applicants for their interest in a career at Scotiabank; however, only those candidates who are selected for an interview will be contacted.