GDS Next Frontier Operations Leader - Applied Innovation - Associate Director

Job Description

Associate Director

Sub Portfolio:  Next Frontier Reports to:   GDS ES Growth & Innovation Lead

Role title: Next Frontier Operations Leader

About the Next Frontier:

Applied Innovation's Next Frontier focuses on emerging technologies, including Physical AI, Quantum Computing, and Next-Generation AI amongst others. This initiative translates advanced capabilities into measurable outcomes, helping clients and EY teams improve decision-making, strengthen resilience, and unlock new opportunities through technology-driven solutions.

About the Delivery Team:

The Next Frontier team is led by Rodrigo Madanes, Global Next Frontier Tech/AI Leader.

Position Summary:

The Operations Leader for Next Frontier manages operations for a diverse technology program covering Quantum, Physical AI, and NextGen AI (this list may evolve in future). This role drives governance, goal‑setting, portfolio management, and milestone reporting, while translating leadership priorities into actionable plans and managing all operational matters end‑to‑end, including executive updates, hiring support, and compliance.

Essential Responsibilities of the Job:

•             Operational cadence, governance & compliance: Lead the full operating rhythm for Next Frontier, including goal setting, quarterly planning, roadmap reviews, and structured governance processes—while ensuring adherence to required controls, standards, and compliance expectations.
•             Leadership priority translation & executive support: Serve as the connective tissue between senior leadership and pillar teams by translating strategic priorities into actionable operational plans, and provide decision‑ready executive materials, summaries, scenarios (including budget scenarios), and operational insights to guide leadership decision‑making.
•             Cross‑pillar alignment & team utilization: Coordinate technical leaders to ensure cohesive prioritization, efficient staffing, and aligned sequencing of workstreams that support Next Frontier’s unified mission.
•             PMO Ownership & Reporting: Lead consistent, insight‑driven PMO reporting across the program and collaborate with Finance to track budgets, monitor forecasts and variances, and provide transparent financial visibility to leadership.

Analytical/Decision Making Responsibilities:

•             Priority alignment: Evaluate proposed initiatives and ongoing workstreams in the context of leadership’s strategic objectives, recommending sequencing and focus adjustments to maintain alignment.
•             Risk identification & mitigation: Surface operational and execution risks early—especially those affecting cross‑pillar sequencing—and drive transparent mitigation plans within governance forums.
•             Insights synthesis: Translate technical signals from pillar teams into clear insights and options for leadership, enabling fast, well‑informed decisions.

Knowledge and Skills Requirements:

•            Operational excellence: Mastery of goal setting, portfolio management, and cross‑functional governance standards used to run multi‑pillar technology       programs.
•             Leadership alignment capability: Strong ability to absorb strategic direction, sense executive priorities, and translate them into actionable operational guidance for pillar teams.
•             Frontier technology literacy: Familiarity with Quantum, Physical AI, and NextGen AI — sufficient to interpret progress, understand dependencies, and engage effectively with technical leaders.
•             Executive communication: Excellence in distilling complex program details into crisp, insight‑driven reports, and decision materials.
•            Cross‑functional facilitation: Strong influence, alignment‑building, and issue‑resolution skills across multidisciplinary teams.

Education & Experience:

•            Bachelor’s degree/Master’s degree with 15+ years in program delivery / operations leadership, or similar roles supporting complex technology portfolios.
•             Executive stakeholder presence.
•             Demonstrated experience running OKR/Goal frameworks, governance cycles, and cross‑pillar operating structures.
•             Familiarity with innovation process; experience coordinating or supporting advanced technology domains.
•             Proven history translating leadership priorities into structured operational plans and execution frameworks.