Director, AI Delivery & Portfolio Management – Global Payments Technology

Job Description

What is the Opportunity?

RBC's Global Payments Technology organization is modernizing international payments infrastructure across real-time payments, cross-border transactions, debit cards, ACH, and emerging payment channels. We're now scaling AI capabilities to enhance fraud detection, optimize payment routing, improve transaction monitoring, and drive operational efficiency across our global payments ecosystem.

We're seeking an exceptional delivery leader to orchestrate multiple large AI programs within Global Payments Technology while establishing AI-native delivery practices that respect the security, compliance, and reliability demands of mission-critical payments systems.

As Director, AI Delivery & Portfolio Management - Global Payments Technology, you will lead a strategic portfolio of AI initiatives across research, engineering, platform, and business teams. You will drive alignment across complex programs, champion modern AI delivery methodologies, and ensure program management evolves to embrace AI's iterative nature while maintaining stringent operational and regulatory standards.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Program Delivery, you will own end-to-end delivery accountability for this strategic AI portfolio while establishing AI SDLC standards that shape how RBC delivers AI solutions for payments at scale.

What will you do?

Program & Portfolio Leadership

• Lead delivery on multiple concurrent AI initiatives focused on payments innovation (fraud detection, payment routing optimization, transaction monitoring, operational efficiency) with high complexity, uncertainty, and strategic value
• Manage portfolio-level roadmaps, dependencies, and resource allocation across payments-focused AI programs
• Own end-to-end delivery accountability from planning through production deployment and value realization for each initiative, ensuring seamless integration with RBC's global payments infrastructure
• Develop and maintain program roadmaps, milestones, dependency plans, and execution strategies aligned with business objectives and approved timelines, budgets, and scope
• Coordinate activities across AI Research, AI Solutions Engineering, platform teams, payments operations, governance partners, and business stakeholders across international payments, debit cards, ACH, RTR, and payment channel teams

Payments Domain Expertise & AI SDLC Development

• Maintain strong understanding of Global Payments Technology domain: international payments flows, debit card processing, ACH, Real-Time Payments (RTR/FedNow), SWIFT, cross-border settlement, and emerging payment channels
• Champion the evolution and operationalization of AI-native software development lifecycle practices tailored to payments systems, where reliability, security, and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable
• Establish standards and processes that reflect the unique characteristics of AI development in payments (model development, experimentation, data pipelines, validation, monitoring, fraud pattern evolution)
• Influence engineering teams and stakeholders toward adoption of modern AI delivery practices including continuous training, model governance, MLOps, production monitoring, and explainability requirements critical to payments
• Balance traditional delivery discipline with the iterative, experimental nature of AI development; advise teams on risk-based approaches to AI model validation and deployment in payments contexts
• Drive knowledge sharing across programs on AI SDLC best practices, payments-specific lessons learned, and regulatory considerations

Cross-Functional Team Leadership

• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across diverse technical teams (data scientists, ML engineers, platform engineers, payments domain experts, infrastructure teams, and business partners)
• Build trusted relationships across business, engineering, platform, payments operations, compliance, and governance functions; serve as the primary delivery point of contact for senior stakeholders
• Lead large cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders across business and technology organizations within Global Payments Technology
• Coach delivery leads and team members on program management best practices tailored to AI initiatives in payments; share payments domain knowledge across delivery teams
• Work effectively with Global Payments business partners, payment network providers (networks, central banks, regulators), and third-party payment solution providers

Delivery Execution & Governance

• Establish effective governance processes including status reviews, risk management, issue resolution, and executive reporting that account for payments-specific compliance and operational requirements
• Monitor initiative health through delivery metrics, OKRs, KPIs, and operational dashboards; maintain performance visibility and accountability
• Identify and proactively resolve delivery bottlenecks, technical dependencies, organizational challenges, and AI-specific risks (model performance, data quality, fairness, regulatory compliance, payment accuracy, fraud evolution)
• Anticipate and quantify tactical, operational, and strategic risks specific to payments (transaction volume spikes, regulatory changes, network disruptions); apply risk-based approaches to forecasting and mitigation
• Manage program-level communications including status reports, executive updates, steering committee materials, and regulatory/compliance reporting as required
• Ensure delivery teams maintain rigorous quality assurance and testing standards appropriate to mission-critical payments systems

