[Hiring] Principal Data Consultant @Ahead

Role Description

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.

• 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.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Mathematics, Data Science, Business, or a related field.
• Typically 12–15+ years of progressively responsible experience leading enterprise data, analytics, AI, cloud, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Minimum seven years of consulting or professional services experience leading complex enterprise engagements.
• Demonstrated success as an Engagement Lead, Program Lead, or senior consulting leader for large, cross-functional transformation initiatives.
• Proven experience managing executive client relationships, engagement financials, delivery governance, organizational change, and strategic account growth.
• Experience leading executive workshops, steering committees, governance forums, and strategic planning sessions.
• Strong understanding of enterprise data platforms, analytics, AI, cloud technologies, governance, and modern architecture principles.

Requirements

• 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.
• Develop future leaders through coaching, mentoring, delegation, and growth opportunities.
• Understand client strategies, organizational priorities, industry trends, and operational challenges.
• Translate business strategy into practical roadmaps and transformation initiatives.
• Connect engagement activity to measurable business value, value realization, and long-term client success.
• Make financially sound decisions that protect profitability while maximizing outcomes.
• Influence executive decisions through strategic insight, business-focused recommendations, and thoughtful guidance.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid company holidays
• Paid time off
• Paid parental and caregiver leave
• Plus more! See benefits here for additional details.