At NCS Australia, we believe in doing technology services better. Our commitment to quality, focus on people, and willingness to challenge traditional thinking set us apart. Our team brings this belief to life by partnering with our clients and communities to make tomorrow together.

We are committed to creating an environment that prioritises innovation, collaboration, and purposeful work. Our diverse team is empowered to make a meaningful impact with curiosity, creativity and resilience to shape better outcomes. Join us and accept the challenge of creating a better tomorrow.

We are seeking experienced Principal Consultant - Data & AI Strategy to join our growing Data & AI Consulting practice.

This role is ideal for individuals who can bridge the gap between business strategy and AI-enabled transformation, helping organisations identify high-value opportunities, define practical pathways to success, and realise measurable business outcomes from AI investments.

Working with business and technology leaders, you will help clients shape AI strategies, prioritise use cases, design future-state operating models, establish governance frameworks, and drive adoption at scale. From opportunity discovery through to value realisation, you will play a key role in helping organisations turn AI ambition into sustainable business impact.

As a Principal Consultant – Data & AI Strategy, you will advise clients on defining and executing AI strategies, operating models, governance frameworks, and transformation roadmaps that deliver measurable business value. You will work closely with senior business and technology stakeholders to identify and prioritise AI opportunities, develop business cases, and shape AI-enabled solutions. Acting as a trusted advisor, you will provide strategic leadership, drive stakeholder engagement, support AI adoption, and ensure initiatives deliver sustainable outcomes across growth, efficiency, customer experience, and risk management.

• Experience advising senior business and technology stakeholders, including executive and C-suite leaders.
• Proven ability to develop enterprise AI strategies, operating models, governance frameworks, and transformation roadmaps.
• Strong commercial acumen, including identifying and quantifying AI-driven value opportunities, building business cases, and aligning investments to strategic outcomes.
• Experience leading complex transformation initiatives, including AI-enabled business change, operating model design, and process re-engineering.
• A track record of leading consulting teams, mentoring practitioners, contributing to thought leadership, and supporting practice growth.
• Experience in AI Strategy, Management Consulting, Business Transformation, Enterprise Architecture, Product Management, Data & AI Transformation.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, workshop facilitation, communication, and consulting skills.
• Strong understanding of AI technologies and business applications, including Generative AI, AI Agents, Machine Learning, Intelligent Automation, and emerging AI capabilities.
• Knowledge of enterprise technology environments, including cloud, data, security, privacy, compliance, and Responsible AI.
• Outcome-oriented, with a strong focus on delivering measurable business value and tangible outcomes.
• Strategic yet pragmatic, able to balance long-term vision with practical execution.
• Collaborative and adaptable, effectively engaging with diverse stakeholders across business and technology functions.
• Analytical and creative thinker, capable of navigating ambiguity and solving complex business challenges.
• Influential communicator, skilled at translating complex concepts into compelling narratives for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Curious and forward-thinking, with a passion for AI innovation, emerging technologies, and continuous learning.
• Trusted advisor who builds credibility, fosters strong relationships, and inspires confidence at all organizational levels.

Desirable certifications include:

• Business Analysis, Agile, Product Management, or Change Management certifications
• Enterprise Architecture (e.g. TOGAF)
• AI Governance, Responsible AI, or Data Governance certifications
• AI, Data, Analytics, or Machine Learning certifications

Why join us: 

NCS Australia is where you can feel at home, nurturing your talents and skills as we make tomorrow together, one day at a time. Our benefits include paid parental leave, initiatives focused on your well-being and discounted health insurance. You will also enjoy discounts on various products and services and be regularly recognised and rewarded for high performance. We are committed to your career development through our Capability Fingerprint, industry and partner training programs, special interest groups, and an AI-driven learning platform. No matter where you are in your career, we offer meaningful work and opportunities for growth.

NCS Australia is an equal-opportunity employer, and we take pride in our commitment to valuing and supporting our people and the communities we serve.We are dedicated to attracting, retaining and developing our people regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and age. Applications are encouraged from all sectors of the community and we strongly encourage applications from the Veterans, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.

At NCS Australia, we are committed to supporting adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, as well as during employment. We actively support and encourage people with disability to apply. 

Agencies:

We’ve got this. We request that you do not contact NCS employees outside of the Talent Acquisition team. NCS exclusively accepts resumes from agencies on our preferred supplier panel through the NCS Agency Portal. Agencies that submit resumes must have a valid fee agreement and be assigned to the particular requisition by the Talent Acquisition team. Any resumes that are submitted outside of this process will become the sole property of NCS. If a candidate is hired outside of this process, no fee or payment will be given.

Work rights and background checks: 

To be eligible for a position with us, applicants will need to have valid work rights for Australia and be willing to undergo a comprehensive background checking process, including probity and police checks