VP, Innovation and AI

Memorial Hermann Health System•Salt Lake City, UT

About The Position

The Vice President of Innovation and AI is a dual-mandate executive responsible for building and leading Memorial Hermann’s innovation capability and establishing and governing its enterprise approach to artificial intelligence. The role builds a high-performing, versatile team of technologists and human-centered designers to identify opportunities, test solutions, and determine what is ready to scale. It also establishes the strategy, governance, and responsible-use framework needed to deploy AI safely, ethically, and effectively across the organization. This highly visible position combines fast, disciplined experimentation with durable enterprise governance. The VP develops an innovation process and portfolio, evaluates proofs of concept, and partners with the Innovation Hub to scale validated solutions. The role also develops enterprise AI strategy and governance, including intake, risk assessment, model validation, monitoring, and retirement, while coordinating with clinical, legal, compliance, security, IT, data, and HR teams. The leader manages budgets and resources, develops staff, and represents the organization in selected external forums.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including experience in healthcare, health tech, or a related regulated industry.
Demonstrated experience building and leading innovation functions.
Experience with human-centered design, design thinking, or lean/agile innovation methodologies.
Direct experience developing AI strategy and/or AI governance frameworks, ideally in a regulated or clinical environment.
Strong understanding of responsible AI principles, including bias and fairness, transparency, explainability, data privacy, and safety.
Experience leading technical and design teams, including technologists, engineers, and designers.
Excellent communication skills and ability to explain technical and AI concepts to non-technical clinical and business audiences.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree, such as an MBA, MHA, or MS in a relevant technical or design field.
Experience in healthcare payer, provider, or health system environments.
Familiarity with healthcare-specific AI regulatory considerations, including FDA SaMD, state AI healthcare laws, and CMS guidance.
Experience establishing an AI governance committee or center of excellence from the ground up.
Track record of scaling proof-of-concept solutions into enterprise production.

Responsibilities

Build and lead a lean, versatile team of technologists and human-centered design practitioners focused on complex healthcare problems.
Champion human-centered design by understanding problems and the people affected before selecting technology solutions.
Scan startups, emerging technologies, competitors, and adjacent industries for opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
Design and implement a repeatable innovation process, such as discovery sprints, design thinking, or rapid proof-of-concept methods.
Establish criteria and metrics for evaluating proofs of concept and making go/no-go/scale decisions.
Promote fast, disciplined experimentation and evidence-based decisions, ensuring unsuccessful experiments produce usable learning.
Partner with the Innovation Hub to identify validated solutions for scaling, operationalization, and transition into routine delivery.
Manage a portfolio of innovation initiatives and focus resources on the highest-value opportunities.
Develop and lead the organization's enterprise AI strategy, aligning initiatives and investments with organizational and clinical priorities.
Design, implement, and oversee AI governance, including solution intake, risk assessment, model validation, monitoring, and retirement.
Build a Responsible AI program with standards, policies, and practices for ethical, safe, and equitable AI use.
Partner with Legal, Compliance, Information Security, Clinical leadership, and IT/Data teams to meet regulatory and organizational risk requirements.
Monitor changes in healthcare AI regulation and technology and adjust governance and strategy as needed.
Partner with HR to build AI literacy among staff, senior leaders, and the Board.
Build, lead, and develop a team with technical, design, and governance/policy expertise.
Represent the organization in selected external forums, including industry groups and conferences.
Manage budgets and resource allocation for innovation and AI portfolios.
Ensure safe care for patients, staff, and visitors and follow organizational policies, procedures, and standards within budgetary specifications.
Promote professional growth and development, complete mandatory and continuing education and competency requirements, support department goals, and serve as a preceptor, mentor, and resource.
Model service standards that provide safe, caring, personalized, and efficient experiences for patients and the workforce.
Perform other duties as assigned.