Vice President, Business Lead (AI Challenge Lab)

Morgan Stanley•New York, NY

13d

About The Position

The Vice President, Business Lead serves as the Business Lead for Morgan Stanley’s AI Challenge Lab, a cohort-based, hands-on learning and development program that helps teams turn business problems into production-ready AI solutions. The role drives successful delivery, scaling, and adoption of this flagship AI innovation program, bringing together business leaders, subject matter experts, strategists, and technologists to develop high-impact use cases with measurable business value. In partnership with the Executive Business Sponsor, the role works with business sponsors, Technology teams, mentors, participants, and senior stakeholders to identify, develop, and advance AI solutions from concept through implementation. The Business Lead combines program management, AI fluency, stakeholder management, and change leadership to help scale the program globally and increase the diffusion of AI capabilities across the Firm. The position calls for strong execution, comfort working with senior leaders, proactive problem-solving, and the ability to navigate ambiguity while delivering a high-quality experience and outcomes for sponsors and participants.

Requirements

Strong program management and execution capabilities, with a proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives.
Exceptional stakeholder management and executive presence, with experience partnering closely with senior leaders.
Demonstrated understanding of AI, Generative AI, and emerging technologies, with the ability to translate capabilities into business value.
Ability to identify high-impact business opportunities and shape practical, scalable AI solutions.
Product-oriented mindset, including experience defining objectives, success metrics, and adoption strategies.

Nice To Haves

Experience working on AI, machine learning, data, digital transformation, innovation, or technology-enabled business initiatives.
Experience supporting large-scale learning, innovation, or change management programs.
Knowledge of financial services products, workflows, and operating models.
Experience partnering with senior business executives and Technology organizations.
Demonstrated interest in AI-driven transformation and the future of work.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary contact for senior stakeholders throughout the program lifecycle, ensuring alignment, accountability, and timely decisions.
Build trusted relationships with business sponsors, Technology leaders, mentors, and program participants.
Establish ownership, next steps, implementation plans, and success metrics with sponsors and participants to drive post-lab follow-through.
Prepare executive communications, presentations, and updates for program leadership and steering committees.
Support expansion of the AI Challenge Lab across businesses, regions, and functions.
Assist with intake, evaluation, and readiness assessment of prospective use cases.
Partner with business sponsors to refine problem statements, clarify objectives, and strengthen business cases.
Evaluate use cases for business value, feasibility, stakeholder commitment, data readiness, and implementation potential.
Maintain a pipeline of use cases for future cohorts and help position selected use cases for development and implementation.
Partner with business leaders and Technology teams to identify and prioritize high-impact AI opportunities.
Help sponsors understand AI capabilities, limitations, and implementation considerations.
Assess AI use case readiness, including business value, technical feasibility, data availability, and organizational support.
Identify opportunities to scale successful use cases across businesses and functions and develop strategies to accelerate AI adoption.
Partner with AI Ambassadors, mentors, and business stakeholders to increase diffusion of AI capabilities across the organization.
Stay current on emerging AI technologies, industry trends, and leading practices.
Own end-to-end program delivery, including communications, onboarding, scheduling, participant engagement, and operational readiness.
Lead program logistics, including venue planning, materials, technology setup, and event-day execution.
Establish ownership, deliverables, milestones, and timelines before launch and track progress throughout execution.
Identify and address risks, dependencies, and operational issues to ensure a high-quality participant experience.
Coordinate with instructors, mentors, sponsors, and Technology partners throughout each cohort.
Manage multiple concurrent workstreams while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
Monitor use case progress, implementation outcomes, and post-program adoption.
Develop regular reporting and status updates for sponsors and program leadership.
Track program metrics, business outcomes, participant engagement, and adoption indicators.
Analyze participant feedback and program performance to drive continuous improvement.
Help operationalize playbooks, templates, governance frameworks, and best practices to support consistency and scalability.
Measure and communicate program impact, including delivery milestones, adoption metrics, business outcomes, and implementation success.