Principal Consultant, AI Strategy & Governance

Principal Consultant, AI Strategy & Governance

Department: Data Analytics

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Minneapolis

Description

Thought Logic Consulting is a functionally-led, digitally enabled consultancy that exists at the intersection of business transformation and technology innovation. We partner with clients to solve their most complex business problems and we do it in a highly collaborative, local-market approach, giving clients senior-level attention and giving our consultants room to grow, lead, and build.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and driven AI Strategy & Governance consultant with 5–10 years of experience to join our growing Data & AI practice. As the lead strategist on client engagements, you will guide organizations in transforming AI from fragmented experimentation into scalable, enterprise capabilities that deliver measurable business value. You will design AI operating models, establish governance frameworks, and define decision rights, policy structures, and roadmaps that enable responsible and effective AI adoption. This is a high-visibility role requiring both deep subject matter expertise and strong client relationship skills.

What You'll Do

• Lead AI and data maturity assessments to identify gaps and define transformation priorities
• Define target-state AI operating models, including roles, decision rights, and organizational structure
• Develop AI use case roadmaps aligned to business value, feasibility, and strategic objectives
• Advise executives on Generative and Agentic AI adoption strategies and scaling approaches
• Design Center of Excellence (CoE) models to enable enterprise-wide AI adoption
• Facilitate executive alignment across enterprise architecture, legal, privacy, information security, and business leadership
• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders, shaping long-term AI vision and investment priorities
• Design governance frameworks including policies, standards, and control structures
• Establish decision rights, escalation pathways, and governance forums
• Develop policy suites covering responsible AI, tool usage, risk classification, and regulatory compliance
• Build intake, prioritization, and risk classification workflows for AI and data initiatives
• Define governance operating cadences, reporting structures, and accountability models
• Partner with engineering teams to define continuous monitoring standards, model performance tracking, and model risk management approaches
• Lead implementation of governance processes to transition from ad hoc to structured AI adoption
• Drive knowledge transfer to embed governance capabilities within client organizations
• Develop change management strategies to position governance as an enabler of innovation
• Lead stakeholder engagement and communication to drive adoption across the enterprise

Key Responsibilities

• C-suite executives, Chief Data Officers, and senior leaders across legal, risk, compliance, technology, HR, and business units
• A team of collaborative, experienced consultants focused on solving complex business problems through data and AI strategy
• Clients across industries including financial services, energy and utilities, retail, healthcare, and technology who are operationalizing AI at enterprise scale
• Colleagues who prioritize intellectual rigor, curiosity, humility, and hands-on problem-solving

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• 5+ years of professional experience in management consulting, AI/data strategy, governance, or a related strategic advisory role
• Demonstrated experience designing AI or data governance frameworks, operating models, and policy suites for enterprise organizations
• Strong understanding of data and AI concepts including Generative AI, Agentic AI, machine learning, data governance, data quality, and responsible AI principles
• Experience conducting organizational maturity assessments and translating findings into actionable roadmaps and prioritized initiatives
• Proven ability to facilitate executive-level stakeholder workshops, build cross-functional alignment, and resolve competing priorities across complex organizations
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate ambiguity, synthesize complex information, and deliver structured, defensible recommendations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop polished executive-ready deliverables
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Technology, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field
• Ability to legally work for any employer in the US without sponsorship

Bonus Points If You Have

• Big 4 or top-tier management consulting experience
• Experience standing up AI governance councils, review boards, or Centers of Excellence from the ground up
• Hands-on familiarity with data and AI platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, or Palantir Foundry
• Experience with AI risk classification frameworks, shadow AI discovery, or AI compliance programs
• Prior work in regulated industries (financial services, energy, healthcare) where governance complexity is high
• Relevant certifications in data governance, AI, change management, or project management

Benefits

• Work on transformations that matter, not slide decks that sit on shelves
• Real responsibility and ownership over how work gets delivered and how clients experience us
• Direct access to firm leadership and influence over how we grow and evolve
• A culture that values depth over optics, outcomes over activity, and people over process
• The chance to grow your career in a firm that's scaling thoughtfully and intentionally, not just chasing growth for growth's sake
• The opportunity to flex in a continuous learner environment. Get access and exposure to the latest tools, technologies and trends in the AI space