Director, AI Tech Lead - PGIM Technology (Hybrid - Newark, NJ)

Prudential Financial; The Ironbound (NJ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

401(k) Plan with Company Match

Pension Plan

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Prudential Financial, through PGIM, seeks a Director, AI Technical Lead to drive enterprise AI initiatives end-to-end. You will identify, prioritize, and scale high-value AI use cases, align AI efforts with business outcomes, and govern programs across data, engineering, cyber, legal, and business teams.

The role emphasizes translating opportunities into scalable AI solutions, establishing an enterprise AI pipeline, and delivering measurable value through disciplined governance and execution.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in program management, technology delivery, or strategic initiatives with AI/digital transformation.
• Proven experience delivering cross-functional enterprise programs with measurable business outcomes.
• Strong understanding of AI/ML concepts, generative AI, and data platforms (fluency expected, not hands-on modeling).

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end AI programs from concept to production, including pilots, scaling, and adoption.
• Establish and run program governance with steering committees, status reporting, and risk/issue management.
• Coordinate across data, engineering, architecture, cyber, legal/compliance, and business teams to ensure successful execution.
• Track and report realized value (cost savings, productivity gains, revenue enablement, risk reduction).

Skills

AI Strategy

Program Management

Stakeholder Management

Enterprise AI

Job description

Job Classification: Technology - Engineering & Cloud PGIM is seeking a strategic and execution-focused Director, AI Technical Lead to lead the end-to-end delivery of enterprise AI initiatives across PGIM Technology and business partners. This role will focus on identifying, prioritizing, and scaling high-value AI use cases, ensuring alignment to business outcomes, and driving measurable impact through disciplined program governance and execution. The ideal candidate blends business acumen, AI fluency, and strong program leadership to translate opportunities into scalable solutions.

What You Will Do:

• AI Strategy Execution & Use Case Development
• Partner with business leaders (investments, operations, distribution, risk) to identify and prioritize AI use cases aligned to strategic objectives
• Translate business problems into clear AI opportunities, including value hypotheses, feasibility, and implementation roadmaps
• Build and maintain an enterprise AI use case pipeline, including prioritization based on ROI, complexity, and scalability
• Define success criteria, KPIs, and business outcomes for each initiative
• End-to-End AI Program Management
• Lead the delivery of AI programs from concept to production, including pilots, scaling, and adoption
• Establish and run program governance, including steering committees, status reporting, and risk/issue management
• Coordinate across data, engineering, architecture, cyber, legal/compliance, and business teams to ensure successful execution
• Manage dependencies across concurrent AI initiatives and ensure alignment to enterprise technology strategy
• Business Engagement & Value Realization
• Act as the primary interface between business stakeholders and technology teams for AI initiatives
• Ensure solutions are business-led and outcome-driven, not technology-led experiments
• Track and report realized value (cost savings, productivity gains, revenue enablement, risk reduction)
• Drive adoption and integration into business workflows to ensure sustained impact
• AI Productization & Scaling
• Transition successful pilots into scaled, production-grade AI solutions
• Partner with architecture and engineering to ensure solutions are secure, compliant, reusable, and integrated into enterprise platforms
• Promote standardization through reusable components, patterns, and AI capabilities (e.g., copilots, knowledge assistants, automation frameworks)
• Governance, Risk & Responsible AI
• Ensure all AI initiatives adhere to enterprise governance, model risk management, and regulatory expectations
• Partner with Risk, Legal, and Compliance teams to implement responsible AI practices
• Establish controls for data usage, model transparency, and monitoring
• Executive Reporting & Communication
• Provide clear, concise executive reporting on AI portfolio progress, risks, and outcomes
• Develop materials for senior leadership, including CTO, business heads, and executive committees
• Highlight key decisions, trade-offs, and investment priorities

What You Will Bring

• 10+ years of experience in program management, technology delivery, or strategic initiatives, with a strong focus on AI, data, or digital transformation
• Proven experience delivering cross-functional enterprise programs with measurable business outcomes
• Strong understanding of AI/ML concepts, generative AI, and data platforms (not hands‑on modeling required, but fluency expected)
• Experience working in or with asset management, financial services, or regulated industries
• Demonstrated ability to translate business needs into technology solutions
• Strong stakeholder management skills with experience engaging senior executives
• Structured, disciplined approach to governance, prioritization, and execution
• Ability to operate in a matrixed, global organization

What Sets This Role Apart

• Direct impact on PGIM’s enterprise AI agenda and business transformation
• Ownership of a high-visibility portfolio of AI initiatives tied to measurable outcomes
• Opportunity to shape how AI is embedded into investment, operations, and client workflows

What we offer you:

• Market competitive base salaries, with a yearly bonus potential at every level.
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, Paid Time Off (PTO), and leave of absences, such as parental and military leave.
• 401(k) plan with company match (up to 4%).
• Company-funded pension plan.
• Wellness Programs including up to $1,600 a year for reimbursement of items purchased to support personal wellbeing needs.
• Work/Life Resources to help support topics such as parenting, housing, senior care, finances, pets, legal matters, education, emotional and mental health, and career development.
• Education Benefit to help finance traditional college enrollment toward obtaining an approved degree and many accredited certificate programs.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan: Shares can be purchased at 85% of the lower of two prices (Beginning or End of the purchase period).
• Eligibility to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program is subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.
• To find out more about our Total Rewards package, visit Work Life Balance | Prudential Careers.
• Some of the above benefits may not apply to part‑time employees scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week.

Prudential Financial, Inc. of the United States is not affiliated with Prudential plc. which is headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Prudential is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetics, disability, marital status, age, veteran status, domestic partner status, medical condition or any other characteristic protected by law.

To maintain the integrity and security of our hiring process, Prudential may use identity verification technologies. Your consent will be obtained before any verification takes place.

If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please email [e-mail].

If you are experiencing a technical issue with your application or an assessment, please email [e-mail] to request assistance.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a global financial services leader and premier active global investment manager with approximately $1.4 trillion in assets under management as of Dec. 31, 2023, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Prudential’s diverse and talented employees help make lives better and create financial opportunity for more people by expanding access to investing, insurance, and retirement security.

Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for 150 years.

For more information please visit news.prudential.com.

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace Prudential Financial, Inc. serves its customers in more than 40 countries and territories, and we seek talented, creative individuals from a variety of backgrounds, worldviews, and life circumstances to work with us. We are focused on creating a fully inclusive culture, where all employees feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work. We don’t just accept difference—we celebrate it, support it, and thrive on it. At Prudential, employees have a unique opportunity to build their career path by owning their development, their career, and their future. We encourage employees to hone their skills and explore continued opportunities within Prudential.

PGIM, the global asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), is a global investment manager with US $1.3 trillion in assets under management as of Dec. 31, 2023. With offices in 18 countries, PGIM’s businesses offer a range of investment solutions for retail and institutional investors around the world across a broad range of asset classes, including public fixed income, private fixed income, fundamental equity, quantitative equity, real estate, and alternatives.

For more information about PGIM, visit pgim.com.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI) of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom, or with Prudential Assurance Company, a subsidiary of M&G plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom.

For more information please visit news.prudential.com.

PGIM Inc. (PGIM) is the principal asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), a company incorporated and with its principal place of business in the United States. PFI of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom or with Prudential Assurance Company, a subsidiary of M&G plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom.