Data & Ai Practice Head

Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic LeadershipDefine and execute the Data & AI practice strategy across data engineering, analytics, AI/ML, GenAI, MLOps, and data governance.Track industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive landscapes to strengthen Focaloid’s positioning.Expand the service portfolio with new Data & AI offerings aligned to evolving client needs and market opportunities.Practice & Capability BuildingBuild, mentor, and scale a multidisciplinary team of data engineers, AI/ML experts, data scientists, and analysts.Establish competency development frameworks and drive continuous upskilling in modern data stacks, cloud platforms, and AI technologies.Oversee workforce planning, hiring, and resource allocation to meet delivery and growth objectives.Client Engagement & SolutioningPartner with sales and presales teams to craft compelling Data & AI solutions, proposals, and presentations.Engage with C‑suite stakeholders to understand business challenges and design tailored, outcome‑driven solutions.Build long‑term client relationships and expand existing accounts through consultative engagement.Delivery ExcellenceProvide architectural oversight for large‑scale data platforms, AI/ML solutions, and cloud‑native data ecosystems.Ensure timely, high‑quality delivery of projects with strong alignment to client expectations and business outcomes.Establish and enforce best practices for data quality, security, governance, and compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.).Innovation & Thought LeadershipDrive R&D initiatives in emerging Data & AI technologies, including GenAI, LLMOps, real‑time analytics, and automation.Pilot innovative solutions and accelerators to strengthen Focaloid’s competitive edge.Represent Focaloid in conferences, industry forums, and thought leadership platforms through whitepapers, talks, and expert contributions.Business GrowthIdentify new business opportunities and drive revenue growth across Data & AI service lines.Build strategic partnerships with cloud providers, AI platform vendors, and technology partners.Collaborate with marketing to strengthen employer branding and market visibility for the Data & AI practice.Technical Skills & ExperienceConventional Data & Machine LearningData engineering: SQL, ETL, data pipelines, data warehousingFeature engineering, model development, hyperparameter optimizationProgramming: Python, R, SQL, PySpark, ScalaML frameworks: TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit‑learn, XGBoost, LightGBMApplied ML: time‑series forecasting, document classification, clustering, anomaly detectionGenAI & Large Language ModelsRetrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) architecturesVector databases: Qdrant, Pinecone, FAISS, ChromaMulti‑agent frameworks: LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGen, Haystack AgentsPrompt engineering, fine‑tuning, LoRA, embeddingsDocument intelligence: OCR, structured/unstructured extractionTool use, function calling, and agentic workflowsCloud & Data PlatformsAzure: Azure AI, Azure OpenAI, Data Factory, Synapse, DatabricksAWS: Bedrock, S3, EC2, RDS, Glue, Athena, SageMakerGCP: Vertex AI, BigQuery, Dataflow, Pub/SubSnowflake, Redshift, PostgreSQL, KafkaMLOps & ProductionizationCI/CD for ML and GenAI pipelinesModel deployment: Docker, KubernetesMonitoring: drift detection, accuracy tracking, hallucination checksAPI orchestration, microservices, event‑driven architectureRequirementsBachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field with 15+ years of experience delivering enterprise data and AI solutions using Agile methodologies.Proven experience as a Practice Head, Delivery Head, or Data Transformation Leader building Data & AI capabilities.Strong background in leading large‑scale data engineering, analytics, AI/ML, and cloud transformation programs.Experience working in a matrix environment with global sales, delivery, and marketing teams.Demonstrated success in presales, proposal creation, solutioning, and business development.Deep expertise in modern data technologies, cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP), AI/ML frameworks, and GenAI ecosystems.Excellent leadership skills with the ability to influence, inspire, and drive high‑performance teams.Strong communication and presentation skills, including experience engaging with C‑suite stakeholders.Resilient, resourceful, and comfortable working in fast‑paced, multicultural, multi‑location environments.Proven ability to build trusted relationships with clients and internal stakeholders.