Client Account Director

Responsibilities

White Space Development & New Business

• Proactively map the Microsoft organization to identify untapped business units, emerging AI initiatives, and net-new buyer targets across Azure AI Services , Microsoft Copilot , Microsoft Research AI , and adjacent teams.

• Develop and execute targeted outreach and pipeline development strategies to penetrate new buying centers within Microsoft that are not yet engaged with TELUS Digital.

• Design and pitch custom solution concepts and prototype projects tailored to the specific data challenges and AI development priorities of new target buyers while using these as entry points to open and advance new commercial relationships.

• Convert exploratory conversations into scoped pilots and prototype engagements that demonstrate value quickly and establish the foundation for larger, ongoing workstreams.

• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of new logo opportunities within Microsoft, with clear stage progression and close plans.

Client Account Ownership

• Serve as the single-threaded commercial owner of the Microsoft account, responsible for retention, expansion, and net-new workstream growth across Microsoft’s AI and ML business units.

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with AI, data science, product, and operations leaders with a particular focus on continuously expanding the network of buyers and influencers beyond existing contacts.

• Lead strategic planning sessions and executive conversations that connect TELUS Digital’s capabilities to Microsoft’s evolving AI roadmap, surfacing new areas where bespoke solutions can deliver measurable impact.

• Manage long-cycle renewals, expansions, and new statement-of-work negotiations across multiple business units and seniority levels.

• Act as Microsoft’s internal advocate, surfacing insights that shape delivery execution, tooling priorities, and research investments.

Data & AI Solutioning

• Develop deep expertise across TELUS Digital’s Data for Generative AI, Data Collection, Data Annotation, Data Validation, and Off-the-Shelf Datasets capabilities, including text, image, video, audio, and sensor data labeling, agentic AI workflows, and responsible AI practices.

• Lead the design of custom solution concepts and prototype project proposals for new and existing buyers, working closely with Solutions Architecture to ensure technical credibility and commercial viability.

• Engage new target buyers with a consultative, insight-led approach while bringing a point of view on their data challenges before they have fully defined their requirements.

• Stay ahead of industry trends in AI training data, including emerging labeling methodologies, quality assurance frameworks, and the evolving regulatory landscape around responsible AI, and use those insights to create timely, relevant hooks for new buyer engagement.

Forecasting & Operations

• Maintain rigorous pipeline hygiene, forecast accuracy, and account health reporting using Salesforce , with clear visibility into both existing account revenue and net-new opportunity development.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Delivery, Solutions Architecture, Finance, and Legal to structure prototype engagements and custom proposals that are both technically sound and commercially executable.

Competencies

• 7+ years of enterprise sales or strategic account management experience, with a demonstrated track record of new business development and white space conversion, not just account maintenance, within large, matrixed technology companies.

• Experience selling to or within Microsoft is strongly preferred; familiarity with Microsoft’s organizational structure and buying processes is a meaningful advantage.

• 3+ years of experience in Data Collection, Annotation, and/or Validation services, or adjacent AI/ML data services.

• Proven ability to develop and pitch custom solutions and prototype concepts that resonate with new buyers who are earlier in their discovery process.

• Deep familiarity with data workflows and quality frameworks across modalities, including text, image, video, audio, and sensor data, and a strong understanding of how training data supports AI model development and evaluation.

• Comfort discussing generative AI, agentic AI pipelines, and responsible AI principles with both technical and business audiences.

• Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to engage credibly at the Director and VP level within a large, matrixed organization.

• Proficiency with Salesforce and enterprise sales methodologies.

• Blended hunter & farmer mindset balanced with consultative depth. Proactive, creative in solution design, and committed to understanding a buyer’s business before proposing a path forward.