AI Strategist

CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)•Nashville, TN

20h

About The Position

CLA is seeking an AI Strategy Consultant to help organizations translate rapidly evolving AI capabilities into practical, scalable, and value‑driven business outcomes. This role is designed for a highly autonomous professional who can originate, lead, and deliver AI strategy engagements end‑to‑end with minimal supervision. The ideal candidate brings strong strategic judgment, technical fluency across modern AI capabilities, and the executive presence to advise senior leaders. You will own client engagements from initial opportunity framing through strategic design and execution guidance—serving as a trusted advisor on how AI should be deployed responsibly, effectively, and at scale. This is a high‑impact, high‑autonomy role for someone who wants to shape AI strategy for mid‑market organizations, influence executive decision‑making, and help define how businesses adopt AI in a way that aligns with their strategy, risk posture, and long‑term objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree is required. Combination of relevant experience, education, and training may be accepted in lieu of degree.
Degree in a field of Business, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Analytics, or Data Science (e.g., Informatics, Data Science, Health Data Science) preferred.
Strong working knowledge of AI concepts, including: Generative AI, large language models, and traditional AI methodologies
AI/ML lifecycle and deployment considerations
AI governance, ethics, risk, and controls (preferred but not mandatory)
Proven ability to communicate effectively with both technical teams and executive audiences.
Exceptional problem-solving skills, judgment, and intellectual curiosity.
Comfortable operating in environments with high ambiguity and rapid change.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or Ph.D. preferred.
Experience advising clients on enterprise AI transformation, digital strategy, or advanced analytics.
Familiarity with regulated industries (e.g., financial services, healthcare) is a plus.
Experience shaping operating models, governance structures, or transformation roadmaps.
Prior exposure to selling or expanding consulting engagements.
Demonstrated experience leading complex, ambiguous projects with limited supervision.
Hands-on experience as an individual contributor (e.g., Data Scientist, AI/ML Engineer, Applied Scientist, or similar technical role) is a strong plus, partic larly experience building, deploying, or operationalizing AI solutions

Responsibilities

Lead the design and delivery of AI strategy engagements, including AI opportunity identification and prioritization.
Operating model and capability design.
AI governance, risk, and responsible AI frameworks.
Roadmaps for AI adoption, scaling, and value realization.
Translate complex AI concepts (e.g., generative AI, agentic systems, automation) into clear executive-level insights and decisions.
Advise clients on aligning AI initiatives with business strategy, risk tolerance, regulatory considerations, and organizational readiness
Own projects end-to-end, from scoping and planning through delivery and executive readout.
Serve as the primary day-to-day client lead, managing scope, timelines, quality, and outcomes with minimal oversight.
Coordinate with cross-functional teams (data science, engineering, risk, legal, cyber, operations) as needed to deliver integrated solutions.
Proactively identify risks, dependencies, and decision points; escalate thoughtfully and early when required.
Contribute to the development of AI frameworks, methodologies, accelerators, and points of view.
Stay current on AI trends, regulations, and industry use cases; synthesize insights into practical guidance for clients and internal teams.
Support business development through proposal contributions, client conversations, and thought leadership materials
Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders (Director, VP, C-suite).
Identify follow-on opportunities and help shape future engagements based on client needs.
Act as a visible representative of the firm’s AI capabilities and perspective.