Domain Expert (Data & AI Strategy)

About Methods:

Methods is a £100M+ IT Services Consultancy who has partnered with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way the public sector operates in the UK. Established over 30 years ago and UK-based, we apply our skills in transformation, delivery, and collaboration from across the Methods Group, to create end-to-end business and technical solutions that are people-centred, safe, and designed for the future.

Our human touch sets us apart from other consultancies, system integrators and software houses - with people, technology, and data at the heart of who we are, we believe in creating value and sustainability through everything we do for our clients, staff, communities, and the planet.

We support our clients in the success of their projects while working collaboratively to share skill sets and solve problems. At Methods we have fun while working hard; we are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them.

Predominantly focused on the public-sector, Methods is now building a significant private sector client portfolio.

Methods was acquired by the Alten Group in early 2022. Alten is a global engineering firm with approximately 57,000 employees specializing in engineering and IT services.

Domain Expert Role Overview

Location: UK-based, hybrid working

Regular travel may be required to client sites, Methods offices and practice/community events.

As a Domain Expert for Data & AI Strategy in the Data & AI Consulting Practice, you will help Methods’ clients use data, analytics and AI to improve business outcomes, public services, operational performance, regulatory confidence and organisational capability.

You will act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, shape and deliver high-impact consulting engagements, support business development, create repeatable Methods offers and help build a strong internal community of practice.

Methods is appointing seven Domain Experts, each matched to a core strategic offering.

• Client-Side Transformation Partner
• User-Centred Design & Delivery
• Cloud Transformation & Modernisation
• Data Intelligence & Applied AI
• IT Operations & Service Excellence
• Enterprise Platform Adoption & Value Realisation
• Cyber Resilience

These experts will be the thought leaders and subject-matter authorities for their domains, shaping propositions, guiding client delivery, and strengthening Methods’ position in the market.

Requirements

The Data & AI Strategy helps clients define where Data & AI can create measurable organisational, operational, service and customer/citizen value.

This role is for a senior consultant who can work with executives and senior leaders to shape Data & AI strategies, prioritise use cases, define transformation roadmaps, build investment cases and help clients move from ambition to delivery.

The role is particularly suited to candidates who have operated in complex environments such as government, energy, defence primes, aerospace, utilities, financial services or other large organisations where change must be justified, governed and delivered safely.

Key responsibilities

• Lead Data & AI strategy engagements for public-sector and regulated-industry clients.
• Facilitate senior stakeholder workshops with executives, boards, SROs, CDOs, CIOs, CTOs, transformation directors, operational leaders and service owners.
• Assess organisational maturity across data, AI, analytics, governance, technology, operating model, people, process, adoption and value realisation.
• Identify, assess and prioritise Data & AI use cases across operational efficiency, service improvement, decision support, automation, fraud/error reduction, workforce productivity and customer/citizen experience.
• Develop business cases, investment narratives, benefits maps, value cases, KPIs, OKRs and transformation roadmaps.
• Advise on technology strategy at decision level, including build/buy/partner options, platform direction, interoperability, supplier risk, lock-in, scalability and AI readiness.
• Help clients avoid disconnected pilots by defining realistic routes from experimentation to scaled delivery.
• Shape discovery, alpha, proof-of-concept, mobilisation and transformation programme approaches.
• Support sales and bid teams by developing Data & AI strategy offers, proposal content, client presentations and account growth ideas.
• Mentor consultants in strategic advisory skills, structured problem solving, executive communication, business case development and benefits-led consulting.

Essential experience

• 8+ years’ experience in Data & AI strategy, digital transformation, technology advisory, business consulting, data-led change or large-scale transformation.
• Evidence of measurable impact from previous programmes or projects.
• Experience acting as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders in consulting, public sector, regulated industries or large complex organisations.
• Experience developing data strategies, AI strategies, transformation roadmaps, business cases or investment cases.
• Strong understanding of Data & AI capabilities, including analytics, AI/ML, GenAI, data platforms, data governance, architecture and adoption considerations.
• Experience prioritising use cases based on value, feasibility, risk, organisational readiness and strategic alignment.
• Experience working with sales, account or bid teams to shape offers, proposals or client opportunities.
• Experience contributing to communities of practice, professional development, knowledge-sharing or internal capability building.
• Experience working in highly regulated environments where governance, security, compliance, operational risk and auditability matter.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to turn ambiguity into clear options, recommendations and decisions.

Specialist competencies

• Data & AI strategy development.
• Executive advisory and board-level communication.
• Business case and value case development.
• Data and AI maturity assessment.
• Use-case discovery and prioritisation.
• Benefits realisation and impact measurement.
• Transformation roadmap design.
• Technology strategy and supplier option assessment.
• Strategic workshop design and facilitation.
• Public-sector and regulated-industry advisory.

Sector experience we would value

• Central government, local government, health, justice, policing, education or defence.
• Energy, utilities, critical national infrastructure or regulated asset-intensive organisations.
• Defence primes, aerospace, aviation, space or complex engineering organisations.
• Financial services, insurance, telecoms or other highly regulated commercial sectors.

Desirable experience

• Experience with HM Treasury Green Book, Better Business Cases, MSP, Agile delivery, TOGAF, SAFe or equivalent strategy/transformation methods.
• Experience advising on Microsoft Fabric, Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, Databricks, Snowflake, Microsoft Copilot or enterprise data platforms.
• Experience building new consulting propositions or scaling a consulting capability.
• Experience working in multi-supplier, client-side advisory or delivery assurance environments.
• Experience contributing to thought leadership, conference material, market insights or executive briefings.

This role will require you to have or be willing to go through Security Clearance. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected. Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.

Benefits

By joining us you can expect

• Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience
• Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society
• Strong, inspiring and thought-provoking leadership
• A supportive and collaborative environment
  

As well as this, we offer:

• Development access to LinkedIn Learning, a management development programme and training
• Wellness 24/7 Confidential employee assistance programme
• Social - Breakfast Tuesdays, Thirsty Thursdays and Pizza on the last Thursday of each month as well as commitment to charitable causes
• Time off 25 days a year; plus the opportunity to purchase extra leave per year
• Pension Salary Exchange Scheme with 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution
• Life Assurance of 4 times base salary
• Private Medical Insurance which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
• Worldwide Travel Insurance which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)