AI Engineering, Practice Director

Cleartelligence is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Practice Director – AI to lead and grow our AI consulting practice. The ideal candidate has built their career leading large-scale Data Engineering and modern Application Development initiatives and has evolved into delivering AI, Machine Learning, and Generative AI solutions. They understand that successful AI begins with scalable data platforms, cloud-native applications, modern software engineering, and strong data governance.

As a senior consulting leader, you will help clients modernize their technology landscape and transform existing data and application investments into intelligent, AI-enabled solutions. You will serve as a trusted technical advisor while growing Cleartelligence's AI practice, expanding service offerings, and developing the next generation of AI consultants.

Your time will be split across three primary areas:

• Practice leadership and people management (approximately 25%) — Running the AI Engineering practice, managing and developing team members, and supporting the overall growth and performance of the team.
• Business development (approximately 25%) — Participating as a member of pitch teams, helping shape solutions, and contributing to winning new client work.
• Billable client delivery (approximately 50%) — Delivering strategic technical work for our clients, such as leading technical teams in developing solutions or defining technical strategies and roadmaps.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Practice Leadership and People Management

• Develop and execute the strategic vision and growth strategy for Cleartelligence's AI consulting practice.
• Build, lead, and strategically manage a high-performing team AI Engineers, including workforce planning, resource allocation, capacity management, and skills development to meet evolving client demand.
• Establish delivery methodologies, governance standards, best practices, and reusable AI accelerators.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous learning
• Recruit, coach, and develop consulting talent while providing performance management and career development.
• Track practice performance, optimize team effectiveness, and build a high-performing consulting organization.

Business Development

• Partner with Sales and Client Partners to identify new opportunities, develop AI strategies, and expand client relationships.
• Represent Cleartelligence as a thought leader through executive briefings, industry events, conferences, and published content.

Consulting Delivery and Client & Technical Leadership

• Serve as the executive technical advisor on strategic client engagements and AI transformation initiatives.
• Guide clients from modern data platforms and application development to scalable enterprise AI solutions.
• Develop AI roadmaps aligned with business objectives, cloud architecture, data strategy, and application modernization.
• Provide technical leadership across Data Engineering, Application Development, cloud architecture, and AI solution design.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies and ensure solutions follow enterprise security, governance, and responsible AI principles.
• Lead the successful delivery of AI consulting engagements from strategy through implementation.
• Collaborate with clients to define roadmaps, project scope, SOWs, and delivery plans.
• Manage project quality, delivery risk, consultant utilization, and client satisfaction while continuously improving delivery methodologies.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Information Science, Data Science, or a related technical discipline. Master's degree a plus.
• 15+ years of experience leading enterprise technology initiatives with a strong foundation in Data Engineering and modern Application Development, along with experience leading AI, Machine Learning, and Generative AI initiatives.
• Proven success delivering enterprise solutions spanning Data Engineering, cloud-native Application Development, AI, and modern software architecture.
• Demonstrated experience designing scalable data platforms, APIs, distributed systems, and cloud-native applications that enable enterprise AI capabilities.
• Deep expertise delivering enterprise AI and Generative AI solutions built upon modern data platforms.
• Expert knowledge of LLMs, RAG, AI agents, orchestration frameworks, vector databases, foundation models, and Generative AI technologies.
• Strong experience with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Strong understanding of APIs, microservices, CI/CD, DevOps, cloud architecture, and application integration.
• Deep knowledge of data architecture, data engineering, governance, analytics, and enterprise integration.
• Proven ability to advise executive stakeholders on modernizing legacy data and application environments to successfully adopt AI.
• Leadership experience building high-performing consulting teams.
• Strong consulting, executive communication, client relationship management, and business development skills.
• Strategic mindset and commitment to responsible AI.

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $200,000–$250,000. Final compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and geographic location, and may include additional incentives and benefits.

It is our policy to provide and promote equal & affirmative employment opportunity to all employees and applicants following all local, state, and federal laws and regulations governing personnel activities.