Senior Data & AI Governance Specialist

Xero; Wellington; Remote; NZD 160,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Xero in New Zealand seeks a Senior Data & AI Governance Specialist to shape how we treat data as a strategic asset and govern AI responsibly. You will work with teams across the company to design pragmatic governance, addressing bias, transparency, and explainability, and enable safe experimentation.

You will advise decision-makers on guardrails and help scale guidance, education, and adoption across Xero’s data & AI initiatives.

Qualifications

• Experience building stewardship models and governance forums.
• Hands-on AI governance with ethical, regulatory challenges.
• Bridge policy and technical implementation with engineers.
• Translate regulatory requirements into clear guidance.
• Familiarity with GDPR, EU AI Act, CCPA and ISO/SOC2.

Responsibilities

• Evolve governance frameworks enabling responsible data use.
• Translate governance policies into practical, scalable guidance.
• Deliver high-impact literacy programs on data and AI.
• Collaborate with Regulatory, Privacy, Risk to stay ahead of laws.

Skills

Data governance

AI governance

Policy translation

Data architecture

Data quality

Stakeholder communication

Job description

The role and its impact

Xero is trusted by millions of small businesses and their advisors around the world. As a Senior Data & AI Governance Specialist, you will help shape how we manage data as a strategic asset and govern AI responsibly, so our teams can innovate with confidence and our customers can continue to trust us with what matters most. Reporting to the Director of Data & AI Governance, you will move well beyond traditional compliance to provide hands‑on enablement services that bridge the gap between policy and practice.

This is a role where you will partner with teams across the business to co‑design pragmatic data and AI governance approaches that tackle real‑world challenges like bias, transparency, and explainability. You will advise decision‑makers on where to set governance guardrails so that Xero teams are empowered to experiment and build safely, consistent with our Responsible Data Use Commitments.

The team and how they connect

You will join the Data & AI Governance team, which sits within Xero's Legal function. The team works closely with Product, Privacy, Security, Regulatory, Risk, and Government Relations to ensure data and AI practices across the business are robust, responsible, and deliver customer trust. Together, you will build governance that is both rigorous and genuinely useful for the teams relying on it.

Initially, the role will focus on

• Evolving Xero's privacy, data and AI governance frameworks to enable rapid, responsible data use and AI adoption and deployment across the business
• Partnering with cross‑functional teams to translate governance policies and requirements into practical, user‑friendly guidance at scale and support their adoption
• Delivering high‑impact literacy programmes and tailored educational resources that uplift data and AI capability across Xero
• Working with Regulatory, Privacy, and Risk functions to keep Xero ahead of evolving legislation and customer expectations in the data and AI space

Where and how you can work

This role is open to candidates based in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, or Wellington, with fully remote working also available for candidates within three hours of the AEST time zone across Australia and New Zealand. Xero offers flexible and hybrid working arrangements. For hybrid team members, our boost days bring the team together in person for connection and collaborative work, with the rest of the week flexible to suit how you work best.

Here are some of the things we’re looking for

• You bring deep knowledge of data governance frameworks and practices, including experience setting up stewardship models, governance forums, and supporting tooling such as data catalogues and data quality platforms
• Your recent hands‑on experience in AI governance means you can confidently understand AI systems, and navigate the ethical, regulatory, and operational challenges of responsible AI at scale
• You have worked with engineers and other technical experts, giving you technical depth in areas like data architecture, quality and lineage and hands on experience bridging policy and technical implementation
• Translating complex regulatory and policy requirements into clear, actionable guidance for diverse audiences is something you do well and enjoy - you are comfortable explaining governance concepts to technical SMEs, and technical concepts to policy stakeholders
• Colleagues describe you as someone who builds trust quickly, communicates with clarity, and has the courage to raise and work through difficult topics
• Familiarity with regulations such as GDPR, the EU AI Act, and CCPA, and certification frameworks such as ISO 27001/SOC2 strengthens your approach to governance design
• A growth mindset and a genuine drive to Go Further means you are always looking for ways to automate, improve, and share what you learn with the people around you