Principal Data Consultant - AI Readiness

About this role

AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.
At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived.
We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD.

The Principal Data Consultant is a senior consulting leader who serves as the Engagement Lead and primary executive advisor across the full client engagement lifecycle. This role is accountable for client success, delivery excellence, financial performance, executive stakeholder relationships, strategic direction, and overall engagement outcomes.

Principal Data Consultants lead complex data, analytics, AI, cloud, and digital transformation initiatives by aligning business objectives to technology solutions that deliver measurable value. They set engagement strategy, establish governance, guide executive decisions, mitigate risk, and ensure delivery quality, transparency, and operational discipline. On smaller engagements, they may also act as Project Manager; however, their primary responsibility is strategic engagement leadership while enabling Project Managers and delivery teams to execute successfully.

Beyond client delivery, Principal Data Consultants help advance the Data Practice by developing future leaders, improving consulting methodologies, shaping service offerings, supporting business development, and contributing to the long-term growth and maturity of the practice.

Roles & Responsibilities

Client Delivery

• Own the success of complex engagements, including delivery quality, client satisfaction, financial performance, business outcomes, and strategic account growth.

• Serve as the primary Engagement Lead and executive advisor, building trust and maintaining executive relationships throughout the engagement lifecycle.

• Define engagement strategy, governance, communication cadence, success measures, and executive reporting.

• Lead executive steering committees, governance meetings, roadmap workshops, and strategic planning sessions.

• Partner with Project Managers, Solution Architects, and Technical Leads to ensure execution aligns to client objectives with the right level of executive oversight.

• Provide strategic direction across workstreams to maintain alignment with business priorities, contractual commitments, and long-term client goals.

• Proactively manage executive risks, organizational change, stakeholder alignment, staffing challenges, and delivery issues before they affect outcomes.

• Ensure engagements meet AHEAD quality standards, delivery methodologies, financial objectives, and governance expectations.

• Provide executive-level recommendations that support informed decisions and measurable business results.

Business Development and Account Growth

• Build trusted advisor relationships with executive business and technology leaders, including CIOs, CDOs, CISOs, and other senior stakeholders.

• Identify opportunities to expand client engagements through a deep understanding of client priorities, organizational challenges, and business goals.

• Lead discovery workshops, executive strategy sessions, and solution development efforts that shape future engagements.

• Partner with Client Directors and Practice Leadership to develop account strategies, multi-phase roadmaps, and long-term growth plans.

• Lead proposal strategy, solution development, estimation, pricing discussions, and executive presentations.

• Ensure proposed solutions are technically feasible, operationally executable, financially sound, and aligned to client outcomes.

Practice Leadership and Growth

• Evolve consulting methodologies, engagement frameworks, governance standards, reusable intellectual property, and delivery best practices.

• Drive continuous improvement that enhances delivery quality, operational excellence, financial performance, and client satisfaction across the Data Practice.

• Mentor and coach Senior Consultants, Consultants, and emerging Engagement Leads through leadership guidance, performance feedback, and development support.

• Build organizational capability by supporting recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, succession planning, leadership development, and career growth.

• Promote collaboration across consulting, delivery, architecture, engineering, project management, sales, and client success teams.

• Maintain expertise in emerging technologies, industry trends, business transformation strategies, and modern data platforms while representing AHEAD as a trusted industry advisor.

Expectations

Principal Data Consultants are expected to consistently demonstrate executive leadership, strategic thinking, business acumen, consulting excellence, and accountability while driving successful client engagements and advancing the Data Practice.

Leadership and Ownership

• Demonstrate end-to-end ownership for engagement success across delivery quality, client satisfaction, financial performance, and strategic outcomes.

• Establish clear direction, priorities, governance, and accountability across cross-functional teams.

• Make timely, informed decisions that balance business priorities, delivery risks, financial objectives, and client expectations.

• Anticipate challenges early, remove organizational obstacles, and lead teams through complexity with confidence and transparency.

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