Avanade logo

Data and AI Architect, Senior Manager

Avanade
  • Chicago, Illinois
    11 days ago

    Job Description

    A Senior Manager who is part strategist, part consultant, and part hands‑on practitioner. You’re as comfortable in the boardroom as you are in a whiteboard session with architects. You shape complex deals, craft executive‑ready narratives, and lead multidisciplinary teams to turn agentic AI concepts into secure, production‑ready solutions on the Microsoft stack. You thrive at the intersection of client value, technical depth, and storytelling. 

    Come join us

    As a Microsoft-specialized Agentic AI Senior Manager in AMBG, you will lead origination and pre‑sales solutioning for high‑impact opportunities, steer C‑suite conversations, and provide technical leadership across the Microsoft AI platform. You’ll create compelling visions and roadmaps, architect solution approaches (from POV to pilot to scaled deployment), and orchestrate cross‑functional teams from Accenture, Avanade, and Microsoft to win and deliver transformative outcomes. 

    What you´ll do​

    • Deal Shaping & Pre Sales Solutioning 

    • Own end‑to‑end pursuit leadership for agentic AI opportunities: discovery, value hypothesis, solution blueprint, estimation, risk/RAI posture, and commercial constructs; partner closely with AMBG sellers and Microsoft field teams. 

    • Translate business strategies into technical architectures using Microsoft 365 Copilot, Dynamics 365 Copilots, Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry (Azure AI Studio), Azure OpenAI Service, Azure AI Search, Azure AI Agent Service, Azure ML, and Microsoft Fabric. 

    • Build defendable, scalable proposals and SOWs; align solution scope, staffing model, and delivery approach to client outcomes and risk profile. 

    • C-level Storytelling & Executive Advisory 

    • Craft crisp, board‑level narratives that connect industry problems to agentic AI outcomes; use data‑backed storytelling to secure executive sponsorship and funding. (Aligned to Senior Manager executive communication expectations.) 

    • Facilitate exec workshops to shape transformation agendas, operating models, value cases, and governance for Copilots and autonomous agents. 

    • Technical Leadership & Architecture 

    • Define reference architectures and patterns for agentic workflows (planning, reasoning, tools, memory), orchestration, retrieval (RAG), evaluation, guardrails, and observability on Azure. 

    • Guide teams building POCs and accelerators with Copilot Studio (low‑code) and Azure AI Foundry (pro‑code), including Prompt Flow‑based evals, content safety, and end‑to‑end MLOps/GenAIOps. 

    • Ensure secure‑by‑design solutions across identity, data, Responsible AI, compliance, and lifecycle governance for enterprise deployment. 

    • Delivery Readiness & Scale 

    • Create phased roadmaps (POV pilot scaled rollout), acceptance criteria, KPIs, and value tracking to realize outcomes post‑sale. 

    • Coach and upskill cross‑functional teams (strategy, industry, data/AI, Modern Work, Security) to deliver repeatable outcomes and reuse accelerators. 

    • Ecosystem Orchestration 

    • Operate as one with Accenture, Avanade, and Microsoft—co‑innovating, co‑selling, and co‑delivering; align to Microsoft programs and co‑funding where appropriate. 

    Travel may be required for this role. The amount of travel will vary from 05% to 100% depending on business need and client requirements. 

    .

    Skills & Experience

    • Minimum of 10 years in consulting/technology, including 5+ years leading pre‑sales solutioning or architecture for cloud/data/AI programs, ideally on Microsoft. 

    • Minimum of 10 years of experience and ability to craft solution options, estimates, delivery models, and risk mitigations; collaborate with deal teams on pricing, T&Cs, and governance. 

    • Minimum of 3 years of hands‑on architecture or supervision experience with Microsoft Foundry, Azure OpenAI Service, Azure AI Search, Azure AI Agent Service, Azure ML, Prompt Flow/evaluations, and Microsoft Fabric; fluency in when to use Copilot Studio vs. pro‑code approaches. 

    • Minimum of 10 years of experience leading multi‑disciplinary teams across strategy, industry, data/AI engineering, and change management; strong coaching and “lead‑from‑the‑front” ethos 

    • Bachelor's degree or equivalent (minimum 12 years) work experience. (If Associate’s Degree, must have minimum 6 years work experience) 

    About you

    Professional Skills

    • Practical knowledge of Responsible AI, identity, security, data governance, and deployment guardrails for enterprise AI. 

