Head of Data Science & AI

Position Overview:

We are seeking an accomplished and visionary Head of Data Science & AI to lead the strategy, delivery, and innovation of our AI and advanced analytics services. This executive will play a pivotal role in scaling our AI practice, shaping go-to-market offerings, and ensuring the successful execution of AI programs across diverse industry verticals. The ideal candidate brings strong technical acumen, commercial experience, and the ability to bridge clients’ business needs with AI-powered solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

AI Strategy & Leadership

• Define and execute the company’s AI vision, strategy, and roadmap aligned with customer transformation goals and industry trends.
• Champion AI innovation by identifying emerging technologies, frameworks, and models to keep the organization at the forefront of the AI services landscape.
• Represent the AI practice in executive leadership forums and strategic client engagements.

Practice Development & Offerings

• Build and scale differentiated AI service offerings (e.g., Gen AI, ML Ops, NLP, computer vision, predictive analytics).
• Establish solution blueprints and reusable frameworks for faster delivery and improved ROI.
• Collaborate with sales, marketing, and delivery teams to support pre-sales, proposals, and POCs.

Client Engagement & Delivery Oversight

• Serve as an executive sponsor for key AI projects, ensuring delivery excellence and client satisfaction.
• Guide AI architects, data scientists, and engineering teams across solution design, validation, and deployment.
• Ensure delivery aligns with business KPIs, ethical AI principles, and regulatory frameworks.

Governance & Quality Assurance

• Define and implement governance standards for responsible AI development, model validation, and explainability.
• Lead reviews of solution architecture, model performance, and risk assessments across AI initiatives.
• Maintain strong oversight on compliance, security, and data privacy standards within AI projects.

Program Management

• Lead the end-to-end execution of strategic AI initiatives across clients, ensuring timeline, quality, and value realization.
• Track performance metrics (e.g., model accuracy, business uplift, time-to-value) and report outcomes to executive stakeholders.
• Promote agile delivery, experimentation, and continuous improvement across programs.

Team Development & Thought Leadership

• Hire, mentor, and grow a high-performing AI team including data scientists, ML engineers, and AI architects.
• Drive a culture of innovation, experimentation, and outcome orientation.
• Represent the company in industry events, publish thought leadership, and build strategic partnerships with hyperscalers and academia.

Qualifications:

• 12+ years of experience in data, analytics, or AI leadership roles; at least 5 years in an executive capacity.
• Proven experience delivering AI/ML projects in consulting or services environments across multiple industries.
• Deep knowledge of AI/ML frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch), cloud AI platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP), and enterprise MLOps practices.
• Strong business acumen and ability to communicate complex AI concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Familiarity with Gen AI, LLMs, prompt engineering, and Responsible AI frameworks is highly desirable.