AI Governance & Program Manager at Norton Rose… · Houston

Job Description

At Norton Rose Fulbright, people thrive because of a shared commitment to quality, unity and integrity. The highly regarded law firm consistently receives recognition from Great Place to Work and Top Workplaces, two companies that specialize in assessing organizational culture. Teams collaborate across regions, value new ideas and deliver meaningful client solutions, supported by a culture that embraces ambition, development and shared success. With more than 3,000 lawyers and 3,000 business services professionals working together across 50 offices worldwide, this global law firm provides a full range of legal services to leading corporations and financial institutions operating in key markets and sectors.

About You

You are energized by emerging technologies, the responsible adoption of AI, and the challenge of making governance real in practice. You bring sound judgment, thrive in evolving environments, and translate complex risk and ethical considerations into clear, workable policies. You collaborate easily across functions and are driven by the opportunity to help shape how AI governance operates day to day, not just how it is described.

About the Role

Norton Rose Fulbright has a long-standing commitment to leveraging technology to enhance legal services and streamline operations. We are seeking an experienced AI Governance and Program Manager to lead and operationalize the firm’s AI governance framework across U.S. operations.

This role is responsible for developing and implementing a scalable, firmwide governance model that enables the safe, responsible, and compliant use of AI tools. As generative AI has moved from pilot programs to broader adoption, the focus is on transitioning from tool-specific guardrails to a cohesive framework that supports enterprise-wide use without introducing unnecessary complexity or friction. Positioned at the intersection of governance, program management, and legal operations, this role serves as a key liaison among the Innovation function, Office of General Counsel, IT, Information Governance, Compliance, and global stakeholders.

The role reports to the U.S. Director, Head of Innovation, and collaborates closely with legal teams, Knowledge Management, and business services functions, as well as the firm’s U.S. and Global AI Committees. The successful candidate will bring strong legal acumen, a practical understanding of AI technologies, and the ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives.

The role is ideally in Texas, but the role can be located in any city where we have a US office. This person may work remotely on a regular basis, but flexibility to come to the office as needed for meetings, training or other business requirements pursuant to our hybrid working policy is required.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Value & Impact

• Partner across Client Value & Innovation, General Counsel, IT, and Information Security to advance the firm’s AI governance and program strategy.
• Lead the execution of initiatives that enable responsible, ethical, and sustainable adoption of generative AI tools.
• Build strong relationships with attorneys and business services professionals to drive alignment, trust, and adoption across the firm.
• Support the measurement of ROI and value for AI-enabled technologies across the firm.

Responsible AI & Governance, Risk Management

• Evolve and operationalize a firmwide AI governance framework that enables safe, responsible use of AI while meeting client, regulatory, and ethical expectations.
• Establish, in collaboration with IT and Compliance, a repeatable governance and operating model for AI agents and workflows, including standing up guardrails and infrastructure controls, and monitoring/surfacing use cases for prioritization.
• Draft, refine, and operationalize the firm's AI policies, working with Information Governance and our General Counsel to set clear expectations on benefits, risks, required training, prohibited uses, escalation paths, and consequences for non-compliance.
• Manage ongoing governance responsibilities, including: responding to RFPs, RFIs, and Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) questionnaires; managing the global AI opt-out list; and responding to emerging governance needs related to user behavior and AI tools.
• Ensure legal and ethical compliance of AI tools, particularly in areas of data privacy and confidentiality.
• Consult on client engagement letters and other governance questions raised by partners and the General Counsel's office.

Program Management and Enablement

• Manage the AI Champion Network to drive adoption, build capabilities, and unlock value from the firm's AI tools by enabling peer support, validating use cases, and building an evidence base for ongoing AI investment, while providing leadership with a clear structure covering communities, escalation paths, and decision-making.
• Develop and deliver targeted AI training programs for attorneys and staff, with emphasis on supervision, disclosure, and appropriate AI use in day-to-day legal work, beginning with targeted audiences, and defining a broader rollout strategy based on feedback.
• Assist with evaluating use cases and feasibility analysis for generative AI tools and manage the use case development process including needs assessments, cross-tool testing, documentation, and communication with stakeholders.
• Support agent engagements to design, build, and deploy high-value AI agents for US use cases, while defining a repeatable framework for agent intake, prioritization, governance, and rollout across the firm.
• Manage and maintain AI governance workflows and databases, curating the best responses over time and refreshing content so the firm's tools are drawing on the latest and most accurate materials.
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the success, value, and impact of AI tools and programs on the firm's operations and client services.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a primary point of contact for AI governance queries from internal stakeholders, including Business Development, legal teams, IT, Information Governance, and Compliance.
• Maintain regular engagement with key cross-functional stakeholders, including IT, Information Governance, Knowledge Management, and global Innovation counterparts.
• Communicate regularly with firm leadership and stakeholders to provide updates on AI initiatives and progress.
• Create a comprehensive and cohesive stakeholder feedback forum to ensure all teams engaged with AI tools understand and are connected to the strategic roadmap.
• Support the development and maintenance of AI resources, including user-facing and client-facing content.
• Support client conversations about AI with concise, practical guidance on how our tools work and the safeguards in place.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree; JD preferred; equivalent experience in AI governance, risk, management consulting, or emerging technology environments will also be considered.
• Preferred certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP) or an equivalent governance or compliance certification.
• Minimum five years of experience in program management, AI governance, legal operations, or a related field, ideally within the legal tech industry.
• Demonstrated interest in the transformative impact of AI on legal practice, with a focus on governance, ethics, and policy development; deep understanding of legal processes, terminology, and the challenges faced by legal professionals.
• Strong understanding of generative AI technologies, including familiarity with tools such as Microsoft Copilot, Anthropic Claude, Legora, and Harvey.
• Familiarity with data privacy and ethical considerations in AI, including information governance principles.
• Excellent project management skills with a track record of successfully leading cross-functional teams.
• Exceptional communication skills, capable of translating technical and policy concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to identify and respond to emerging governance risks and gaps in a fast-moving technology environment.
• Proactive, collaborative, and adaptable approach to problem-solving: ability to navigate ambiguity, tackle complex challenges, and build scalable, standardized solutions in a rapidly evolving space.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence diverse stakeholders, including attorneys and senior leadership.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking abilities, high level of accountability, discretion, and sound decision-making, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.

Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP is committed to providing employees with a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Benefit packages include access to three medical plans, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. Employees can also access pre-tax benefits such as health savings and flexible spending accounts. Norton Rose Fulbright helps provide financial security by allowing employees to participate in a 401(k) savings plan and profit-sharing plans if eligible. Full- time employees are eligible to access fertility benefits designed to support fertility and family-forming journeys.

In addition to the Firm’s health and welfare benefits above, we offer a competitive paid time off plan, which provides a minimum of 20 days off based on your role and tenure with the firm. The firm offers a generous paid parental leave benefit allowing parents to take a minimum of 14 weeks of paid leave to bond with your newborn, or adopted child(ren). Employees are also entitled to 11 Firm holidays.

Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal laws and their implementing regulations that require the collection and recording of certain data and information. The information we receive will not be used to make any decision regarding employment and will be kept separate from your application. Similarly, self-identification information is kept confidential and used only in accordance with applicable federal laws and regulations. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Norton Rose Fulbright is committed to providing reasonable accommodation as an Equal Opportunity Employer to applicants with disabilities. If you require assistance or accommodation to complete your application, please contact us.hr@nortonrosefulbright.com. Please provide your contact information and a description of your accessibility issue. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.

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Equal Employment Opportunity

Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the firm, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c).