NextGen AI Director

Company: EY

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The Opportunity

The NextGen AI Innovation Director serves as the strategic leader for EY’s various advanced AI efforts. The director will work collaboratively across EY to align on the vision, investment portfolio, and go‑to‑market strategy for the efforts.

Some of the key efforts we expect in the near future consist of:

• Vibe Coding
• Reasoning Models
• AI Evals
• Open Weight models
• Tabular Intelligence (Excel-based)
• Intelligent Web Browsers

The Director will not only develop our capabilities in these areas, collaborating with key leaders in AI&D Consulting, CT, Tax, Assurance, and SaT, but also ensure that these capabilities support our GTM efforts and have demonstrable customer impact.

Essential Functions of the Job

• Portfolio Management: Prioritize a balanced portfolio across key forward-looking AI capabilities including Vibe Coding, Reasoning Models, AI Evals, Open Weight models, Tabular Intelligence (Excel-based), and Intelligent Web Browsers.
• Go‑to‑Market: Collaborate with key service lines and regions to bring some of these capabilities to market in order to drive customer impact.
• Industry Insight: Stay abreast of industry trends and academic advancements to inform innovation and strategic direction.
• Thought Leadership: Represent the company at conferences and forums to promote its AI capabilities and establish thought leadership.

Analytical/Decision Making Responsibilities

The director will address challenges in positioning the company as a leader in advanced AI capabilities, including overcoming internal skepticism and navigating complex client relationships. Strategic decisions will involve identifying high-value use cases, crafting compelling narratives, and aligning initiatives with both client needs and organizational goals.

Knowledge and Skills Requirements

• Experience: 10+ years in consulting/software development with 3+ years stewarding GenAI/LLM portfolios. We are looking for technical insights but not necessarily an engineering manager.
• Leadership: Proven business leadership such as in product leadership or GTM roles, and team management experience.
• Communication & Influence: Exceptional narrative skills; credible with partners, boards, and senior clients.
• Technical Familiarity: Familiarity with AI development tools, frameworks, and methodologies.
• Market & Offer Design: Experience crafting executive buyer narratives, offer constructs, and commercialization models.
• Education: Advanced degree in computer science, AI, or a related field.

Supervision Responsibilities

• Will operate with a high degree of independence, reporting directly to senior management.
• Regular supervisory contact will occur during strategic planning sessions and project reviews.
• Serve as people leader for senior managers/leads across Product/Business Ownership, Engineering, Architecture, and Evaluation/Safety.
• Mentor leaders, set expectations for standards and reuse, and remove executive‑level blockers.

Other Requirements

• Travel: A modicum travel might be expected for key client meetings, industry events, or team collaboration.
• Flexibility: Flexibility in work hours may be necessary to accommodate global client needs and project deadlines.
• Environment: The role involves working in a dynamic environment with evolving technologies and market conditions.

Education

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, or a related field.
• Master’s degree is desirable.

Experience

• A minimum of 15 years of senior leadership experience with a proven track record of driving client engagement and building strategic partnerships in the technology sectors.
• Experience working with or advising clients in the industry is highly desirable.
• The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in managing cross-functional teams, influencing organizational change, and navigating complex client relationships.
• Demonstrated success in elevating a firm's profile in emerging technologies and fostering a culture of innovation is essential.

Certification Requirements

• Relevant AI/ML/Cloud or innovation/strategy certifications are a plus.

What We Offer You

The compensation ranges below are provided in order to comply with United States pay transparency laws. Other geographies will follow their local salary guidelines, which may not be a direct conversion of published US salary ranges.

Compensation

• US General Range: $192,900 to $381,900
• New York City Metro Area, Washington State, and California (excluding Sacramento): $231,400 to $433,900

Individual salaries are determined through factors including education, experience, knowledge, skills, and geography.

Benefits and Culture

• Total Rewards: Medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and wide range of paid time off options.
• Hybrid Model: Expectation for most people in external, client-serving roles to work together in person 40-60% of the time.
• Flexible Vacation Policy: Decide how much vacation time you need based on personal circumstances, plus designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, and Personal/Family Care leaves.
• Development: Future-focused skills training and world-class experiences.

Additional Information

EY focuses on high-ethical standards and integrity and expects all candidates to demonstrate these qualities. EY is an equal opportunity employer (EEO) providing opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or veteran status.

Reasonable Accommodation: EY is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need assistance, please call 1-800-EY-HELP3 (Option 2) or email ssc.customersupport@ey.com.

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Summary

Responsibilities: The Director will prioritize a balanced portfolio across key forward-looking AI capabilities, including Vibe Coding, Reasoning Models, and Intelligent Web Browsers, while collaborating with service lines to bring these capabilities to market for demonstrable customer impact. They must stay abreast of industry trends and represent the company at forums to promote AI capabilities and establish thought leadership.

Requirements: Candidates need 10+ years in consulting/software development with at least 3 years stewarding GenAI/LLM portfolios, alongside proven business leadership and team management experience. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a related technical field is required, along with exceptional communication skills credible with senior stakeholders.