AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.   At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD.    We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived.    We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD. 
We are seeking a talented and experienced professional to join our team as a Principal in AHEAD's Intelligent Operations Advisory practice. As a Principal at AHEAD, you will play a crucial role in providing strategic guidance, driving business growth, and delivering exceptional client service, pairing Observability + Workflow Automation platforms to optimize the way customers operate. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the markets, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record in delivering innovative solutions to complex business challenges.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and guidance to clients, helping them navigate and thrive in a rapidly changing business environment.

Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, acting as a trusted advisor, and delivering exceptional client service.

Assess current landscape of observability platforms and solutions, including potential capabilities, existing consumption, gaps in coverage, licensing models, and operating models.

Provide recommendations to customers around tools for rationalization, reducing overall complexity while managing spend and enhancing capabilities and coverage.

Guide customers through the establishment of a NOC/SOC/Digital Operations Center, integrating observability platforms with IT Service Management, IT Operations Management, and Workflow Automation platforms.

Lead and manage large-scale consulting engagements, ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality outcomes leveraging observability platforms + workflow automation platforms to deliver optimal solutions within scope, budget, and timeline.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams and subject matter experts like Field CTOs, Business Process Consultants, Principal Technical Consultants, and others to develop innovative strategies and solutions for clients.

Conduct in-depth analysis and evaluation of client operations, financials, and market trends to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.

Develop and present high-impact recommendations, presentations, and reports to clients and senior leadership.

Lead organizational change management efforts in large transformational programs.

Drive business development efforts, including identifying new opportunities, cultivating relationships, and participating in proposal development.

Mentor and develop junior team members, providing guidance and support to enhance their skills and professional growth.

Stay up to date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes to provide thought leadership and innovative solutions to clients.

Contribute to the development of thought leadership content, including white papers, articles, and industry insights.

Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field, such as business, engineering, finance, or management.

A minimum of 15 years of experience in management consulting, technology consulting, industry, or a related field, with a focus on delivering strategic and transformative solutions to clients.

Strong industry knowledge and expertise in specific sectors, such as healthcare, financial services, technology, or manufacturing.

Strong understanding of the ServiceNow ecosystem, its adjacent technologies, and how it applies to strategic goals and objectives of customers.

Strong understanding of the observability ecosystem and markets, including capabilities, licensing, and best practices for Dynatrace, DataDog, LogicMonitor, Splunk, Qualys, or others.

Strong understanding of automation capabilities, such as Harness, Terraform, Ansible, or others.

Proven leadership abilities, with the capacity to lead and motivate teams towards achieving project goals.

Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts and ideas clearly and persuasively.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think critically and develop innovative strategies.

Demonstrated business development skills, with a successful track record in identifying and pursuing new opportunities.

Strong client relationship management skills, with the ability to build trust, understand client needs, and deliver value-added solutions.

Willingness to travel to client sites as required.

The compensation range indicated in this posting reflects the On-Target Earnings (“OTE”) for this role, which includes a base salary and any applicable target bonus amount. This OTE range may vary based on the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, and geographic location.     Why AHEAD:   Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between.   We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning.   USA Employment Benefits include:  - Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance  - 401(k)  - Paid company holidays  - Paid time off  - Paid parental and caregiver leave  - Plus more! See benefits https://www.aheadbenefits.com/ for additional details.    Use of AI: We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, assessing responses, or to capture recordings and create transcriptions or summaries during interviews. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.   If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please refer to the Candidate Privacy Notice or contact us at privacy@ahead.com.    You may opt-out of the review or analysis of your application and resume by AI tools by using the General Application. Please include the role you wish to apply for in the Additional Information field. You may also choose to opt-out of recording and transcription at any time, including after joining an interview.  Candidates will not be penalized for choosing to opt-out.