About this role:

Wells Fargo is seeking a Senior Lead Enterprise Risk Officer / Executive Director within the Model Risk Management (MRM) Governance organization to serve as the enterprise owner of the Artificial Intelligence Risk Technology Management Policy and Program.

This role is designed for a senior AI Governance leader who will provide enterprise-level vision, structure, and oversight for how artificial intelligence is governed across the firm. The Senior Lead Enterprise Risk Officer / Executive Director will own the design, implementation, and evolution of the enterprise AI governance framework, ensuring the organization maintains a scalable, compliant, and future-ready foundation for AI adoption and usage.

The leader will drive the governance, risk, and control framework for AI and emerging technologies, with accountability for Technology Model Risk Management (MRM) policies, standards, and procedures.

This role will oversee risk governance across the AI model lifecycle, from development and deployment through ongoing monitoring, while ensuring risk management practices and controls are effectively embedded within the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in AI governance, technology risk management, model risk management, policy ownership, and regulatory compliance, with experience influencing senior executives and leading cross-functional initiatives across technology, risk, and business teams.

In this role, you will:
Enterprise AI Governance Vision & Program Architecture

• Architect and shape the AI Risk Management Program from a strategic perspective, defining the overarching framework, standards, controls, and oversight mechanisms that govern AI usage across the enterprise.

• Establish a clear AI lifecycle governance operating model that aligns AI intake, assessment, design, development, testing, deployment, monitoring, change management, and retirement with enterprise SDLC and technology risk processes.

• Ensure the governance program is scalable, sustainable, and adaptable to evolving technologies, regulatory expectations, and business strategies.

Policy Ownership and Governance Accountability

• Serve as the enterprise owner of the Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Policy and support procedures and guidance, maintaining accountability for clarity, consistency, and compliance.

• Translate regulatory expectations and enterprise risk principles into policy guardrails and governance standards.

• Ensure policy intent is clearly understood and consistently applied across lines of business, while allowing flexibility for risk‑based implementation.

Governance Controls, Standards, and Best Practices

• Define AI governance controls and best practices across the AI lifecycle, including documentation, testing, approvals, deployment readiness, monitoring, issue management, post-deployment review, change management, and decommissioning.

• Ensure leadership receives clear, executive‑ready insights into AI risk exposure, governance effectiveness, emerging risks, and systemic issues.

• Establish decision frameworks and escalation paths that guide how AI risks are evaluated, challenged, accepted, or remediated at the enterprise level.

• Oversee the effectiveness of governance controls through structured oversight, reporting, and review mechanisms.

Strategic Leadership, Alignment, and Advisory

• Assemble, engage, and align the appropriate execution teams and stakeholders, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and accountability across the AI governance ecosystem.

• Provide strategic guidance and planning support to help the organization navigate AI risk, compliance obligations, and responsible AI practices.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, offering informed perspectives on industry trends and peer practices, regulatory developments related to AI and model risk, and enterprise-level AI guardrails and risk tolerance.

• Represent the AI Risk Management and AIRR Program in enterprise governance forums, audits, and regulatory readiness activities.

• Partner across Technology, Information Security, Data Management, Risk, Compliance, Legal, and business teams to align AI governance requirements with enterprise delivery, deployment, production support, and risk management practices.

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of Risk Management experience (Compliance, Financial Crimes, Operational Risk, Audit, Legal, Credit Risk, Market Risk, IT Systems Security, Business Process Management) or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education

Desired Qualifications:

• Deep expertise in AI Governance, AI Risk Management Technology Risk Management, and Model Risk Management.

• Recognized expertise in enterprise technology risk frameworks, SDLC governance, deployment readiness, or production risk management.

• Demonstrated experience designing and owning enterprise AI and Model governance programs or policies.

• Deep understanding of regulatory expectations, industry standards, and emerging practices related to AI and model risk.

• Strong ability to advise senior executives, influence cross-enterprise stakeholders, and drive alignment on complex governance and risk decisions.

• Ability to synthesize complex information into clear, actionable leadership reporting, including risks of non‑compliance.

• Bachelor’s degree (BS/BA) or higher.

Job Expectations:

• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time.

• This position offers a hybrid work schedule.

• Willingness to work onsite at the location listed on the job posting.

Job Locations:

• Three Wells Fargo Center, 401 S Tryon St, CHARLOTTE, NC

• 600 Wells Fargo, MINNEAPOLIS, MN

• Las Colinas Bldg B, Irving Campus, IRVING, TX

• West Des Moines Campus, 800 S Jordan Creek Pkwy, WEST DES MOINES, IA

Pay Range

Reflected is the base pay range offered for this position. Pay may vary depending on factors including but not limited to demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities.

$159,000.00 - $279,000.00

Posting End Date:

9 Aug 2026

*Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

We Value Equal Opportunity

Wells Fargo is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Employees support our focus on building strong customer relationships balanced with a strong risk mitigating and compliance-driven culture which firmly establishes those disciplines as critical to the success of our customers and company. They are accountable for execution of all applicable risk programs (Credit, Market, Financial Crimes, Operational, Regulatory Compliance), which includes effectively following and adhering to applicable Wells Fargo policies and procedures, appropriately fulfilling risk and compliance obligations, timely and effective escalation and remediation of issues, and making sound risk decisions. There is emphasis on proactive monitoring, governance, risk identification and escalation, as well as making sound risk decisions commensurate with the business unit’s risk appetite and all risk and compliance program requirements.

Applicants with Disabilities

To request a medical accommodation during the application or interview process, visit Disability Inclusion at Wells Fargo.

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Wells Fargo maintains a drug free workplace. Please see our Drug and Alcohol Policy to learn more.

Wells Fargo Recruitment and Hiring Requirements:

a. Third-Party recordings are prohibited unless authorized by Wells Fargo.

b. Wells Fargo requires you to directly represent your own experiences during the recruiting and hiring process.