Vice President, AI Operations and Strategic Projects

Certara•UNAVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE

14h

About The Position

The Vice President of AI Operations and Strategic Projects is a senior executive role responsible for translating Certara's AI strategy into operational reality. Reporting directly to the Chief AI & Technology Officer (CAITO), this leader will oversee the planning, execution, and governance of a complex portfolio of internal and external AI initiatives that span product development, scientific services, customer-facing solutions, and enterprise transformation. This role requires an exceptional blend of operational discipline, strategic thinking, and cross-functional leadership. The successful candidate will partner with executive stakeholders across product, engineering, science, commercial, and corporate functions to ensure that Certara's AI investments deliver durable competitive advantage and measurable business outcomes. They will build and lead the operating cadence that powers our AI organization—setting priorities, allocating resources, monitoring execution, and ensuring accountability across a broad and growing program of work.

Requirements

Master's degree (MA or MBA) in Business, Operations, Management, or a closely related field.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in operations, program management, and/or strategic projects, including at least 5 years in senior leadership roles overseeing complex, cross-functional portfolios.
Demonstrated track record of leading large-scale technology, digital, or AI transformation programs from strategy through execution and measurable business impact.
Proven ability to operate at both the strategic and operational level—able to set executive direction and to drive day-to-day delivery rigor.
Strong financial acumen, including experience owning multimillion-dollar budgets, building business cases, and managing investment portfolios.
Exceptional stakeholder management and executive communication skills, with experience presenting to C-suite leaders, boards, and external customers.
Experience leading and developing senior teams in matrixed, global organizations.

Nice To Haves

Experience in life sciences, biopharmaceutical, healthcare technology, or scientific software industries.
Familiarity with AI/ML technologies, MLOps practices, and the operational considerations of deploying AI in regulated environments.
Background that combines management consulting (top-tier strategy or operations firm) with subsequent in-house operating leadership.
Experience implementing AI governance, responsible AI, and compliance frameworks.
Prior experience in a public company environment with exposure to investor and board-level reporting.

Responsibilities

Partner with the CAITO to translate Certara's AI vision into a coherent, prioritized portfolio of programs, with clear milestones, owners, dependencies, and success metrics.
Lead end-to-end execution of high-impact AI initiatives, from concept through deployment and scaled adoption, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy and financial targets.
Establish and maintain a transparent portfolio management framework, including stage-gate reviews, resource allocation decisions, and quarterly business reviews.
Identify, evaluate, and recommend strategic build/buy/partner decisions for AI capabilities, vendors, and platforms.
Build and run the operating model for the AI & Technology organization, including planning cycles, budgeting, headcount management, KPI dashboards, and operational reviews.
Drive continuous improvement in delivery velocity, cost efficiency, and quality across AI projects through standardized processes, tooling, and best practices.
Partner with Finance, HR, and Legal to ensure projects are appropriately resourced, contracted, and compliant with internal controls.
Establish risk management and AI governance practices that align with Certara's regulatory environment, customer expectations, and responsible AI principles.
Lead the operational rollout of internal AI initiatives that transform how Certara employees work—across R&D, scientific services, commercial operations, customer support, and corporate functions.
Partner with functional leaders to identify, prioritize, and deploy AI use cases that drive productivity, quality, and employee experience gains.
Champion change management, training, and adoption programs that ensure new AI capabilities deliver durable behavioral and business change.
Oversee the operational execution of AI-enabled products, services, and customer programs in partnership with product, engineering, and commercial leadership.
Engage directly with strategic customers and partners on flagship AI initiatives, ensuring on-time delivery, value realization, and long-term relationship health.
Support business development and partnership efforts by representing Certara's AI operating capabilities in external conversations with customers, regulators, and ecosystem partners.
Build, develop, and lead a high-performing team of program managers, operations professionals, and strategic project leaders.
Foster a culture of accountability, intellectual honesty, and bias toward action that mirrors Certara's broader values.
Serve as a senior thought partner to the CAITO and broader executive team on organizational design, talent strategy, and operating model evolution.