Associate Vice President, Agentic Software Development

Description

The role leads the enterprise AI engineering capability across Canada and the U.S., owning strategy, operating model, platforms, standards, governance, investment, adoption and measurable business results across CIO portfolios.

It sets the multi-year vision and roadmap for AI-enabled software engineering, turning enterprise strategy into funded plans, delivery commitments and lasting operating capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Hold formal decision authority over AI-enabled SDLC and PDLC: set, approve and enforce engineering standards, reference architectures, controls, tooling requirements and governance practices.
• Approve exceptions or direct remediation so work aligns with required standards, risk appetite and target-state architecture.
• Own the design, build, scaling, reliability, security and lifecycle of shared AI engineering platforms, products, tools and reusable capabilities, run as durable enterprise services rather than temporary adoption efforts.
• Own the enterprise Test Data Management capability: platform strategy, service model, data provisioning, synthetic data, protection of sensitive information, environment integration, lifecycle, and alignment with data, privacy, security and regulatory requirements.
• Own the enterprise Quality Engineering tooling strategy: test automation, quality orchestration, performance and non-functional testing, workflow integrations, platform reliability, adoption, tool rationalization, and measurable gains in software quality and delivery efficiency.
• Own the enterprise design tooling capability for product, experience and solution design: platform strategy, practitioner workflows, collaboration, design-to-engineering integration, reusable assets, governance, accessibility and lifecycle.
• Be directly accountable for the enterprise investment portfolio: annual planning, business cases, funding, prioritization, vendor strategy, commercial commitments, benefits realization and corrective action.
• Make enterprise trade-offs across cost, speed, quality, security, resilience and risk, resolve cross-portfolio conflicts and dependencies, and set sequencing and resource allocation within the approved mandate and funding.
• Own delivery of defined enterprise outcomes such as developer productivity, delivery speed, software quality, security, resilience, developer experience, platform reuse and retirement of legacy or fragmented tooling. Set baselines, targets and executive scorecards, and step in when outcomes slip.
• Find and remove structural barriers to modernization, including legacy platforms, duplicated investment, fragmented tooling, inconsistent practices and unclear ownership. Direct remediation plans and hold owners to agreed milestones.
• Act as the senior authority and escalation point for AI engineering decisions, advising and challenging CIO, Architecture, Cybersecurity, Risk and Control leaders on material technology, investment and risk matters.
• Lead a multidisciplinary organization and a matrixed network across engineering, product, architecture, data, cybersecurity, risk, vendor and change teams.
• Build and sustain the leadership, technical talent and capacity needed for the mandate, including organization design, workforce planning, succession, performance, capability development and vendor mix.
• Represent the capability in executive governance forums and report transparently on investment, delivery, risk, adoption and benefits.

Requirements

• A university degree in computer science, engineering, business or a related field. An advanced degree is an asset.
• 15+ years of progressive technology leadership, including enterprise engineering, platform ownership, AI transformation and large-scale delivery in a complex regulated setting.
• A track record of running an enterprise capability and a significant investment portfolio, with measurable outcomes across several portfolios or business lines.
• Proven ability to set enterprise standards, governance, architecture direction and control practices, make high-impact trade-offs and settle complex cross-enterprise conflicts.
• Deep knowledge of PDLC and SDLC, modern software engineering, DevSecOps, cloud platforms, AI-enabled development, quality engineering, cybersecurity, resilience and technology risk.
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary organizations and matrixed delivery networks, including responsibility for workforce strategy, senior talent, vendors and sustained performance.
• Strong financial and commercial skills: portfolio planning, business cases, funding allocation, benefits realization, vendor selection and contract performance.
• Executive communication and influence, with the judgment and credibility to advise and challenge CIO, CTO, Architecture, Cybersecurity, Risk and Control leaders.
• Experience in a large, regulated financial institution and solid knowledge of technology risk, regulatory and control expectations.

Conditions

Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Full-time, with 5 days in the office per week.

Part of the Technology Solutions line of business.

Base salary range of $160,000 to $200,000 CAD.

Pay within the range depends on skills, experience, job knowledge, location and business needs. Candidates may ask the recruiter about compensation.

Provincial regulations may apply to employment for this role, and requirements vary by province or territory in Canada.

Benefits

• Total rewards include base salary, variable compensation, health and well-being benefits, savings and retirement plans, paid time off, banking benefits and discounts, career development, and recognition programs.
• Regular career and performance conversations with your manager, access to an online learning platform and mentoring programs.
• Training and onboarding sessions to help you get started in the role.