Director, AI Governance & Risk

The Director, AI Governance & Risk will play a key role in maturing, implementing, and overseeing Simpson Thacher’s AI governance framework, policies and controls to ensure responsible, ethical, secure and compliant use of artificial intelligence. This role will report to the Chief Risk Officer and will be part of a multi-disciplinary team focused on accelerating the adoption of appropriate AI tools and technologies across the Firm. The Director will bridge legal, risk, compliance, technology & business teams to manage AI-related risks across the full AI lifecycle – from ideation and development to deployment and monitoring. As a senior leaderThe Director will lead Firm-wide AI governance initiatives, align AI practices with regulatory requirements and industry standards, and serve as a key advisor to Partners and Senior Leadership on AI risk, ethics and controls. Role & Responsibilities: Develop, implement and maintain a comprehensive AI governance framework, including policies, standards, controls and operation procedures Establish governance processes for evaluating AI use cases, the selection of appropriate tools and technologies, assessing technology developments and vendor due diligence Define AI risk tiers and approval pathways based on materiality, impact, and regulatory exposure Ensure data and information governance aligns, enables and supports the adoption of AI tools and technologies Support the development and enhancement of AI user capability across the Firm, including the development of appropriate training for lawyers, professional staff and leaders Identify, assess and mitigate AI-related risks, including data privacy, cybersecurity, and third party/vendor risk Partner with the Office of General Counsel, Information Security, Information Governance and Knowledge & Innovation teams to integrate AI risks in existing risk frameworks Design and oversee AI-related risk assessments, impact assessments and control testing Monitor and interpret global AI-related regulation standards and ensure AI systems and practices comply with applicable laws, regulations and internal policies Lead the Firm’s responsible AI principles and ethical guidelines Serve as a trusted advisor to Partners and Senior Leadership on AI risk and governance matters Drive AI governance awareness and training across the Firm Promote a culture of responsible AI use and accountability Education JD required Skills & Required Experience Qualified lawyer, with 6-10 years of practicing experience at an international law firm Minimum 2-5 years of relevant experience in AI, risk and compliance Strategic thinking with strong execution capability Regulatory interpretation and policy development [end to end program management, establishing governance model, etc. Demonstrated experience designing, managing, and executing large-scale, firm-wide projects Cross-functional leadership and excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influen