AI & Data Strategy Architect

phData is seeking an AI & Data Strategy Architect to join our Advisory team. You will work with senior executives to shape AI and data strategy, lead cross-functional teams to deliver on it, and turn capabilities into measurable business outcomes.

Core Responsibilities

Client Delivery & Execution

• Lead AI & data strategy engagements end-to-end: problem definition, readiness assessment, use case prioritization, and design of roadmaps and operating models tied to revenue, customer experience, and innovation objectives.
• Own engagement delivery; manage scope and risk, maintain executive-level stakeholder relationships (including C-suite), and facilitate high-impact discovery, prioritization, and "art of the possible" workshops.
• Bridge the gap between business needs and technology: develop balanced technical, organizational, and process recommendations and build compelling narratives and rigorous business cases for AI/data investments.
• Make architecture and technology recommendations clearly tied to business outcomes across cloud computing, data platform development, integration patterns, data quality resolution, data governance, privacy/security, and regulatory needs (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
• Architect future-state AI & data operating models and technology stacks with a focus on safety, scalability, TCO, and regulatory compliance.
• Provide delivery oversight for AI/data platforms; ensure execution aligns with agreed strategy; own quality of all engagement outputs and coach project team members on consulting fundamentals and business impact.

Client Leadership & Account Growth

• Serve as a trusted advisor to client sponsors and senior stakeholders, owning relationships, aligning on delivery roadmaps, and surfacing expansion opportunities.
• Partner with executive sponsors, data and analytics leaders, product and delivery teams, and business end users to ensure seamless execution and measurable outcomes.
• Build cross-practice relationships (Data Engineering, Analytics, AI/ML, Advisory) to design and deliver end-to-end solutions that drive customer success.

Thought Leadership & Practice Contributions

• Contribute to phData's AI & Data Strategy offerings: methods, frameworks, accelerators, and client-ready collateral.
• Support sales pursuits, client presentations, and thought leadership focused on AI and data strategy.
• Mentor consultants on strategic thinking, executive presence, and delivery quality.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years as a hands-on AI or data strategy leader, owning strategy engagements and roadmaps.
• 2+ years of consulting with external clients, managing multiple workstreams and teams.
• Proven ability to engage senior stakeholders (including C-suite) and deliver a clear, compelling story behind recommendations.
• Experience identifying and prioritizing AI/data opportunities, designing roadmaps and operating models, and building business cases tied to revenue, cost, risk, and customer experience.
• Strong technical literacy across modern cloud and data platforms, data governance, AI governance, and ML pipelines, and how these connect to business outcomes.
• Ability to make technical recommendations tied to business outcomes across cloud, data platforms, integration patterns, data quality, governance, privacy/security, and regulatory needs.
• Experience leading workshops (discovery, prioritization, "art of the possible"), driving change and adoption, and coaching/mentoring consultants and technical leaders.
• Track record collaborating with client stakeholders, partners, and cross-functional teams with high ownership and accountability.
• Extensive experience leading multi-engagement or multi-year AI/data strategy portfolios.
• Willingness to travel as required by clients.

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