Associate Director, AI Strategy, EY-Parthenon

Associate Director – AI Strategy

Key responsibilities

Lead engagement execution

• Lead sizeable workstreams and selected end-to-end AI strategy engagements, acting as the primary day-to-day client lead and ensuring delivery of commercially impactful outcomes, with oversight and support from Directors and Partners
• Convert broad client questions into clear hypotheses, issue trees, workplans, analytical requirements, stakeholder plans and decision points
• Own the day-to-day management of engagements, including team deployment, timelines, dependencies, deliverable quality, client governance, scope management and engagement economics

Deliver enterprise AI strategies

• Assess an organisation’s AI maturity, strategic ambition, business priorities, technology landscape, data readiness, talent base and governance capabilities and translate findings into clear strategic recommendations, investment priorities and executive decision points
• Identify, quantify and prioritise AI value creation opportunities across growth, productivity, cost, risk and customer outcomes, linking opportunities to measurable business impact.
• Develop and prioritise portfolios of AI use cases using commercial value, strategic relevance, feasibility, risk, data readiness and time-to-impact criteria
• Define target AI operating models, including decision rights, governance, funding, delivery structures, talent requirements and collaboration between business, technology, data and risk teams
• Evaluate build, buy and partner choices, including the implications of foundation models, cloud providers, specialist AI vendors and existing enterprise platforms
• Develop practical AI roadmaps, investment requirements, business cases, capability-building plans and implementation priorities based on the guidance from Directors, Partners and EY Experts, balancing value, feasibility, organisational readiness and implementation risk

Deliver AI-focused transaction work

• Lead or support buy-side AI due diligence for private equity and corporate investors, assessing the risks from AI to the business model / credibility and commercial relevance of a target’s AI capabilities and strategy
• Assess whether claimed AI capabilities are proprietary, defensible and material to the investment thesis, rather than superficial product features or repackaged third-party functionality
• Quantify potential AI value creation opportunities, associated execution requirements and implications for value creation thesis
• Identify material risks, capability gaps, technical debt, cost exposures and dependencies that may affect valuation, deal terms or integration planning
• For vendor due diligence, develop an evidence-backed AI equity story that clearly articulates current capabilities, competitive differentiation, value delivered to date and the future value creation opportunity
• Prepare management teams to respond credibly to investor scrutiny of the company’s AI capabilities, roadmap, economics and defensibility
• Present concise, decision-oriented findings to investment committees, deal teams, management teams and other senior stakeholders
• Support the assessment of post-deal AI value creation opportunities, integration considerations and technology-enabled synergy potential

Manage senior stakeholders

• Build trusted working relationships with C-suite executives, business-unit leaders, AI / Data- leaders, functional leaders, private equity investment professionals and portfolio management teams
• Plan and facilitate executive interviews, workshops, working sessions and steering committees
• Communicate complex AI and technology topics in clear commercial language tailored to the audience
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders on AI strategy, investment priorities and transformation decisions
• Build long-term executive relationships and identify opportunities to expand EY-Parthenon's impact with clients

Lead and develop teams

• Lead multidisciplinary teams of consultants and specialists, typically combining strategy, commercial, data, technology, operating model, sector and transaction expertise
• Coach junior colleagues in structured problem-solving, analytics, story lining, client communication and professional judgement
• Provide apprenticeship-style coaching, helping team members develop consulting judgement, executive communication and commercial thinking
• Create an inclusive, collaborative and high-performance team environment, including during periods of significant delivery pressure
• Provide meaningful feedback and contribute to the formal and informal development of team members

Support business and proposition development

• Play a leading role in proposals, pitches and commercial discussions, owning sections of pursuits and contributing to conversion effortsHelp shape AI strategy, AI transformation and AI transaction propositions based on recurring client needs and market developments
• Identify potential follow-on opportunities arising from existing engagements and support their conversion
• Contribute to selected thought leadership, market perspectives and client events
• Build internal and external market relationships that support future business development opportunities

Build the practice

• Contribute to the development of EY-Parthenon's AI Strategy methodology, propositions, tools and intellectual property
• Support recruitment, capability building and knowledge sharing across the AI Strategy team
• Develop points of view on emerging AI trends, business implications and sector-specific opportunities
• Help strengthen EY-Parthenon's market position through thought leadership and external engagement

Skills and attributes for success

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

Structured strategy consulting capability

• Strong hypothesis-led problem-solving skills and the ability to structure complex or ambiguous questions
• Excellent analytical judgement, including the ability to distinguish material issues from interesting but non-critical detail
• Experience combining primary research, secondary research, quantitative analysis and expert input into an integrated answer
• Strong storylining and synthesis skills, with the ability to develop concise, executive-level recommendations
• Ability to shape executive decision-making by converting analysis into clear strategic choices and recommendations
• Confidence operating at pace, with incomplete information and under demanding client deadlines
• A high degree of personal ownership, attention to detail and commitment to quality

