Purpose of the Role:
As a Data & AI Consultant, you will work within our skilled Data & AI Consulting Practice. The team act as strategic advisors supporting clients on their journey to derive business value from Data & AI.
You will be innovative, outcome driven, and passionate about enabling enterprise-wide improvement in the use of Data & AI. Able to operate at a senior level and experienced in identifying, developing, and deploying AI to solve business problems and bring the value to organisations.
You will work closely with clients acting as a trusted advisor, combining business consulting experience with Data & AI expertise to help clients innovate and become data-led and AI-assisted.
Key Tasks:
- Responsible primarily for client delivery with contribution to business development and collaboration within the Data & AI Practice.
- Leading the delivery and supporting the growth of client engagements, supported by a multi-disciplinary team of Consultants from across our practices of Business Analysis, Delivery Management, Engineering, Architecture and Data Science.
- Collaborating with clients to understand their business processes and objectives, identifying high-value Data & AI use cases, providing guidance and recommendations on solutions, and advising stakeholders on data governance and responsible AI.
- Actively exploring trends in data, analytics, ML and AI to shape strategic advice to clients, keeping abreast of emerging opportunities, funding mechanisms, competitor moves, shifting priorities and pain points in target public and private sector domains.
- Educating executives on data & AI technologies, techniques, market offerings to empower leadership decisions.
- Advising C-suite teams on comprehensive enterprise data strategies, ensuring robust data foundations before AI implementations.
- Guiding data-driven initiatives and building tailored Data & AI strategies spanning detailed plans and business cases to roadmaps.
- Supporting clients to grow a lasting data & AI capability by leading on data literacy, mentoring and knowledge sharing.
- Articulating and quantifying the value proposition of the consultancy’s data and AI capabilities to prospects across public and private sector.
- Working within the practice to build offers, provide thought leadership, training, and mentoring.
- Understanding how to deliver projects and the management of them from start to finish.
Requirements
Essential Skills and Experience:
- Experience writing Data Strategies
- Experience implementing Data Transformation
- Experience setting strategic direction for use of Data & AI, shaping and supporting delivery of impactful solutions spanning business strategy, transformation, and operations.
- Confidence conveying complex technical concepts of AI and ML to a wide range of stakeholders, including technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to assess relevant techniques for a use-case, decide on an appropriate evidence-based approach, and communicate and justify that approach to stakeholders.
- Understanding of data governance and ethics principles, including security, privacy, and risk control metrics.
- Strong stakeholder management and leadership experience, proactively identifying clients, building rapport and identifying opportunities.
- Strong analytical, problem solving and critical thinking skills.
- Experience identifying and implementing Data & AI initiatives and use cases to improve business processes and outcomes.
- Appetite and evidence of continuous learning and improvement in the area of Data & AI.
- Strong foundational knowledge of Data & AI with hands-on experience of data and AI during your career, applying analytical and statistical methods within business or academic field.
- Knowledge of recent innovations such as GenAI, MS Copilot and Microsoft Fabric and/or certifications with leading cloud providers and around topics of data science AI and ML.
Desirable Skills and Experience:
- Knowledge and experience of the UK Public Sector.
- Experience in Data Mesh
- Experience in management consulting or large organisational data strategy delivery, with engagement up to executive level.
- Experience in developing winning proposals, bids and value propositions to identify client needs, nurture executive relationships, drive new business pipeline and expand market share.
- Experience and awareness of recognised data governance and management practices such as data strategy, data maturity assessments.
- Working knowledge of use cases and application of different AI technologies including Computer Vision, ML, Gen AI etc. AI, ML frameworks and Data Science Principles.
- Qualification in DCAM, CDMP or equivalent
- A degree in either mathematics, engineering, data science or computer science
This role will require you to have or be willing to go through Security Clearance. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected. Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.
Benefits
By joining us you can expect
- Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience
- Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society
- Strong, inspiring and thought-provoking leadership
- A supportive and collaborative environment
As well as this, we offer:
- Development access to LinkedIn Learning, a management development programme and training
- Wellness 24/7 Confidential employee assistance programme
- Social – Breakfast Tuesdays, Thirsty Thursdays and Pizza on the last Thursday of each month as well as commitment to charitable causes
- Time off 25 days a year
- Pension Salary Exchange Scheme with 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution
- Life Assurance of 4 times base salary
- Private Medical Insurance which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
- Worldwide Travel Insurance which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
Skills Required
- Experience writing data strategies
- Experience implementing data transformation
- Experience setting strategic direction for Data and AI across business strategy, transformation, and operations
- Ability to explain complex AI and machine learning concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Ability to assess appropriate evidence-based techniques for Data and AI use cases
- Understanding of data governance, ethics, security, privacy, and risk control metrics
- Strong stakeholder management and leadership experience
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills
- Experience identifying and implementing Data and AI initiatives and use cases
- Continuous learning and improvement in Data and AI
- Foundational Data and AI knowledge with hands-on analytical and statistical experience
- Knowledge of GenAI, Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Fabric, or relevant cloud and AI certifications
- Knowledge and experience of the UK public sector
- Experience with Data Mesh
- Management consulting or large-organizational data strategy delivery experience
- Experience developing proposals, bids, value propositions, and business development pipelines
- Awareness of recognized data governance and management practices
- Knowledge of Computer Vision, machine learning, generative AI, AI/ML frameworks, and data science principles
- DCAM, CDMP, or equivalent qualification
- Degree in mathematics, engineering, data science, or computer science
- Have or be willing to obtain security clearance and complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks
What We Do
Methods is the leading digital transformation partner for the UK public sector. We care deeply about making our public services better and have been doing this for 28 years. Methods partners with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way public sector operates in the UK. Our mission is to help safeguard public-facing services and apply digital thinking to make sure the future of our public services is centred around citizens. Committed to having social impact, we enjoy an enviable track record of delivering real savings and benefits. We do this by helping you move from vertically integrated legacy infrastructure to a platform business model – allowing you to keep infrastructure costs low and focus on doing what you do best i.e. delivering front-end services. With Methods, you access a range of specialist skills and industry expertise to transform your organisation for the digital age, break free of expensive suppliers, and take control of your customer relationships and operating model. Further information on Methods Group can be found at www.methods.co.uk.