    • Strong, C-level communication and consulting skills and ability to engage business and technology stakeholders.  

    • Ability to lead large, multidisciplinary technical teams.  

    • Structured, value-driven, problem-solving mindset.   

    Preferred Qualifications

    • You’ve led end-to-end agentic AI business process transformations. 

    • You’ve shipped Copilot Studio solutions and Azure AI Foundry agents in regulated industries (FS, H&PS), including content safety, evals, and monitoring. 

    • You bring industry POVs (e.g., Fabric‑enabled data modernization agentic workflows function transformation) and can connect them to measurable business KPIs. 

    IMPORTANT:  before applying for a job internally: 

    ·         Review this application criteria. 

    ·         You must already possess the appropriate visas and/or work permits required to live and work in the country the job is based. Do not apply until you have confirmed these authorizations are in place, or the job description states that international applicants will be considered.

    ·         If you apply and are selected for a job at a higher level, it will be offered at your current level. You will be considered for promotion at the next eligible promotion period, except where subject to local law or contractual obligations*. 

    *ICEG, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, and Germany: Promotions will be handled in accordance with local labor laws and works council agreements, where applicable).  

    Compensation at Avanade varies depending on a wide array of factors, which may include but are not limited to the specific office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. As required by local law, Avanade provides a reasonable range of compensation for roles that may be hired as set forth below. 

    We anticipate this job posting will be posted until 09/21/2026.

    Avanade offers a market competitive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability coverage, a 401(k) plan, bonus opportunities, paid holidays, and paid time off.  

    See more information on our benefits here: U.S. Employee Benefits | Avanade   

    Information on benefits is here. 

    California - $176,800 - $217,550   

    Cleveland - $164,000 - $194,750  

    Colorado - $164,000 - $194,750 

    District of Columbia - $183,200 - $217,550  

    Illinois - $176,800 - $209,950

    Maryland - $183,200 - $217,550

    Maine - $164,000 - $194,750 

    Massachusetts - $183,200 - $217,550

    Minnesota - $176,800 - $209,950 

    New York / New Jersey - $194,400 - $230,850

    Virginia - $164,000 - $194,750 

    Washington -  $183,200 - $217,550    

    .

    Numbers & Facts

    LocationChicago, Illinois
    IndustryComputer Software
    Company Size10,000 employees or more
    Websitehttps://www.avanade.com/en-us/career

    About Company

    At Avanade, our vision is to be the leading digital innovator, creating great experiences as we realize results for our clients and their customers through the power of people and the Microsoft ecosystem. Through thousands of projects, we’ve transformed businesses for the digital world. We’ve helped them create compelling experiences for their customers and employees. We’ve reduced costs, increased productivity, enabled collaboration and enhanced agility – and ultimately improved performance.

    Skills

    • Artificial Intelligence (AI)unmatched
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Agentsunmatched
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Programming Languagesunmatched
    • Blueprintsunmatched
    • Business Processesunmatched
    • Business Skillsunmatched
    • Business Strategyunmatched
    • C-Level Managementunmatched
    • Cloud Architectureunmatched
    • Coachingunmatched
    • Consultingunmatched
    • Cross-Functionalunmatched
    • Engineering Change Managementunmatched
    • Fundingunmatched
    • Leadershipunmatched
    • Legalunmatched
    • Memory Hardwareunmatched
    • Microsoft Product Familyunmatched
    • Microsoft Windows Azureunmatched
    • Microsoft Windows Operating Systemunmatched
    • Performance Metricsunmatched
    • Pre-Salesunmatched
    • Pricingunmatched
    • Problem Solving Skillsunmatched
    • Riskunmatched
    • Risk Managementunmatched
    • Risk Modelingunmatched
    • Salesunmatched
    • Solution Salesunmatched
    • Storytellingunmatched
    • Team Lead/Managerunmatched
    • Technical Leadershipunmatched
    • Technical Strategyunmatched
    • Willing to Travelunmatched

    Be found by employers

    5,500+ employers search our resume database daily. Add yours to get found by recruiters looking for candidates like you.

    Level up your application

    Professional resume templates

    Browse dozens of recruiter approved resume templates, layouts and formats. Choose your favorite and make it your own in minutes.

    Free resume templates

    Free resume builder

    Improve your existing resume or start from scratch and create a standout, ATS-friendly resume. Add job-specific content, download and apply.

    Free resume builder