Data and AI Governance Lead, Computing Services

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is seeking a dynamic, highly collaborative Data and AI Governance Lead to shape and operationalize the framework for how our institution manages, protects, and leverages its most critical data and AI assets. Unlike traditional management roles, this position does not oversee a direct team. Instead, you will act as the university’s primary architect and facilitator of Data and AI Governance, working across academic and administrative units to drive progress through influence, partnership, and expert support. You must be comfortable toggling between high-level strategy (policy-making and risk frameworks) and hands-on delivery (implementing metadata tools and assisting data stewards) Key Responsibilities: Strategy & Framework Design : Lead the design and execution of CMU’s Data and AI governance operating model. Define the policies, standards, and roadmaps that ensure data integrity, privacy, and the responsible use of AI across the university. Influence & Community Building : Build and enable a robust community of practice among distributed Data Stewards and AI practitioners. You will not have "command and control"; authority; success will depend on your ability to build trust, provide value to partners, and align departmental goals with university-wide standards. AI Governance & Risk: Design and operationalize AI governance controls, including model inventories, risk assessments, and ethical reviews. Partner with academic and administrative leads to ensure AI deployment is transparent, fair, and compliant with emerging regulations. AI Data Readiness: Transform our Data assets by establishing a unified metadata layer. You will act as the translator between business Data Analysts, SMEs, and our Data/Analytics Engineering teams, ensuring that business terminology is mapped accurately (e.g., ensuring an AI agent understands that a "Full-Time Student" in a financial aid context (12+ credits) is distinct from "Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)" used for state reporting or faculty workload so engineers can build accurate semantic models for varying audiences. Hands-on Operational Support : "Roll up your sleeves"; to help departments implement governance tooling. Assist in defining data lineage, improving data quality, and documenting metadata for complex institutional datasets. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the primary bridge between Information Technology, Information Security Office, the Office of the Provost, and various