Executive Manager - AI Science, Value & Portfolio (Business & Wealth)

Westpac Bank; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Westpac Banking Corporation seeks a senior, hands-on Data Science leader to connect strategy, delivery and measurable value across AI initiatives in Business Banking & Wealth. You will frame problems, shape an AI portfolio, guide delivery across squads and mentor a growing AI team.

This role turns business priorities into safe, measurable AI outcomes while building capabilities for the long term and embedding responsible AI practices across governance and risk.

Qualifications

• Senior-level Data Science leadership with hands-on delivery in complex, regulated finance.
• Proven ability to frame problems, prioritise AI portfolios and realise measurable benefits.
• Experience building and coaching high-performing AI teams across squads.
• Strong governance, risk, privacy and ethical oversight in AI initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Own the AI portfolio roadmap, capacity planning and measurable benefits with business owners.
• Shape problems, decide approach and evidence of success for each initiative.
• Lead delivery across multiple squads, managing dependencies and trade-offs.
• Evaluate technical trade-offs and collaborate with engineering and risk teams.
• Build and grow an AI science team with clear performance expectations.
• Embed responsible AI including privacy, security, fairness and governance.
• Drive adoption and live outcomes with business owners and monitor value.

Skills

Senior data science leadership

Portfolio strategy

People leadership

AI risk & governance

Cross-functional partnering

Business-aligned delivery

Financial services domain

Job description

We are building a stronger AI Science capability across Business Banking & Wealth and are looking for a senior, hands-on Data Science leader who can connect strategy, delivery and measurable value.

This is not a purely advisory leadership role. You will frame the right problems, shape and prioritise an AI portfolio, guide delivery across squads and remain close enough to the work to make sound solution and trade-off decisions. You will also lead, coach and build a growing team of AI professionals.

This role will turn business priorities into safe, measurable AI outcomes, while building the team that will make it happen.

Responsibilities

• Own the portfolio AI roadmap, capacity plan, commitments and measurable benefits in partnership with business owners and AI Enablement leads.
• Shape problems and decide the solution approach, success evidence and whether work should continue, pivot or stop.
• Lead delivery across multiple squads, managing dependencies and escalating material portfolio trade-offs.
• Judge technical trade-offs and work closely with the Craft Executive Manager, engineering reviewers, Technology and Operations.
• Build, lead and develop a high-performing AI Science team, setting clear expectations for performance, growth and technical leadership.
• Embed responsible AI from the outset, including privacy, security, fairness, approved data, least-privilege access, auditability, human oversight and safe fallback.
• Own adoption, benefits and live outcomes with business owners, acting on drift, incidents or weak value.

Essential skills & experience

• Significant senior-level, hands‑on Data Science expertise gained in complex, highly regulated financial services environments.
• Deep practical experience taking predictive, generative and agentic AI solutions from problem framing through delivery, deployment, monitoring and lifecycle management.
• Strong portfolio strategy, prioritisation and value‑realisation capability, with the judgement to balance customer, commercial, delivery and risk outcomes.
• Demonstrated people leadership, including building teams, coaching senior practitioners and creating an inclusive environment where different perspectives improve decisions.
• Executive-level influence and the ability to partner credibly across Business, Risk, Product, Technology and Operations.
• Strong understanding of AI risk, model stability, fairness, governance and human oversight in consequential decision‑making.
• Business lending and wealth domain experience.

Importantly, you will help shape an important AI portfolio with real visibility, real accountability and the opportunity to build capability for the long term. You will work across business and technology boundaries to improve customer and banker experiences, strengthen control and turn ambitious ideas into measurable outcomes.

We’re all about creating a supportive and inclusive community. We welcome everyone – no matter your age, gender, background, or abilities. We also provide added support to welcome our veterans, Indigenous Australians, and neurodiverse community.

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, you can find out more information and additional contact details by visiting the "People with Disability and/or needing Accessibility Requirements"page on ourwebsite.