Senior Technical Project Manager - Data & AI

Location: Bengaluru

Senior Program Manager – Expert (Data & AI | Professional Services)

Role Summary

The Senior Program Manager – Expert (Data & AI) is a client-facing Professional Services delivery leader responsible for orchestrating large-scale, complex Data & AI programs across global, multi-vendor environments. This is a senior program leadership role with no direct people management accountability. The role focuses on program governance, delivery assurance, stakeholder management, and mentorship, requiring strong technical understanding across Data & AI domains, but not a hands-on technical background.

Role Positioning

Senior Program Manager / Delivery Leader (not a functional or line manager)
No direct HR or people reporting responsibility
Strong mentorship, coaching, and influence-based leadership
Technical fluency required; technical execution not required
Professional Services background mandatory

Mandatory Profile Criteria

Professional Services / Consulting / System Integration delivery background
Experience leading enterprise-scale AI & Advanced Analytics programs
Strong external stakeholder and executive client management experience
Active involvement in pre-sales and SOW shaping prior to contract sign-off
Ability to guide technical teams through understanding, not hands-on delivery

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership for Large-Scale Data & AI Engagements

Provides end-to-end program leadership for high-risk, client-funded Data & AI engagements across Data Analytics, Data Engineering, Big Data Platforms, BI & Visualization, Advanced Analytics, AI/ML & MLOps, IoT & Edge Analytics, and iVaaS.

Pre-Sales and SOW Shaping

Acts as senior delivery authority during pre-sales, contributing to solution reviews, estimates, risk identification, and ensuring SOW feasibility before sign-off.

Financial and Commercial Oversight

Owns program-level financial governance covering revenue, margin, forecasting, utilization, and change control.

External Stakeholder Management

Manages executive client relationships, leads governance forums, and communicates AI-driven business value.

Mentorship and Influence-Based Leadership

Mentors project managers and delivery leads, setting standards and best practices without direct reporting lines.

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree (any discipline)
Advanced degree preferred
15+ years Professional Services program leadership experience
PMP and Agile Scrum certifications mandatory

Technical Knowledge Expectations

Strong understanding of Data & AI architectures, AI/ML lifecycle, MLOps, governance, and cloud data platforms. Hands-on technical delivery not required.