Director, Innovation

Opportunity

Leadership and innovation responsibilities

• Manage and mentor a team, its workflow, projects, policies, KPIs, security protocols, and conduct.
• Develop and execute CIRO’s innovation mandate, projects, and annual priorities.
• Lead InnovateSafe proposal assessment, testing design and conditions, ongoing test oversight, and stakeholder coordination.
• Engage members, innovators, regulators, and other stakeholders on emerging ideas, technologies, business models, and barriers.
• Assess emerging risks and opportunities; research regulatory and industry developments and provide actionable recommendations.
• Monitor trends and best practices, and measure innovation impact using KPIs and communication mechanisms.

AI and automation leadership

• Own the AI & Automation Centre of Excellence roadmap, operating model, and evolution.
• Oversee intake, prioritization, risk screening, and oversight routing for AI and automation use cases.
• Advance high-value AI and automation opportunities and monitor adoption, outcomes, risks, benefits, and realized value.

Must-have qualifications

• At least 10 years of relevant investment industry and/or investment regulation experience, including strategic development and management of organization-wide regulatory initiatives.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Strong understanding of technology and infrastructure, including AI, cloud and edge computing, digital assets, blockchain, and distributed ledger technologies.
• Experience establishing, leading, or maturing Centres of Excellence and driving adoption, measurable outcomes, and organizational value.
• Strong understanding of organizational AI and automation applications, opportunities, limitations, risks, and governance; deep technical expertise is not required.
• Demonstrated curiosity, stakeholder engagement, team leadership, and ability to deliver multiple complex or transformational projects.

Nice-to-have qualifications

• Experience with regulatory sandboxes, innovation programs, fintech, or novel products, technologies, or business models.
• Experience delivering transformations involving AI, digital assets, blockchain, or distributed ledger technologies.
• Project management experience; programming exposure such as Python, Jupyter notebooks, or SQL; CPA/CFA designation; or data science, IT, or business analytics certifications.

Compensation

• Hiring range is CAD 150,000–165,000; placement depends on knowledge, skills, education, training, experience, market conditions, and internal equity.
• Competitive base salary and performance-based bonus are offered.

Workplace and benefits

• The employer describes the work environment as hybrid.
• Benefits include health coverage, spending account, matched defined-contribution pension, paid leave, vacation, and continuing learning; some offerings do not apply to contracts.

About CIRO