Senior AI Consultant / Project Lead (m/f/x)

The appliedAI Initiative elevates Europe’s industry to become shapers in the age of AI, creating a future that we desire to live in. Through our ecosystem of strong partners, comprehensive programs, services and solutions we advance companies holistically on their AI journey. With our uniquely diverse, interdisciplinary, and driven team, we build on deep technical expertise while specializing on applicability of the solutions. We share a mindset of collaboration and openness with our ecosystem of leading companies and tech players. Our common goal is to strengthen the European landscape, jointly creating unique knowledge for applying trustworthy AI. 

We are looking for a Senior AI Consultant (m/f/x) ready to take full ownership of strategic AI engagements with our partner companies — from DAX corporations to leading “Mittelstand” companies. At this level, you become the day-to-day face of delivery for the client and the go-to owner for a focus topic internally. You guide organizations through defining and scaling their AI strategies, developing high-value (agentic) AI use case portfolios, and building the operating models to bring AI into action. You work closely with our (Technical) AI Strategists, AI Engineers, and adjacent teams such as Enablement & Change and Trustworthy AI, while co-owning the development of unique assets in the Strategy & Transformation space. 

Your tasks will include 

• Own delivery end-to-end. Take full responsibility for project outcomes across all workstreams — scoping, planning, staffing, execution, and risk. Orchestrate multi-workstream engagements, ensure cross-functional alignment, and create clarity for the team in ambiguous situations.
• Shape AI strategies for our partners. Drive the development and implementation of AI strategies, establish effective AI operating models, and compile high-value (Agentic) AI use case portfolios for DAX and “Mittelstand” clients.
• Be the trusted partner to senior stakeholders. Manage the full stakeholder landscape, align conflicting agendas, anticipate political dynamics, command attention in C-level meetings, and deliver difficult messages diplomatically — building relationships where you are seen as a partner, not a vendor.
• Lead and develop high-performing teams. Lead cross-functional project teams (AI Strategists, AI Engineers, and others), assign responsibilities, coach team members, and create teachable moments.
• Grow accounts and shape proposals. Identify expansion opportunities during delivery (scope adds, next phase), contribute to proposals with meaningful ownership (scope, approach, plan, delivery model, risks), and supply credible sizing, staffing, and timeline options while protecting margin through disciplined scope management.
• Build depth and become a recognised specialist. Develop a recognised specialisation in a topic or industry, design custom approaches for novel client situations, and become the internal go-to owner for your focus area.
• Co-own and scale our offering. Co-own topics within the Strategy & Transformation team, further develop top-notch assets that allow scaling our offering, and actively share patterns and lessons learned through case shares and reusable assets.
• Stay at the frontier of AI. Stay up to date with strategic AI questions,state-of-the-art research, and emerging AI capabilities (e.g., AI agents) — translating them into concrete value for our clients.