Head of AI Transformation

Stout Groep•Arlington, VA

About The Position

As Head of AI Transformation, you will lead the change engine of the Applied Innovation Group (AIG), a new internal team within Stout Strategy. This is one of the most strategically significant roles within AIG, connecting the group's technical capability to both the practice and the market. You will own a mandate that spans delivery model redesign, internal change management, consultant AI upskilling, and the commercial model for forward-deployed engineering on client engagements. The role requires a rare combination of strategic vision, organizational influence, and hands-on execution and will directly shape how Stout Strategy operates and competes in an AI-enabled professional services landscape.

Requirements

Six or more years of experience in management consulting, professional services, or organizational transformation, with meaningful exposure to the commercial logic of how consulting firms operate and grow.
Demonstrated experience leading change management efforts in complex, matrixed organizations, particularly in environments undergoing significant operational or technology-driven transformation.
Comfort with AI tools and emerging technology, including practical fluency with LLMs and an understanding of how they are reshaping professional services delivery models.
Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to develop and manage scoping, billing, and engagement frameworks for client-facing technical work.
Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with a track record of influencing senior leaders, MDs, and client relationships simultaneously.
Experience designing and delivering learning and development programs, particularly for professional or technical audiences.
Ability to operate as a strategic thought partner to senior leadership while maintaining hands-on ownership of execution.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience developing frameworks, policies, and internal communications at the firm level.
Self-starter with a bias toward action, high tolerance for ambiguity, and the ability to build from scratch in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

Own the ongoing redesign of how Stout Strategy structures and staffs consulting engagements in an AI-enabled environment. Define the future consulting team including what profiles we hire for, how technical capability gets embedded into delivery, and how team structures evolve as AI changes the economics of our work.
Partner directly with senior leadership to develop, test, and roll out new delivery models, and produce a living framework that evolves as capability and client expectations shift.
Own the change management agenda for the practice, ensuring tools, skills, and processes built by AIG are adopted and used effectively by consulting teams.
Surface adoption barriers and consultant feedback back to the team and develop and execute programs when delivery models evolve including new staffing structures, new tool mandates, new engagement standards.
Design and own the firm's AI training and upskilling program for consultants, from foundational AI literacy to advanced use of Claude, Claude Code, and AIG's proprietary tools.
Coordinate with teams on data literacy content and tool-specific training.
Integrate AI capability development into performance management cycles and track capability levels across the practice.
Own the commercial model for forward deployed engineering on client engagements including how AI Innovation engineering capacity is scoped, priced, and integrated into case budgets.
Standardize engineering deployment into engagement structures from the outset; serve as the intake and scoping function for client-facing build requests, working with delivery teams to define requirements and engage AI Innovation for execution.
Partner with leadership on change management, communication, and adoption tracking for governance decisions.
Own practice-wide rollout when standards change, new tools are approved, or policies are updated.
Maintain governance documentation and report back to the committee on adoption and compliance.
Serve as the primary liaison for cross-Stout working sessions, sharing AI adoption lessons learned and identifying opportunities where AIG's tool and vendor investments could benefit multiple Stout practices.