Technical Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Develop strong understanding of AI solution architecture for payments, data ecosystems, platform capabilities, and operational requirements supporting payments initiatives
• Partner with engineering leaders, architects, product teams, payments domain experts, data governance partners, and compliance teams to understand technical requirements, constraints, and delivery dependencies
• Translate technical AI concepts into clear business language and payments-specific business requirements into actionable delivery plans
• Balance business priorities, technical quality, delivery timelines, and payments-specific considerations (security, compliance, SLA requirements) when supporting implementation decisions
• Manage stakeholder expectations through transparent communication and proactive management of complex, high-pressure situations inherent in payments technology
• Ensure technical risks are identified, communicated, and mitigated throughout the delivery lifecycle, with particular attention to payments system stability and data security

Resource, Risk & Financial Management

• Manage initiative budgets, forecasts, resource plans, and vendor engagements across the payments AI portfolio
• Ensure effective utilization of resources while balancing delivery commitments and organizational priorities
• Track financial performance and value realization against approved business cases; drive ROI visibility and accountability
• Identify, communicate, and mitigate risks impacting timelines, scope, quality, or business outcomes, including payments-specific operational and regulatory risks
• Drive timely issue resolution and escalation management; facilitate decision-making to maintain delivery momentum while protecting payment system integrity

What do you need to succeed?

Must have:

• 10+ years of experience managing large and complex transformation programs or technology initiatives
• Strong understanding of payments domain (international payments, debit cards, ACH, RTR, cross-border settlement, or related payment channels) OR proven ability to quickly master complex domain requirements
• Strong understanding of AI/ML software delivery lifecycle, Agile methodologies, modern engineering practices
• Expert knowledge of program and project plan development & management, scheduling methodology, and program metrics/analysis
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities with demonstrated ability to lead and influence large cross-functional teams across business and technology organizations
• Experience managing program-level budgets, delivery plans, risks, dependencies, and executive communications

Nice to have:

• Demonstrated experience leading technology delivery in payments, financial services, or similarly regulated/mission-critical environments
• Background as a software engineer, data engineer, ML engineer, payments engineer, or distinguished engineer who transitioned into delivery leadership
• Experience driving cultural transformation and organizational change in payments or technology organizations
• Proven people management skills and ability to retain top technical talent

What's in it for you?

We thrive on the challenge to be our best, progressive thinking to keep growing, and working together to deliver trusted advice to help our clients thrive and communities prosper. We care about each other, reaching our potential, making a difference to our communities, and achieving success that is mutual.

• A comprehensive Total Rewards Program including bonuses, flexible benefits, competitive compensation, and stock where applicable
• Leaders who support your development through coaching and mentoring opportunities
• Ability to make a difference and lasting impact on how RBC delivers AI solutions for global payments at enterprise scale
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team at the forefront of AI innovation in payments technology
• World-class training and development programs in AI, financial services, payments systems, and leadership
• Flexible work/life balance options
• Opportunities to do challenging, meaningful work that shapes the future of global payments infrastructure

Job Skills

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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the application deadline date above

Our Employment Opportunities

At RBC, we are guided by living shared values of Client First, Integrity, Collaboration, Respect and Excellence and winning together as One RBC. We believe an inclusive workplace that has diverse perspectives is core to our continued growth as one of the largest and most successful banks in the world. Maintaining a workplace where our employees feel supported to perform at their best, effectively collaborate, drive innovation, and grow professionally helps to bring our Purpose to life and create value for our clients and communities. RBC strives to deliver this through policies and programs intended to foster a workplace based on respect, belonging and opportunity for all.

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