Managing Director, Data and AI - Operational Intelligence (Chicago)

Are you ready to make an impact?Building enterprises where AI doesn't sit beside the business — it runs through it.AI has crossed the threshold from experimentation to operating model. The firms that will define the next decade are not asking whether to embed intelligence into their operations — they are asking how fast. This role sits at that frontier.We are looking for a Managing Director / Partner to help lead and grow West Monroe's Data & AI practice — someone who has operated at the intersection of modern data platforms, AI systems, and the real work of making enterprises run fundamentally better. You will shape how our clients think about operational intelligence: the synthesis of structured and unstructured data, real-time workflow orchestration, agentic AI, and the context engineering that turns raw signals into governed decisions.What sets this apartYou are not here to oversee dashboards. You are building intelligence that acts — data platforms that feed orchestration engines, knowledge graphs that power AI reasoning, and workflows that close the loop from insight to outcomeYou will work at the leading edge of agentic AI, operational digital twins, and context-aware automation — areas where the market is moving and talent is genuinely scarce.This is a market-facing practice leadership role: you own client relationships, originate work, and build a team of data and AI professionals who want to be challenged.You will have direct influence over IP development, offerings strategy, and how West Monroe goes to market with one of the most differentiated positioning sets in the industry.What You Will DoClient Delivery & Engagement LeadershipYou will have direct influence over IP development, offerings strategy, and how West Monroe goes to market with one of the most differentiated positioning sets in the industry. • Lead delivery of complex, multi-disciplinary engagements spanning data platform modernization, AI/ML deployment, and operational intelligence — acting as the executive accountable for outcomes.• Translate client business problems into solutions combining modern data infrastructure (Databricks, Snowflake, cloud-native) with AI-native orchestration and real-time decisioning.• Serve as a trusted advisor to CDOs, CTOs, CIOs, and COOs navigating AI transformation with credible executive presence.• Govern engagement economics — scoping, pricing, risk, and portfolio quality — with the rigor of a business owner.AI & Operational Intelligence Practice Development• Shape and build differentiated offerings at the intersection of data platforms, AI/agentic systems, and operational intelligence — including knowledge graphs, context engineering, real-time orchestration, and event-driven workflow design.• Develop accelerators, methodologies, and reusable IP that reduce time-to-value for clients and build a competitive moat for the practice.• Stay genuinely ahead of the market: LLM architectures, RAG and context engineering, agentic frameworks, AI governance, and the emerging toolchain for operationalizing AI at scale.• Define the talent model — recruit, develop, and retain exceptional data engineers, AI architects, and analytics leaders.• Collaborate with industry and functional practices to cross-pollinate use cases and create sector-specific AI playbooks.Business Development & Market Leadership• Originate new client relationships — hunting strategically across target sectors with a proven professional network.• Grow existing accounts by connecting data and AI investments to measurable operational outcomes clients can defend to their boards.• Build visible market presence: speaking engagements, published points of view, and a reputation as a practitioner who both thinks and does.• Partner with firm leadership to define and execute go-to-market strategy for AI and data offerings across industries.Who We Are Looking ForExperience Foundation• Total Experience: 13+ years in client-facing technology consulting with deep roots in data and AI systems• Team Leadership: 10+ years leading data engineering, analytics, or AI teams — from ICs to practice-scale organizations• Technical Depth: 10+ years designing, building, and operating data platforms, pipelines, and AI/ML systems at enterprise scale• Business Development: Proven ability to originate, shape, and close complex engagements with an active market networkTechnical Capabilities• Modern data platform architecture: Databricks, Snowflake, Delta Lake, cloud-native stacks (AWS, Azure, GCP)• AI/ML engineering: LLMs, RAG pipelines, context engineering, embedding systems, vector databases, model deployment• Agentic systems and AI orchestration: multi-agent frameworks, event-driven workflows, real-time operational decisioning• Knowledge graph and semantic layer design — unifying structured, unstructured, and graph data for AI reasoning• Data governance, observability, lineage, and quality at scale — the infrastructure that makes AI trustworthy• API-first, cloud-agnostic integration patterns across enterprise systems (CRM, ERP, IIoT, operational platforms)Leadership & Commercial Qualities• You see white space and move into it — building offerings, developing talent, creating market presence. Entrepreneurial drive• You distinguish genuine AI value creation from hype; clients trust your judgment because you have earned it. Intellectual honesty• You understand how data, technology, process, and people interlock — and you design accordingly. Systems thinking• You are as energized by growing a junior professional as by landing a marquee client. Builder mentality• Strong project governance, clear communication, and the instinct to surface problems early. Operational disciplineWhat We Offer• An entrepreneurial platform with real ownership over practice strategy, offerings, and P&L — without the bureaucracy of larger firms.• Proximity to the most interesting problems in enterprise AI: clients who are serious about transformation, not just pilots.• A network of data and AI innovators, technologists, and investors building new IP at the edge of what is possible.• Competitive compensation including base, bonus, and equity structures that reflect the commercial value you create.• A culture that rewards deep technical credibility alongside business leadership — you don't have to choose which one you are.This is not a seat at the table. This is building the table.Based on pay transparency guidelines, a reasonable expectation for the salary range for this role is listed below. Information on our competitive total rewards package, including our bonus structure and benefits is here. Individual salaries are determined by evaluating a variety of factors including geography, experience, skills, education, and internal equity.​ Employees in proximity of our Seattle, Washington DC, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco offices will have a geographic premium applied to this salary scale. Employees (and their families) are covered by medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees are able to enroll in our company’s 401k plan, purchase shares from our employee stock ownership program and be eligible to receive annual bonuses. Employees will also receive unlimited flexible time off and ten paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Eligibility for ten weeks of paid parental leave will also be available upon hire date. National$280,000—$378,000 USDOther consultancies talk at you.At West Monroe, we work with you.We’re a global business and technology consulting firm passionate about creating measurable value for our clients, delivering real-world solutions.The combination of business and technology is not new, but how we bring them together is unique. We’re fluent in both. We know that technology alone is not the answer, but how we apply it is. We rely on data to constantly adapt and solve new challenges. Actions that work today with outcomes that generate value for years to come.At West Monroe, we zero in on the heart of the opportunity, getting to results faster and preparing people for what’s next.You’ll feel the difference in how we work. We show up personally. We’re right there in the room with you, co-creating through the challenges. With West Monroe, collaboration isn’t a lofty promise, but a daily action. We work together with you to turn vision into clear action with lasting impact.West Monroe is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer  We believe in treating each employee and applicant for employment fairly and with dignity. We base our employment decisions on merit, experience, and potential, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state or local law. To learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion at West Monroe, visit . If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in our recruiting process, please inquire by sending an email to View email address on apply.placed-app.com review our current policy regarding use of generative artificial intelligence during the application process.If you are based in California, we encourage you to read West Monroe’s Notice at Collection for California residents, provided pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and linked here.