Data & AI Practice Lead

Waracle is a world-class digital technology consultancy and home to a diverse, smart, curious and ambitious community of specialists in technology-driven transformation.

We work with ambitious clients to help them solve their biggest business and customer challenges. We help our clients to innovate and create intelligent digital products and services. We thrive on complex challenges and deliver business-critical IT transformation projects, moving seamlessly from strategy, design and delivery to operations.

We’re excited to introduce the Data & AI Practice Lead position which will shape how we foster excellence, grow talent, and enhance delivery across Waracle. 

As a Practice Lead, you’ll spearhead the development of our Community of Practice (CoP), ensuring that our ways of working continue to evolve and add value to our people and clients. You’ll lead, mentor, and drive best practices across teams while playing a key role in hiring, resourcing, and commercial decision-making.

This role is ideally suited for a candidate with a strong background in data engineering or data science - preferably with consultancy experience - and a proven track record in delivering and selling data-driven solutions. In this strategic leadership role, you will mentor teams, foster a culture of innovation, and work closely with clients to drive impactful data transformation.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and implement our Data & AI Community of Practice (CoP) to drive technical excellence, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing.

• Set objectives, track impact, and amplify thought leadership within Waracle and the industry.

• Define, document, and uphold best practices for Data & AI projects, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality across engagements.

• Drive continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned and integrating them into future projects.

• Mentor and develop team members, ensuring clear career progression.

• Collaborate with HR and leadership teams to align competencies, performance reviews, and salary structures to support the growing team and ensure client success.

• Work with leadership to optimise team structures and align skills with project and client needs.

• Support pre-sales activities by leveraging your technical expertise and consultancy experience to articulate the value of data services to prospective clients.

• Act as a strategic advisor to clients, guiding them through data-led transformation and driving innovation that delivers measurable business value.

Skills and Qualifications Required

• Experience in delivering Data & AI projects within clients with a focus on delivering value and client transformation.

• Solid background within Data Science or Data Engineering, ideally from highly regulated industries. 

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to manage budgets, track utilisation, and optimise costs across a practice and multiple programs of work.

• A strong leader who drives team success above individual wins.

• Experience mentoring, coaching, and managing high-performing teams.

• Proven ability to influence, drive change, and foster a culture of collaboration and innovation.

• A strategic mindset, comfortable shaping client solutions, pre-sales, and technical strategies.

The recruitment process you can expect for this role is an initial call with your dedicated Talent Acquisition Partner who will chat with you about Waracle, what you are looking for in a new position, the salary for the role, notice period and benefits (the important stuff!).

After that, you'll be invited to a two-stage interview process where you have an opportunity to find out more about the role and showcase your skills and experience. Your Talent Acquisition Partner will guide you through the whole process to your first day with us.

We have various events, days out, competitions and incentives throughout the year and here are some other benefits you can expect as permanent team member at Waracle:

• Flexible and Hybrid working

• 35 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays)

• Matched Pension up to 5%

• Medicash Proactive Health Cover

• Health and Wellbeing Support through Unum

• Access to 1000s Personal Development Courses

• Group Life and Sickness Cover

• Enhanced parental leave

• Access to exclusive savings and discounts on top brands

Plus many more!

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.