Associate Director - AI & Data (1278) in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey at Axtria, Inc.

Position Overview

As an Associate Director in Axtria’s AI & Data Practice, you will lead transformational initiatives across data, analytics, AI, and GenAI solutions for our life sciences clients. This role requires a strong balance of client engagement, delivery leadership, solutioning, program management, and team leadership. You will serve as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, drive delivery excellence across high-impact engagements, and help shape Axtria’s AI & Data growth strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Client Engagement & Delivery Leadership

• Lead and inspire client engagements, ensuring high-quality delivery of strategic AI, data, and analytics programs across the life sciences domain.
• Act as a trusted advisor to key clients, guiding them through digital, data, and AI transformation initiatives that deliver measurable business value.
• Manage complex client engagements from strategy through execution, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and with excellence.
• Build and deepen senior-level client relationships to strengthen Axtria’s footprint and expand growth opportunities.
• Provide strategic input into solution design and engagement planning based on evolving client priorities and market needs.

AI & Data Leadership

• Oversee the end-to-end delivery of scalable AI, data, and analytics solutions aligned with client objectives.
• Provide leadership across modern data platforms, cloud ecosystems, and AI/GenAI capabilities, helping clients adopt the right solutions for their business needs.
• Drive innovation across areas such as data management, business intelligence, advanced analytics, AI/ML, and GenAI use cases within life sciences.
• Partner with internal SMEs and cross-functional teams to bring differentiated AI & Data offerings to clients.

Solutioning & Innovation

• Collaborate with Subject Matter Experts and practice leaders to design scalable, business-oriented solutions leveraging AI/ML, GenAI, analytics, and cloud technologies.
• Lead solution development efforts for client opportunities, ensuring technical feasibility, business relevance, and strong value articulation.
• Provide consultative guidance on architecture, implementation strategy, project scoping, and execution planning.
• Support innovation initiatives that strengthen Axtria’s capabilities in AI, GenAI, advanced analytics, and enterprise data transformation.

Program Management

• Lead large, cross-functional programs across onshore and offshore teams, ensuring strong governance, execution discipline, and stakeholder alignment.
• Establish clear delivery structures, timelines, and risk management practices to ensure seamless program execution.
• Drive accountability across workstreams while maintaining a high standard of communication and delivery rigor.
• Ensure alignment between business objectives, delivery plans, and client expectations throughout the program lifecycle.

Team & Talent Management

• Lead and mentor high-performing global teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning, and innovation.
• Manage team performance, talent development, and succession planning to build a strong leadership pipeline within the practice.
• Promote an inclusive and growth-oriented environment that encourages thought leadership and professional development.
• Effectively manage delivery teams across onshore/offshore models, ensuring strong collaboration and optimal resource utilization.

Business Development & Pre-Sales

• Play an active role in business development efforts, including shaping proposals, responding to RFPs, and supporting client discussions with tailored AI & Data solutions.
• Lead or support pre-sales initiatives, including solution presentations, capability discussions, and value articulation for prospective clients.
• Partner with sales and practice leadership to identify growth opportunities and convert them into strategic engagements.
• Contribute to thought leadership, market positioning, and practice development efforts to enhance Axtria’s visibility in AI & Data for life sciences.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong leadership experience in AI, data, analytics, and digital transformation, ideally within the life sciences / pharma / healthcare domain.
• Commercial pharma experience is required, with strong understanding of life sciences business processes, commercial data, and analytics use cases.
• Proven success leading large-scale client engagements with responsibility for delivery, stakeholder management, team leadership, and business outcomes.
• Experience managing global delivery teams, including collaboration across onshore and offshore models.
• Demonstrated exposure to AI and GenAI tools/use cases, with the ability to translate emerging capabilities into practical business solutions.
• Strong program management experience across complex, multi-workstream engagements.
• Excellent solutioning and consultative problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to shape client-centric offerings.
• Experience supporting pre-sales, proposals, client presentations, and business development initiatives.
• Strong executive presence, communication skills, and ability to influence senior client and internal stakeholders.
• A strategic mindset with a track record of growing client relationships, expanding account value, and driving delivery excellence.

Preferred Technical & Functional Background

• Experience across modern data and analytics ecosystems such as AWS, Azure, Snowflake, and enterprise BI/reporting platforms.
• Familiarity with AI/ML, GenAI, advanced analytics, and data engineering concepts and enterprise use cases.
• Understanding of data architecture, data integration, data warehousing, and scalable analytics solutions.
• Exposure to commercial, medical, or omnichannel data use cases in the life sciences industry is highly preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, Analytics, Information Systems, or a related field.
• MBA, Master’s degree, or PhD preferred.
• Relevant cloud, analytics, or AI certifications are a plus.