Director Finance AI & Data Governance

Company Description

It started with a simple idea: what if surgery could be less invasive and recovery less painful? Nearly 30 years later, that question still fuels everything we do at Intuitive . As a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care , our technologies—like the da Vinci surgical system and Ion —have transformed how care is delivered for millions of patients worldwide.

We’re a team of engineers, clinicians, and innovators united by one purpose: to make surgery smarter, safer, and more human. Every day, our work helps care teams perform with greater precision and patients recover faster, improving outcomes around the world.

The problems we solve demand creativity, rigor, and collaboration. The work is challenging, but deeply meaningful—because every improvement we make has the potential to change a life.

If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare , you’ll find your purpose here.

Job Description

Primary Function of Position

The Director, Finance AI and Data Governance will lead Finance-wide AI transformation by building trusted data foundations, governed semantic layers, and scalable AI capabilities that improve decision-making, productivity, controls, and business partnership. This leader will define and execute the Finance AI strategy, operating model, governance framework, and value-realization approach in close partnership with Finance leadership, Enterprise AI and Data, IT, and other enterprise partners.

The role owns Finance data governance, semantic modeling, AI agent development and design standards, use case prioritization, adoption, and measurable value delivery across financial and operational domains. This leader will establish and lead a central team of AI and data experts that shapes the future of Finance through governed, scalable, AI-driven transformation.

Roles and Responsibilities

- Own the Finance AI and data transformation roadmap in support of the Finance team vision.
- Translate Finance strategy into a prioritized portfolio of AI and data initiatives that accelerate planning and reporting cycles, improve forecast accuracy, reduce manual work, strengthen controls, and enhance decision support.
- Establish Finance data governance policies in partnership with Enterprise AI and Data to ensure a single source of truth, high-quality data foundations, and scalable capabilities that support business needs and future growth.
- Lead governance forums that approve definitions, business rules, quality standards, lineage expectations, security, and access controls.
- Own the Finance semantic layer and certified metric framework, standardizing definitions and calculation logic across reporting, analytics, planning, and AI agents.
- Establish certification, release, version control, and change-management processes for the Finance semantic layer.
- Define the playbook for Finance agents, including grounding, orchestration, evaluation, testing, deployment, and monitoring.
- Own the operating model for democratized agent development and ensure approved semantic models and governed data are developed to support scaling AI within Finance.
- Establish accuracy thresholds, human oversight, risk controls, and production support expectations.
- Lead the intake and prioritization process across Finance AI and Data initiatives, including capacity allocation and recurring portfolio reviews with Finance leadership.
- Lead the operating model for Finance AI and data delivery by setting standards, enabling functional teams, managing portfolio trade-offs, and ensuring central capabilities are adopted consistently across Finance.
- Build, lead, and develop a central Finance AI and Data Governance team, including talent strategy, operating cadence, delivery expectations, and collaboration norms with functional Finance teams.
- Partner with IT, Enterprise AI and Data, Security, and Finance leadership to align architecture, responsible AI practices, investment priorities, implementation roadmaps, and executive governance.
- Build a Finance AI community of practice, champion network, role-based learning plan, and reusable playbooks to scale AI proficiency across the finance organization.
- Partner with functional leaders to leverage AI to improve day-to-day work, and transform business processes.
- Measure adoption, productivity, quality, value realization, and risk posture across the AI and data portfolio.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the Finance organization and enterprise partners. Translate the portfolio into measurable outcomes, communicate progress and risks to governance forums, and ensure investment decisions remain aligned to Finance strategy and enterprise architecture.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

- Minimum of 12 years of progressive leadership experience across Finance, FP&A, data and analytics, digital transformation, AI, data governance or related disciplines.
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional enterprise programs and influencing senior stakeholders.
- Strong understanding of Finance processes, controls, performance management, and financial and operational metrics.
- Experience establishing data governance, semantic models, analytics products, or AI-enabled solutions.
- Ability to translate business strategy into an executable portfolio, operating model, and measurable outcomes.
- Experience leading organizational change, adoption, and capability building in Finance.
- Enterprise thinker who can connect data, technology, controls, and Finance outcomes.
- Product-oriented leader who prioritizes user value and scalable capabilities over one-off solutions.
- Strong governance judgment with the ability to enable innovation while maintaining trust and control.
- Clear executive communicator who can simplify complex AI and data concepts.
- Ability to attract and retain top talent, drive innovation, and create accountability across dotted-line teams.
- Experience with modern data and analytics platforms such as Snowflake and Databricks.
- Experience with enterprise generative AI, agentic solutions, responsible AI practices, or model evaluation.
- Knowledge of enterprise planning and ERP platforms such as Anaplan and SAP.
- This role requires working onsite in our Sunnyvale, CA office Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday every week

Required Education and Training

- Bachelor's degree in finance, computer science, mathematics, information systems or business.

#WeAreIntuitive @LI-HYBRID

Additional Information

Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19.  Details can vary by role.

Intuitive is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local applicable laws.

Mandatory Notices

U.S. Export Controls Disclaimer:  In accordance with the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §743.13(b)), some roles at Intuitive Surgical may be subject to U.S. export controls for prospective employees
who are nationals from countries currently on embargo or sanctions status.

Certain information you provide as part of the application will be used for purposes of determining whether Intuitive Surgical will need to (i) obtain an export license from the U.S. Government on your behalf (note: the government’s licensing process can take 3 to 6+ months) or (ii) implement a Technology Control Plan (“TCP”) (note: typically adds 2 weeks to the hiring process).

For any Intuitive role subject to export controls, final offers are contingent upon obtaining an approved export license and/or an executed TCP prior to the prospective employee’s
start date, which may or may not be flexible, and within a timeframe that does not unreasonably impede the hiring need. If applicable, candidates will be notified and instructed on any requirements for these purposes.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.

Preference will be given to qualified candidates who do not reside, or plan to reside, in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Tennessee.

This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on
business need and/or on the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.

Accommodation & Accessibility Notice:

Intuitive is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [email protected].

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role, as actual pay will be determined based on several factors, including experience, skills, and qualifications. The target compensation ranges are listed.