Chief Operating Officer (COO), for Citi’s firm-wide AI team

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Job Overview

Citi is establishing a new, unified firmwide AI organisation under a newly created Group Head of Artificial Intelligence — merging the firm’s Head of AI and CTO responsibilities into a single executive accountable for AI-led transformation across every business and function. This post-merger structure is intentionally distinct from prior models and will be the engine through which Citi competes in the AI era.

The COO for Group AI is the operational backbone of this new organization. As a critical partner to the Group Head of AI, this leader will drive strategic execution, own the operating model, hold the budget and ROI narrative, and partner with HR on the most consequential workforce transformation in the firm’s recent history. This is a rare C-16 mandate to stand up - and run - the operating engine of one of the most consequential transformations in global financial services.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning & Business Execution
• Partner with the Group Head of AI and the pillar leads to establish actionable team wide operating plans, OKRs, and KPIs for the Group AI organization.
• Drive end-to-end program execution across all seven AI pillars - from AI Strategy and Responsible AI through to the Core Platform, Agent Factory, and AI-First Development - ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and to required quality standards.
• Own the OM/AI workstream: design, refine, and continuously evolve the operating model for the new Group AI organization, including governance forums, decision rights, and cross-pillar coordination.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and operational efficiencies across the AI development, deployment, and adoption lifecycle.
• Financial Management & ROI Ownership
• Act as end-to-end owner of the Group AI budget and investment portfolio, in close partnership with Finance.
• Lead firm-wide AI ROI forecasting, financial benefits realisation, and quantified business case discipline across all pillars.
• Set financial targets, manage expense productivity, own the approval process for hiring and discretionary spend, and review monthly financials with the Group Head of AI to identify variances and corrective actions.
• Ensure efficient utilisation of AI infrastructure, compute, data, and vendor spend at global scale.
• Workforce Transformation & Talent
• Partner with HR to lead the workforce transformation agenda for the firm - including workforce impact modelling, reskilling, talent strategy, and organizational change required for an AI-first Citi.
• Lead the Group AI workforce management council and associated deliverables; own headcount planning, location strategy, and talent mobility within the Group AI organization.
• Champion a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and ownership across a global team operating in a regulated environment.
• Governance, Performance & Reporting
• Act as Chief of Staff to the Group Head of AI: run executive governance forums, leadership offsites, and cadence with the Board, regulators, and the Operating Committee.
• Provide central oversight of business-critical OKRs, milestone reporting, and executive dashboards to monitor the health of the AI portfolio.
• Establish and manage a robust governance framework for the tracking and realisation of strategic AI initiatives.
• Stakeholder Management
• Serve as the primary operating interface to the COO function, the Head of Tech & Business Enablement, Finance, HR, Risk, Legal, and the business-line COOs.
• Cultivate trusted, credible relationships with senior leaders across the firm; communicate progress, challenges, and successes to diverse audiences with tailored messaging.

What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)

• A single, transparent AI portfolio view with clear ROI commitments by pillar and business line, agreed with Finance.
• A working operating rhythm (planning, governance, reporting) trusted by the Group Head of AI, the CFO, and the CHRO.
• A workforce transformation roadmap co-owned with HR and adopted across the firm.
• Demonstrable acceleration in AI program delivery velocity - without compromising controls.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of prog…