Senior Advisor, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy and Governance

About CMHC

The work you do and the work we do together matters. We come to work every day with a common purpose: to contribute to a well-functioning housing system.

At CMHC, we hold ourselves accountable for our results and support our colleagues in their achievements. We thrive on collaboration, connecting across CMHC and involving the right people to get our work done. Our leadership style is guided by trust, where our leaders favour an adaptive approach based on the needs of their teams.

Join us and be part of a team that's committed to making a real difference and be part of something meaningful.

What’s in it for you

We’ve got the purpose, the people and the perks you need for a fulfilling career. Here’s the comprehensive and generous benefits you get when you’re a permanent employee:

• Annual Paid vacation.
• Annual individual performance incentive.
• Defined benefit pension plan.
• Comprehensive group insurance plan to support your well-being from day one.
• Support towards your personal and professional growth with training, mentorship and more. 
• An inclusive workplace culture and environment.

About the role

Join the Information Technology team, in the Senior Advisor, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy and Governance position. This role serves as the organization's leading authority and enterprise subject matter expert on artificial intelligence, providing enterprise-wide strategic leadership, expert advice, and governance oversight to ensure the responsible, effective, and value-driven adoption of AI capabilities that support organizational priorities, business transformation, and innovation.

The role is accountable for establishing and continuously evolving the organization's AI vision, governance framework, policies, standards, and strategic roadmap. As a trusted advisor to the Executive Leadership Team and senior business leaders, the incumbent ensures AI initiatives align with corporate objectives, regulatory requirements, risk management principles, ethical standards, and emerging industry practices.

Through recognized expertise, thought leadership, and strategic influence, the Senior Advisor shapes enterprise decisions related to AI adoption, innovation, governance, and risk management, driving outcomes that enhance organizational performance, operational effectiveness, customer experience, and long-term business value.

What you’ll do:

Strategic Advice and Guidance

• Serve as the organization's principal advisor on AI strategy, governance, risk, and emerging technologies, providing trusted guidance to executives, senior leaders, and governance committees.
• Influence strategic decision-making by assessing emerging trends, regulatory developments, market practices, and technological advancements.
• Lead the development of long-term AI strategies that support organizational priorities and business objectives.
• Represent the organization as an authoritative voice on AI-related matters, promoting informed decision-making internally and externally.

Enterprise AI Strategy, Governance and Policy Leadership

• Establish, evolve, and maintain the enterprise AI governance framework, including policies, standards, principles, controls, and oversight mechanisms.
• Define the strategic direction and operating principles for responsible AI adoption, ensuring ethical use, transparency, accountability, security, privacy, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead the development of governance structures and decision-making processes supporting AI initiatives.
• Establish enterprise measures, performance indicators, and maturity assessments to evaluate AI capability and effectiveness.
• Ensure alignment between AI governance practices and enterprise risk management, cybersecurity, privacy, compliance, and legal requirements.

Business Strategy and Relationship Management

• Build and sustain strategic relationships with executives, business leaders, technology teams, risk partners, and external stakeholders to advance the organization's AI agenda.
• Partner with business areas to identify and prioritize AI opportunities, investments, and initiatives that deliver sustainable business value and align with organizational objectives.
• Act as a trusted advisor on AI-enabled business transformation initiatives, providing guidance on strategic direction, governance requirements, and risk considerations.
• Drive stakeholder alignment and promote the adoption of responsible AI practices across the enterprise.

Enterprise Capability Development

• Serve as the organization's recognized AI thought leader, providing strategic advice to senior leaders, governance bodies, and key stakeholders.
• Monitor emerging technologies, industry trends, regulatory developments, and best practices to inform enterprise AI strategy and decision-making.
• Lead enterprise-wide discussions on AI opportunities, risks, and future capabilities to advance organizational priorities.
• Foster AI adoption, knowledge sharing, and capability development across the organization.

What you should have:

• An undergraduate degree in related field such as Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Information Technology. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered.

• A minimum of 13 years’ experience in artificial intelligence, data and analytics, technology strategy, digital transformation, governance, risk management, or a related field.
• Expert knowledge and understanding of artificial intelligence technologies, machine learning, generative AI, large language models, automation, and emerging digital technologies.
• Deep knowledge of AI governance frameworks, responsible AI principles, AI lifecycle management, and regulatory requirements related to AI, privacy, data protection, and ethical technology use.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of enterprise risk management, cybersecurity, privacy, compliance, information management, and governance practices as they relate to AI adoption and oversight.
• Expert knowledge of strategic planning, policy development, organizational transformation, and enterprise governance frameworks.
• Extensive knowledge of industry trends, emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and leading practices related to artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
• A demonstrated experience developing enterprise-wide strategies, policies, standards, frameworks, and governance models that have significant organizational impact.
• Experience advising executive leadership teams, governance committees, and senior stakeholders on highly complex strategic, operational, and risk-related matters.
• Expertise in articulating sensitive and highly complex messages as well as mission-critical information, selecting the appropriate message for target audiences.
• The ability to resolve highly complex, ambiguous, and enterprise-wide issues involving competing priorities, significant risk considerations, and multiple stakeholder interests.
• The ability to establish and maintain effective and trusted relationships with executive leaders, regulators, external partners, industry groups, and other key stakeholders.
• Superior oral and written communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to make persuasive and clear presentations of ideas that influence executive decisions and gain acceptance of strategic proposals and plans.
• A proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive enterprise-wide alignment on strategic priorities, governance requirements, and organizational objectives.
• Bilingual (French and English).

It would be great if you also had:

• A Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computer Science, Business Administration (MBA), Public Policy, Risk Management, or a related discipline.
• A professional certifications in AI, data governance, cybersecurity, risk management, enterprise architecture, or project/program management would be considered an asset.

Posting closing date: Note, the competition will remain active until filled. 

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion 

We’re committed to employment equity and encourage women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, veterans and persons of all races, ethnicities, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities and expressions to apply. We also welcome applications from non-Canadians who are eligible to work in Canada.

CMHC is an inclusive workplace where diversity of thought – and of people – are recognized, valued, and considered essential to achieving our mission.

Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion 

What happens after you apply 

We know that applying for a new job can be both exciting and daunting, and we appreciate your effort. Learn more about our hiring process.  If you are selected for an interview or testing, please advise us if you require an accommodation.

If you applied before and you were not successful don’t worry – we're always posting new positions, so don’t hesitate to give it another shot. We’re excited to see what you bring to the table this time around!