Data & Ai Practice Lead

About HSO
HSO Success and Ambition
HSO has grown organically to have more than 400 people throughout the UK and we expect to continue to grow significantly in the next five years. We are a leading member of the Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle, founded in 1987, and specialize in sectors such as Retail, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Financial Services and Local Government. We've won several prestigious awards over the last few years including being voted in the UK's top 10 Best Large companies to work for the last 3 years running. This year we are also proud to have been named the D365 Finance Microsoft Partner of the Year Award and Finalist for D365 Sales & Marketing.
HSO is the place to work for those in the Microsoft Dynamics channel. People join and stay because we care; about adding value to our customers, about delivering what we say we will, striving to improve ourselves, being inclusive and having fun.
The core values that enable us to work so well together, also mean our customers want to work with us. We choose to be different to other Microsoft Partners. Caring about our people, customers and quality of work differentiates us. We always support our people and customers to achieve shared, agreed goals.
Job Purpose
As the Practice Lead for Data and AI Services, you will spearhead the commercial strategy, business development, and growth initiatives for our Data and AI team. Your role will involve collaborating closely with a dedicated Delivery Lead and Cloud Solution Architect to ensure successful project delivery, technical excellence, and exceptional customer satisfaction. As the Data and AI Practice Lead there will be a strong emphasis on sales, meaning that you will be involved in the bid management process, responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and working independently and collegiately with our wider sales and account management team to develop new opportunities.
Overview Of Experience And Key Responsibilities
Engagement

• Value, stretch, motivate, empower and support our Data and AI team
• Be a leader who embodies our business culture, embedding our values; We Care, We are Curious and we give Clarity
• Play a contributing role in the Cloud Services and wider Leadership team
• Cultivate strategic partnerships with Microsoft and other relevant tech partners to enhance service offerings and market positioning
• Collaborate with the Cloud Strategist and Cloud Solution Architects to ensure that technical solutions align with customer needs and industry best practices
  

Strategic and Business Development

• Aligning commercial strategy with overall business objectives, market demands and customer profiles
• Lead business development efforts, identify new opportunities, and foster customer relationships to drive revenue growth and considerably expand the customer base for Data and AI services
• Create, deliver and evaluate (through self and others) commercial strategies to drive new customer acquisition, competitive migration and increasing our footprint in existing accounts
• Develop alternative engagement models and commercial offerings as customer needs change and expand
• Engage with key customers to understand their needs, address concerns, and ensure delivered solutions meet or exceed expectations, fostering long-term partnerships
• Create and share insights from the other businesses either in HSO or the market to learn to remain competitive and make better choices
• Working with other Service Lines to provide input into their proposals, including estimating and on-going resourcing
  

Managing Risk

• Responsible for driving Data and AI team profitability and hitting Business Plan targets
• Reporting on all aspects of team performance including utilisation, realisation and profitability and developing further management reporting to support the health and growth of the team
• Developing the annual Business Plan in line with UK and Group objectives
• Collaborate with the Delivery Lead and Cloud Solution Architect to ensure successful project execution, timely delivery, and high-quality outcomes for customers
• Drive and manage operational excellence within the service line, including optimising working practices and processes for efficiency and excellent customer service
• Able to build, manage and evaluate the portfolio of opportunities, engagements and relationships
• Be the final escalation point for major customer issues
• Be thoughtful in creating and using the annual budget, to spend HSO's money as if it were your own, give value for money and an agreed return on investments
  

Learning & Development
Support the Head of Learning in building and implementing the strategy for upskilling the team, through specific training packages and the creation of methodologies to ensure people across HSO know about and can support the work of Data and AI.
Location
This is a hybrid role and can be based either from our Reading, Glasgow or Manchester offices, or home. Please expect a large amount of planned travel which will involve overnight stays near customers, our offices and other UK locations for meetings, events and training.
Requirements
Essential Behaviours

• Demonstrates care with every interaction
• Tenacious
• Able to influence others
• Able to say ‘no' to someone, in the best way possible
• Uses relevant business acumen to make informed choices
• Ability to work in an entrepreneurial business
• Lateral thinker, who will actively listen and contribute to broader topics
  

Essential Experience

• Demonstrable experience in identifying opportunities and moving them through the bid management process to customer engagement
• Proven experience with .... practices
• Able to communicate technical issues to senior internal or customer stakeholders
• Excellent reporting writing skills
• Delivering work through others
• Proven ability to lead and grow a remote team
• Managing an annual departmental budget, including forecasting, profit and loss
• Working collaboratively in business with a parent company
• Team leadership
  

Benefits
Parking and close to Public transport
Holidays
Pension
Healthcare
Dental
Life Insurance
Tonic Wellbeing
HSO Perkz
Culture and many more