We are looking for a Director Data & AI Practice Guindy, Chennai.

This is a fulltime permanent position.

We are looking for a Director Data & AI Practice who is equal parts technologist, storyteller, and business strategist.

This is a senior individual-contributor and leadership role where you will own the end-to-end lifecycle of large, complex Data & AI engagements: from the very first RFP response and presales conversation, through solution architecture and proof-of-concept, to delivery oversight and client success.

You will be the face of our Data & AI capability to CXO audiences, while remaining deeply technical and credible with engineering teams.

This role is ideal for someone who has grown through hands-on data engineering, built platforms at scale, and now wants to shape strategy, win clients, and build a world-class practice not just deliver projects.

What you will do:

Solution Architecture & Technical Leadership:

- Design and own end-to-end data platform architectures: lakehouse, medallion (Bronze/Silver/Gold), event-driven, streaming, and batch patterns on Azure, AWS, and GCP.

- Architect scalable data pipelines, ETL/ELT frameworks, and semantic layers integrating diverse sources APIs, operational databases, SaaS applications, IoT, and files.

- Lead the design and execution of Proofs of Concept (PoCs) and technical pilots in client environments, owning outcomes from scoping to demo.

- Define data governance frameworks: Unity Catalog, data lineage, access control, PII classification, and regulatory compliance (GDPR, DPDP, SOC 2).

- Guide cloud-native architecture decisions across Azure Databricks, ADLS, ADF, Synapse Analytics, AWS Glue, Redshift, and GCP BigQuery.

- Drive AI-ready data architecture: feature stores, model-serving pipelines, vector databases, RAG patterns, and LLM integration layers.

- Establish and enforce CI/CD best practices, Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC), and DataOps standards across client engagements.

Client Partnership & Delivery Oversight:

- Act as trusted advisor to client CXOs, CDOs, and Chief Data Analytics Officers bridge technical depth and business strategy fluently.

- Oversee delivery quality across active accounts; provide architecture guardrails, code review standards, and escalation support to delivery teams.

- Conduct architecture reviews, design authority sessions, and milestone gate reviews for large transformation programmes.

- Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities within existing accounts and partner with account managers to grow revenue.

Practice Development & Thought Leadership:

- Build and curate a library of accelerators, reference architectures, and industry-specific data models that reduce time-to-value for clients.

- Develop and articulate an AI-ready data roadmap framework enabling clients to progress from raw data to ML, GenAI, and LLM production systems.

- Mentor and grow a team of data architects and engineers; establish career development pathways and a culture of technical excellence.

- Represent the company at industry events, webinars, and conferences; publish thought leadership on data and AI strategy.

- Stay ahead of industry trends evaluate new tools, platforms, and research and recommend adoption strategies.

What we look for:

- 12-18 years of progressive experience in data engineering, data architecture, and analytics with at least 4 years in a consulting or presales-facing role.

- Demonstrable track record of winning and delivering large-scale Data & AI engagements (RFPs, PoCs, and enterprise transformation programmes).

- Deep hands-on expertise in at least two major cloud data platforms: Azure (Databricks, ADLS, ADF, Synapse, Fabric) | AWS (Glue, S3, Redshift, EMR) | GCP (BigQuery, Dataflow, Vertex AI).

- Expert-level knowledge of Apache Spark (PySpark), SQL, Delta Lake, and Iceberg; capable of writing and reviewing production-grade pipeline code.

- Experience presenting to and influencing C-level executives (CEO, CDO, CTO, CFO) translating technical depth into business language.

- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field.

- Databricks Certified Data Engineer Professional or equivalent Azure / AWS / GCP data certification.

- Experience with AI/ML platforms: MLflow, Azure ML, SageMaker, Vertex AI, or equivalent; familiarity with GenAI orchestration (LangChain, LlamaIndex, semantic kernel).

- Background in manufacturing, financial services, or retail data modernisation experience with shop-floor data, digital twin architectures, or industrial IoT is a significant advantage.

- Exposure to DataOps / MLOps practices, CI/CD for data pipelines (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, dbt, Airflow).

- Experience building or contributing to a data/AI practice in a consulting, systems integrator, or product company.

- Published articles, patents, conference talks, or open-source contributions in the data / AI domain.

Life at Next:

- At our core, we're driven by the mission of tailoring growth for our customers by enabling them to transform their aspirations into tangible outcomes.

- We're dedicated to empowering them to shape their futures and achieve ambitious goals.

- To fulfil this commitment, we foster a culture defined by agility, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to progress.

- Our organizational framework is both streamlined and vibrant, characterized by a hands-on leadership style that prioritizes results and fosters growth.

Perks of working with us:

- Clear objectives to ensure alignment with our mission, fostering your meaningful contribution.

- Abundant opportunities for engagement with customers, product managers, and leadership.

- You'll be guided by progressive paths while receiving insightful guidance from managers through ongoing feedforward sessions.

- Cultivate and leverage robust connections within diverse communities of interest.

- Choose your mentor to navigate your current endeavors and steer your future trajectory.

- Embrace continuous learning and upskilling opportunities through Nexversity.

- Enjoy the flexibility to explore various functions, develop new skills, and adapt to emerging technologies.

- Embrace a hybrid work model promoting work-life balance.

- Access comprehensive family health insurance coverage, prioritizing the well-being of your loved ones.

- Embark on accelerated career paths to actualize your professional aspirations.