AI Strategy & Readiness - Managing Director

Managing Director, AI Strategy & Readiness

MANAGING DIRECTOR · ADVISORY POD LEAD · FOUNDING TEAM

Practice: AI Services · Reports to: Head of AI Services · Location: Flexible across CFGI offices; travel as required

ABOUT CFGI AND AI SERVICES

CFGI is a leading advisory firm serving the Office of the CFO, with approximately 1,400 professionals across more than 30 offices in North America and Europe. CFGI is independent of audit and vendor relationships, advising CFOs, boards, and private equity sponsors without conflict. AI Services is CFGI's newest practice: a horizontal capability that helps clients assess AI and data readiness, stand up governance, and operationalize AI across the finance function and the enterprise. This is a founding-team seat with direct influence over how the practice is built.

THE ROLE

You are the founding leader of the practice's advisory motion. You own the assessment portfolio end to end: selling, shaping, and delivering AI and data readiness diagnostics, maturity scoring, roadmaps, and business cases for CFOs, boards, and private equity sponsors. You are the senior voice in the room on AI strategy, and you build the team underneath you.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Lead delivery of AI and data readiness assessments end to end: scoping, maturity scoring, findings synthesis, roadmap, and business case.
• Originate and shape opportunities with CFGI account teams across the firm's product lines; carry personal revenue and sold-work accountability.
• Own C-suite and board-level readouts; present and defend findings with CFOs, CIOs, audit committees, and sponsors.
• Design, version, and continuously improve the practice's assessment instruments and delivery method.
• Build and lead the Advisory Pod: hire, coach, and quality-assure consultant delivery as the team scales.
• Partner with the Solutions Architecture and Transformation Management Office leaders to convert diagnostic findings into delivery and program engagements.
• Represent the practice externally through publications, speaking, and client roundtables.

WHAT YOU MUST HAVE

• 12+ years in management consulting or advisory, with substantial transformation or Office of the CFO experience.
• A demonstrated record of originating, shaping, and selling advisory work, not only delivering it.

WHAT SETS YOU APART

• Personally led ten or more assessment, operating model, or strategy engagements.
• Deep working fluency in the enterprise AI landscape: large language models, agentic systems, build-versus-buy economics, adoption and change dynamics.
• C-suite workshop design and facilitation.
• Private equity deal-team or portfolio company exposure.
• Prior experience building a practice, service line, or offering from an early stage.

NICE TO HAVE

• Published eminence: white papers, conference talks, board-education content.

WHO THRIVES HERE

• Exceptional structured communication in the Pyramid Principle tradition; executive-grade written product.

HOW SUCCESS IS MEASURED, FIRST TWELVE MONTHS

• Assessment engagements sold and delivered at target margin.
• Conversion rate of assessments into follow-on delivery and program work.
• Advisory Pod hired, ramped, and delivering to quality standard.
• Assessment instruments versioned and adopted as the practice standard.