Manager - AI Governance & Technology Risk Management

What you'll do When our square shaped burgers made their first sizzle on the scene more than 50 years ago, people knew our approach wasn’t like any other. Same goes for the way we support our employees. Our culture of openness, flexibility, and inclusiveness allows everybody to flourish in their own way. If you’re looking for a career where you can be part of the action as we continue to grow our iconic brand – We got you! The Manager – AI Governance & Technology Risk Management leads the day-to-day operation of Wendy’s AI Governance, Risk, and Compliance and IT Risk Management programs within the Data Protection and AI Trust organization. The role translates Company strategy, policies, regulatory requirements, and recognized frameworks into proportionate, technology-enabled processes for the intake, assessment, approval, deployment, monitoring, and retirement of AI systems and other technologies. Acting as a second-line risk partner, the Manager enables business and technology teams to advance priority initiatives while maintaining clear accountability for risk decisions, control implementation, evidence, remediation, and escalation. The role also supports the Executive AI Sponsors and leads AI Council operations, maintains program standards and reporting, and partners with Privacy, Security, Legal, Data Governance, Procurement, Internal Audit, and business and technology leaders to integrate technology governance across the enterprise.

Responsibilities

• Design, operate, and continuously improve risk-tiered AI governance and technology risk processes covering intake, inventory, classification, impact and risk assessment, approval, control assignment, evidence collection, deployment, material change, ongoing monitoring, incident escalation, remediation, exception management, and retirement. Map requirements to Company policies, applicable laws and regulations, and recognized frameworks, and maintain auditable records of decisions, ownership, residual risk, and approvals.
• Design and implement technical capabilities utilizing GRC and data technologies (OneTrust, GCP, Dataiku, etc…) to ensure that the AI GRC and IT Risk Management processes are operationally effective, highly automated, and end-user accessible.
• Point of contact for IT and business partners providing consultation and advisement on AI and IT risks, mitigation strategies, and control implementation completeness. Support high priority organizational initiatives to help ensure responsible and effective organizational implementation, adoption, and training.
• Support the facilitation and ongoing execution of cross-functional councils (AI Executive Sponsors. & AI Council) to support development and implementation of technology strategy, enablement, and adoption.
• Develop and maintain policies, standards, compliance training, and maturity assessments to help establish, inform, and monitor the Company’s governance and risk management strategies for technology and AI development and deployment.

Education: High School Diploma/GED Travel: 10% Pay Range: $105,000.00 - $184,000.00 Annually What we expect from you

• Demonstrated experience applying technology and AI governance frameworks and management-system standards, such as COBIT, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, ISO/IEC 42001, and related control frameworks, to design risk-tiered processes, requirements, controls, evidence, and reporting. Working knowledge of relevant AI regulatory requirements and guidance, including the EU AI Act and emerging U.S. state requirements.
• Experience translating risk requirements into operational workflows, evidence standards, decision records, metrics, and issue-management processes.
• Practical knowledge of third-party/cloud AI, foundation models, embedded AI, and API-based services.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical, regulatory, and risk management concepts into clear, actionable business actions and insights.
• Experience challenging technical and business owners while maintaining constructive working relationships.
• Ability and willingness to work cross-functionally and collaboratively to help establish, support, and enable the pragmatic and controlled adoption of technology and AI throughout the organization in support of strategic business objectives and in compliance with laws and regulations.
• Relevant industry certification for IT Risk Management, AI GRC, or other relevant credentials for recognized industry organizations (ISACA, IAPP, etc…).
• Model-risk, responsible-AI, privacy engineering, cybersecurity governance, or technology audit background.
• Consumer-facing, retail, restaurant, franchise, or other distributed-operating-environment experience.

Expected Work Location (In Office): It is expected that you will primarily perform work at the Wendy's Restaurant Support Center (RSC) (1 Dave Thomas Blvd, Dublin, OH 43017), or at other location(s) as designated by the Company. You are required to work in the office at least 4 days a week. Changes to work location arrangements are subject to managerial approval and business needs. Wendy’s was built on the premise, "Quality is our Recipe®," which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 7,000 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. The base pay range for this position is listed below. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and budget for the open position and also may vary depending on the candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, among other relevant factors. This range does not include an estimated value for any benefits, bonus, or other incentives that may be applicable based on position.* The target annual bonus for this role is 20% of annualized base salary, based on actual company and personal performance. Director and above roles are also eligible to participate in the Company’s long-term incentive award program. Our square burgers make us different and so do our benefits! Our restaurant support roles are eligible for a wide array of benefits, including things such as parental leave, free EAP sessions, company 401k match and other great offerings. For more details about our benefits, including an overview of eligibility and terms for certain benefits, please visit our benefits website, www.wendysbenefits.com.* *NOTE: Wendy’s benefits, bonus, and other incentives are governed by the applicable legal plans and policies and, where appropriate, may be subject to Board approval an individual award agreement terms. Those documents supersede all other information regarding Wendy’s benefits, bonus, and other incentives. Wendy’s retains the right to amend or terminate its plans and policies at its sole discretion, in accordance with applicable plans, policies and laws. Wendy's is an equal employment opportunity employer who may provide reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.