Techno-commercial AI fluency

• A sound understanding of the principal components of the enterprise AI landscape, including generative AI, predictive machine learning, foundation models, data platforms, cloud infrastructure, model deployment and AI-enabled enterprise applications
• The ability to understand and discuss AI architecture, data requirements, integration considerations, model lifecycle management, MLOps or LLMOps, security, privacy and responsible AI and the judgement to bring in specialist experts when deeper technical, legal, cyber or regulatory expertise is required
• The judgement to assess where technical depth is required and when to involve specialist architects, engineers, data scientists, cyber professionals, lawyers or risk experts
• The ability to engage credibly with architects, engineers and data scientists while maintaining focus on commercial and strategic outcomes
• The ability to translate technical choices into implications for value, cost, scalability, speed, risk, differentiation and strategic control
• Familiarity with the commercial dynamics of the AI ecosystem, including hyperscalers, foundation-model providers, enterprise software vendors, specialist AI companies and open-source technologies
• A practical rather than purely theoretical perspective on what is required to deploy and scale AI in a large organisation

Commercial and quantitative capability

• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to connect AI opportunities to business strategy, competitive advantage and financial performance
• Experience developing business cases, value-driver trees, market assessments, cost models, investment requirements and implementation roadmaps
• Experience linking AI investment decisions to enterprise value creation, shareholder value and competitive advantage
• The ability to assess total cost of ownership, unit economics, operating expenditure, capital expenditure, implementation costs and potential value realisation
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint capability, together with confidence interpreting financial, operational and technical solutions / artefacts

• The ability to evaluate claims critically and distinguish demonstrated value from untested assumptions

Leadership and communication

• Strong project and team leadership, including the ability to manage multiple workstreams and disciplines
• Credibility with senior executives and the confidence to lead challenging conversations
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to explain complex topics clearly and precisely
• The ability to influence without relying on formal authority
• A proactive, low-ego and collaborative working style
• Intellectual curiosity and a sustained interest in AI, technology, innovation and their commercial implications

Essential experience

Candidates must have:

• At least Six years of management consulting experience, with substantial experience gained within a recognised strategy or management consulting firm, strategy boutique, or strategy-led transactions practice
• Evidence of operating at Senior Manager, Engagement Manager or equivalent level, with clear readiness to step into an Associate Director role
• At least two years of substantive AI-focused experience, gained through one or more of the following:
• Enterprise AI strategy
• AI-enabled business or functional transformation
• AI or technology due diligence
• AI value creation planning
• Strategy for AI-enabled products or businesses
• Data, digital or technology strategy with a material AI component
• A track record of independently leading major workstreams or smaller engagements from planning through to delivery
• Experience managing consulting teams and reviewing the quality of analytical and client-facing outputs
• Experience engaging directly with senior client stakeholders
• Strong evidence of structured problem-solving, quantitative / financial analysis, executive communication and project management
• Experience producing high-quality board, C-suite or investment committee materials under tight deadlines

Ideally, you will also

• Have experience advising private equity investors, portfolio companies or corporate development teams on technology, digital or AI-related topics
• Have expertise in one or more sectors including Industrials, Energy, Telecoms, Consumer, Software or Health, and understand the key AI value drivers within those sectors
• Have contributed materially to winning consulting work through proposals, pitches, commercial discussions or relationship development
• Have experience leading executive workshops and facilitating alignment among senior stakeholders with differing priorities
• Have experience developing consulting propositions, methodologies, frameworks or intellectual property
• Have experience supporting AI-enabled transformation programmes from strategy through mobilisation and early execution
• Be an effective coach and mentor, helping teams develop consulting, analytical and client leadership capabilities

Build trusted relationships across clients, EY-Parthenon and the wider EY organisation, both in the UK and internationally

What We Offer (EY Standard Frame)

We offer an attractive remuneration package where you’ll be rewarded for your performance. Our comprehensive Total Rewards package includes support for flexible working and career development, and with FlexEY you can select benefits that suit your needs, covering holidays, health and well-being, insurance, savings and a wide range of discounts, offers and promotions.

Plus, we offer:

• Continuous learning: Through continuous training, coaching and mentorship, you’ll develop the mindset and skills needed to accelerate your career and become a transformational leader
• Real exposure: Opportunities to work on a wide range of projects and be exposed to senior business leaders and investors across a number of different business models, subsectors and companies
• Diverse and inclusive culture: You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs
• Success as defined by you: We’ll provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way

If you can demonstrate that you meet the criteria above, please contact us as soon as possible.

The Exceptional EY Experience. It’s Yours To Build.

Apply now.

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