Data / AI Solution Lead

The Data / AI Solution Lead exists to help iqbusiness grow market share by turning AI, Data, consulting, architecture, productised IP and partner capability into practical, repeatable and client-relevant solutions. The role operates between sales, architecture and delivery, shaping opportunities from early client need through to proposal, solution design, commercial estimation and mobilisation.

This role is not a pure delivery management role. It is a senior solutioning and growth role focused on building qualified pipeline, shaping compelling propositions, supporting client conversations, improving proposal quality and ensuring that sold solutions remain coherent, deliverable and commercially sound.

Role Mandate:

The Data / AI Solution Lead will lead and support solution-led opportunities across AI and Data, working with Client Relationship Leads, Sales Executives, Enterprise Architects, Service Line Leaders and delivery teams. The role will focus on converting market demand into structured offerings, solution blueprints, proposal narratives and executable delivery models.

Responsibilities:

Solution-Led Growth and Pre-Sales

• Shape AI/Data-led opportunities with new and existing clients.
• Work with Sales Executives and Client Relationship Leads to qualify opportunities, define client problems and develop solution hypotheses.
• Lead or support discovery conversations, solution workshops and executive framing sessions.
• Translate business problems into clear solution narratives, value cases and delivery approaches.
• Support deal qualification, bid strategy, pricing inputs and proposal development.

AI and Data Proposition Development

• Develop packaged AI/Data propositions that can be taken to market repeatedly.
• Build reusable solution blueprints, use cases, proposal modules and client-facing narratives.
• Work with Service Lines to convert capability depth into commercially relevant offerings.
• Identify opportunities to productise internal IP, accelerators, frameworks and partner capabilities.
• Ensure propositions are linked to business outcomes such as growth, productivity, risk reduction, customer experience, operational efficiency or decision intelligence.

Client Solution Shaping

• Lead solution-shaping sessions across consulting, data, AI, architecture and delivery teams.
• Define the scope, outcomes, delivery model, resource profile, high-level timeline and commercial assumptions for proposed solutions.
• Ensure proposed solutions are practical, differentiated, technically credible and commercially viable.
• Help move client conversations away from pure staff augmentation toward solution-led, outcome-based or advisory-to-delivery opportunities.

Proposal and Commercial Quality

• Develop or contribute to proposal narratives, pitch decks, business cases and solution commercials.
• Ensure proposals clearly connect client challenges, solution approach, delivery model, architecture, commercials, risks and proof points.
• Work with architecture and delivery teams to test assumptions before submission.
• Help ensure that solution promises can be delivered within the proposed commercial model.

Delivery Oversight and Solution Continuity

• Provide oversight during mobilisation for solutions the role has shaped or materially supported.
• Support design checkpoints, architecture reviews and executive steering moments.
• Protect the original solution intent through transition from sales into delivery.
• Escalate risks where scope, architecture, commercials or stakeholder alignment threaten the promised outcome.

Partner, Product Stack and Market Enablement

• Support partner-led and platform-enabled propositions where hyperscalers, ISVs or specialist ecosystem providers strengthen the offering.
• Contribute to thought leadership, client points of view and market activation campaigns.
• Help build internal confidence in AI/Data solutioning through coaching, reusable content and knowledge sharing.

Requirements:

Essential

• 10+ years strong consulting or professional services background in Data, AI, analytics, digital transformation or enterprise modernisation.
• Proven experience shaping client solutions in a pre-sales, solution lead or advisory capacity.
• Ability to translate business problems into AI/Data-led solution propositions.
• Experience working with senior client stakeholders and internal delivery teams.
• Strong understanding of data platforms, analytics, AI use cases, GenAI, data governance and solution delivery models.
• Commercial awareness, including scoping, estimation, pricing inputs, margin sensitivity and proposal quality.
• Strong facilitation, storytelling and stakeholder management skills.

Advantageous

• Experience in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, retail, mining, public sector or other enterprise environments.
• Exposure to AI productisation, AI accelerators, data modernisation, MLOps, RAG, LLM-enabled solutions or AI governance.
• Experience working with cloud and data ecosystems such as Microsoft Azure, AWS, Databricks, Snowflake, Synapse, Power BI or similar platforms.
• Prior involvement in building reusable solution catalogues, go-to-market propositions or consulting offerings.

Success Measures:

• Qualified AI/Data solution-led pipeline created or materially shaped.
• Revenue or gross profit contribution from qualifying opportunities.
• Proposal conversion and quality of submitted solutions.
• Number and quality of reusable solution assets created.
• Successful mobilisation of solutions without loss of solution intent.
• Adoption of propositions by Service Lines, Sales and Client Relationship teams.
• Evidence of market impact through new doors opened, expanded accounts and improved executive-level conversations.

Please Note:

As all iqbusiness roles require honesty in the handling of or access to cash, finances, financial systems, or confidential information; our recruitment process requires that the following background checks be completed: credit, criminal, ID, and qualification verification.

iqbusiness is committed to sustainable growth and transformation, we embrace diversity and employ previously disadvantaged individuals.