Director, AI Vendor Evaluation & Platform Governance

Sidley Austin LLP; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 264,000; Full time

Job summary

Sidley Austin LLP seeks an Associate Director to lead the evaluation, selection, and ongoing governance of AI tools and platforms across the firm. You will partner with IT, Information Security, Risk, General Counsel, Procurement, and practice groups to align technology decisions with business needs and risk considerations.

The role focuses on developing structured assessment frameworks, monitoring vendor performance, and guiding deployment of AI solutions while maintaining compliance and data

Qualifications

• 8+ years in product management, technology evaluation, or similar roles.
• Experience evaluating, piloting, or procuring AI/enterprise software.
• Experience managing enterprise software platforms and license governance.
• Familiarity with legal AI tools and general-purpose platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead evaluation and selection of legal and general-purpose AI tools with frameworks and scoring.
• Oversee AI vendor relationships, performance, roadmaps, and contractual obligations.
• Manage rollout and governance of AI platforms in partnership with IT and stakeholders.
• Provide recommendations on AI products based on requirements, market trends, and risk.
• Coordinate procurement, security review, data protection, and deployment requirements.

Skills

Vendor management

AI tools evaluation

Product management

Stakeholder communication

Leadership

Team mentoring

Negotiations

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Sidley Austin LLP seeks an Associate Director to lead the evaluation, selection, and ongoing governance of AI tools and platforms across the firm. You will partner with IT, Information Security, Risk, General Counsel, Procurement, and practice groups to align technology decisions with business needs and risk considerations.

The role focuses on developing structured assessment frameworks, monitoring vendor performance, and guiding deployment of AI solutions while maintaining compliance and data