AI Governance and Risk Manager

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP; Camden Town; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international law firm is seeking an experienced professional to manage AI risk governance initiatives. The role includes developing standards, mapping AI use cases, and monitoring regulatory developments. Ideal candidates will have over 5 years in risk management or compliance in regulated sectors. This position offers an inclusive culture and the chance to innovate in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in risk, governance, or compliance related to AI or digital platforms.
• Working knowledge of AI standards and regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to liaise effectively across teams.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Risk in developing AI governance standards.
• Map internal AI use cases to risk controls.
• Monitor regulatory and legal developments related to AI.

Skills

Risk management

Governance

Compliance

AI standards knowledge

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Responsibilities

• Supporting the Head of Risk, Digital Legal Delivery and Gen AI in developing, maintaining, and operationalising the firm's AI governance standards, framework and policies.
• Supporting the process of embedding of the firm's AI risk register into the broader enterprise risk register and coordinating with other risk owners at the firm to ensure a holistic, practical, and actionable AI risk register.
• Supporting the development, monitoring and auditing of the firm's AI inventory.
• Mapping internal AI use cases to risk controls, escalation paths, and assurance processes.
• Proactively identifying risks which may arise in business functions / Digital projects and ensuring that they are appropriately addressed.
• Supporting the Head of Risk, Digital Legal Delivery and Gen AI in the running of the firm's cross-functional AI risk committee.
• Supporting due diligence and ongoing review processes for AI tools and platforms used by the firm, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and firm risk appetite.
• Leading the development and rollout of standardised toolkits (impact assessments, checklists, decision trees) for AI risk identification/scoring in business and legal functions and driving documentation standards for AI use cases-audit trails, decision logs, model documentation.
• Facilitating a community of practice for "AI risk champions" across practice groups, business services and offices.
• Supporting drafting, coordinating, and quality-checking responses to client and regulatory RFIs on AI governance, policies and assurance.
• Supporting teams working on GenAI-related issues to effectively navigate GenAI risks - providing clear advice and recommendations and proposing appropriate approaches / mitigating actions that would enable progress.
• Monitoring regulatory, legal, and ethical developments related to AI, and translating these into actionable guidance for the firm.
• Developing, promoting and advising internally on internal risk management issues and policies.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in risk, governance, or compliance relating to AI or digital platforms, ideally in a regulated, client-facing sector (legal, finance, consulting).
• Working knowledge of AI standards and regulatory frameworks.
• Track record of translating abstract regulatory requirements into actionable internal frameworks.
• Excellent interpersonal skills - the person will liaise with both lawyers and business services groups, in each case at all levels of seniority and from all HSF offices, and should be confident to challenge as appropriate.

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.

As a leading international law firm, known for our insight and diverse perspectives, we have a track record of being first-movers in delivering our services more innovatively and efficiently - and taking advantage of the opportunities created by technology.

Our multidisciplinary Digital Legal Delivery team brings together law, process design and technology expertise to support our clients in navigating these changing landscapes and meet their evolving needs. The team draws on long-established pools of expertise from across the firm - in legal operations and transformation, alternative legal services, and emerging technology. From enhancing legal delivery, to optimising the use of established technology for our clients, to evolving our tech portfolio for the future, our wide-ranging capabilities complement the firm's broader offering. Working with colleagues across the firm, Digital Legal Delivery helps our clients to seize new opportunities and concentrate on their most strategic challenges. We are continually horizon-scanning, investing and innovating so we stay ahead - and so our clients can, too.