Policy lead

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The Sovereign AI Policy Leader role is a part of the Global Applied Innovation (GAI) team within the Growth & Innovation function at EY. Global Applied Innovation is a team of over 200 individuals across the globe that team together to deliver tangible value for EY, our clients, and the world enabled by data, AI and next frontier technologies.

The opportunity

EY is at the forefront of helping clients navigate the complexities of AI sovereignty, from national policy mandates to secure deployment architectures. As EY’s Sovereign AI Policy Leader, you will shape EY’s global strategy in this space, guiding clients and internal teams through compliance, innovation, and risk management. This is a high‑impact role that combines policy expertise, technical acumen, and strategic leadership to influence how governments and enterprises adopt AI responsibly.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Define and execute EY’s sovereign AI roadmap, aligning with global innovation priorities and regulatory trends. Serve as a primary advisor on policy-driven AI architectures, ensuring alignment with global and regional regulations.
• Client Engagement: Lead development of sovereign AI playbooks and compliance frameworks. Participate in and support the sovereign AI client proposal process for new client development opportunities.
• Policy & Advocacy: Represent EY in government and industry forums, shaping thought leadership on AI sovereignty and compliance. Publish insights on policy trends and sovereign AI architectures; contribute to EY global innovation narratives.
• Innovation Integration: Connect Sovereign AI strategy to AI‑ready data, Responsible AI orchestration, and Next Frontier technologies (Quantum, Agentic AI).
• Risk & Governance: Establish standards for secure compute, model governance, and export controls across EY solutions.

Skills And Attributes For Success

• Clear communication: the ability to distill complex policy/technical topics into actionable guidance.
• Client centricity and outcome orientation.
• Strong executive presence and communication skills for client and government interactions.
• Collaborative mindset to work across geographies and service lines.
• Strategic thinking with a focus on innovation and compliance.
• Structured problem‑solving with attention to regulatory detail.

To qualify for the role, you must have

• Proven experience in government policy, regulatory compliance, and AI strategy.
• Deep understanding of AI/ML architectures, cloud platforms, and data sovereignty principles.
• Track record of influencing senior stakeholders and leading cross‑border teams.

Ideally you also have these characteristics:

• Advanced degree in Public Policy, Computer Science, or related field preferred.
• Experience with synthetic data concepts, secure data sharing, or data marketplace patterns.

What We Look For

We are seeking a candidate with cross-functional collaboration skills and a passion for innovation and next frontier technologies. Top performers will work well in a fast-paced environment while multitasking and managing numerous stakeholder requests.

What We Offer You

The compensation ranges below are provided in order to comply with United States pay transparency laws. Other geographies will follow their local salary guidelines, which may not be a direct conversion of published US salary ranges. At EY, we’ll develop you with future-focused skills and equip you with world-class experiences. We’ll empower you in a flexible environment, and fuel you and your extraordinary talents in a diverse and inclusive culture of globally connected teams. Learn more.

• We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to the business. The base salary range for this job in all geographic locations in the US is $156,400 to $301,000. The base salary range for New York City Metro Area, Washington State and California (excluding Sacramento) is $187,600 to $342,000. Individual salaries within those ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography. In addition, our Total Rewards package includes medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and a wide range of paid time off options.
• Join us in our team-led and leader-enabled hybrid model. Our expectation is for most people in external, client serving roles to work together in person 40-60% of the time over the course of an engagement, project or year.
• Under our flexible vacation policy, you’ll decide how much vacation time you need based on your own personal circumstances. You’ll also be granted time off for designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, Personal/Family Care, and other leaves of absence when needed to support your physical, financial, and emotional well-being.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.

EY accepts applications for this position on an on-going basis.

For those living in California, please click here for additional information.

EY focuses on high-ethical standards and integrity among its employees and expects all candidates to demonstrate these qualities.

EY | Building a better working world

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EY is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities including veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and either need assistance applying online or need to request an accommodation during any part of the application process, please call 1-800-EY-HELP3, select Option 2 for candidate related inquiries, then select Option 1 for candidate queries and finally select Option 2 for candidates with an inquiry which will route you to EY’s Talent Shared Services Team (TSS) or email the TSS at [email protected].