Life Sciences Planning Transformation Data & AI Senior Manager

Accenture•St. Louis, MO

4d•$112,900 - $338,300•Hybrid

About The Position

Accenture is seeking a Senior Manager to lead Planning transformation work within our Supply Chain & Engineering practice for Life Sciences. This executive will serve as a trusted advisor to C suite and operations leaders, helping clients plan and manage operations using the power of AI. The role is responsible for shaping, selling, and delivering large scale Planning Transformation programs. The Senior Manager will assess growth, build client relationships, drive origination and own end to end delivery while building Accenture’s differentiated Planning capability.

Requirements

Minimum 8 years of AI & Data experience, including solutioning, designing, or delivering AI & Data projects
Minimum 8 years of high-value consulting experience, including large-scale delivery with minimal oversight and proven ability to lead workstreams and meet deadlines, or equivalent industry/functional experience
Experience leading senior-level (C-suite) conversations or managing senior-level stakeholders
Experience working within the Life Sciences Industry

Nice To Haves

Engineering problem-solver mindset — ability to apply technology creatively to complex business problems
Strong program management and verbal and written communication skills
Driven and entrepreneurial: ability to originate and shape new deals and lead go-to-market activities
Excellent leadership and people skills: proven ability to build effective teams, foster collaboration and inclusion, and build strong relationships with stakeholders and clients
Expertise across Planning technology solutions such as OMP, Kinaxis RapidResponse, SAP IBP/S4, o9 Solutions, or Blue Yonder, or adjacent systems such as Veeva Vault, SAP ERP, or MES/MOM platforms
Strong understanding of modern data and AI strategy, including data mesh, data products, semantic layers, and how these foundations enable AI-driven manufacturing use cases
Understanding of GxP and regulatory considerations in pharma manufacturing and how they shape data and AI solutions
Proven ability to structure ambiguous problems, apply analytical rigor, and synthesize complex information into clear strategic recommendations
Strong commercial instincts with ability to identify growth opportunities, shape client agendas, and contribute to sales origination and offering development
Track record of applying systems thinking across large, cross-functional transformation programs
Demonstrated ability to build trusted advisor relationships with senior clients and navigate complex organizational dynamics with executive presence
Experience facilitating senior leadership workshops and driving alignment across diverse stakeholder groups with competing interests
Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to translate technical recommendations into compelling narratives for audiences ranging from operators to the C-suite
Comfortable presenting in high-stakes settings and experienced at using storytelling to drive organizational change
Demonstrated experience leading project workstreams, including managing and developing junior staff
Track record of coaching and growing talent beyond project delivery milestones
Ability to lead through ambiguity and foster a team culture grounded in intellectual curiosity and continuous improvement
Hybrid experience in both consulting and Life Sciences industry
Expertise in big data technologies, ontology, and AI/ML frameworks
Experience architecting solutions for manufacturing use cases
Cloud certification (AWS Certified Solutions Architect and/or Azure Solutions Architect Expert)
Azure or AWS cloud experience with knowledge of edge and cloud capabilities

Responsibilities

Data and AI -Led Reinvention for Life Sciences Manufacturing
Shape vision and create opportunities for data & AI led business reinvention.
Define and structure an organization’s data and AI strategy to build and optimize data assets and AI technologies for growth & competitive advantages.
Assess maturity of an organization's AI and data foundation. Define building blocks required to convert to an AI-first organization, including technology and AI platform blueprint, data strategy and future-ready operating model.
Create the business case, investment profile and roadmap to deliver on the strategy.
Infuse Responsible AI in vision and roadmap, develop plan for leveraging ecosystem partners, and define operating model to foster a culture of innovation and experimentation.
Identify people, processes and technologies to develop and operationalize AI solutions.
Create strategy for AI-first products and develop commercialization opportunities.
Client Leadership & Growth
Serve as a trusted advisor to C suite, operations, and planning leaders, guiding AI transformation projects for Planning from conceptual design through handover.
Build and expand executive relationships across priority accounts, driving sustained growth and value realization.
Navigate complex stakeholder environments with multiple competing priorities, aligning diverse groups around a shared transformation vision and maintaining trust under pressure.
Synthesize ambiguous client situations into clear, actionable strategic direction, translating complexity into narratives that resonate at the board level and drive decisions.
Anticipate client needs before they surface, proactively shaping the agenda and positioning Accenture as a strategic partner rather than a transactional vendor.
Support client sales origination and develop thought leadership, points of view, and go-to-market assets that differentiate Accenture's Planning offering.
Planning Program Leadership
Integrate engineering, supply chain, digital manufacturing, automation, and sustainability into a single transformation vision connecting technical detail to business value in a way that drives executive alignment and investment decisions.
Oversee complex, multi-partner delivery managing through influence, not just authority, to keep diverse teams aligned and accountable.
Apply structured problem-solving and systems thinking to break down large transformation challenges into sequenced, manageable workstreams with clear ownership and milestones.
Exercise sound judgment and decisive leadership when navigating delivery risk, scope ambiguity, or shifting client priorities escalating and course-correcting proactively.
Own financial performance, delivery excellence, and risk management across the portfolio with transparency and disciplined execution.
AI-Enabled Transformation
Leverage Accenture's AI ecosystem and partnerships (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, NVIDIA, data/ML vendors) to shape and deliver cutting-edge client solutions.
Find solutions to clients’ life sciences supply chain and planning challenges — including demand volatility, CMO/CDMO constraints, regulatory holds, and launch planning complexity
Spot and solve challenges using your analytical & strategy skills to dive into data and compare vs. industry peers
Assist with workshops that look for ways to improve organizations and processes
Determine what methods and procedures to use when completing projects
Give clients insights that help make their companies work better, faster, and more efficiently
Challenge legacy ways of working using constructive techniques that fuel client growth
Use digital tech to help clients find new ways to make their orgs more effective and efficient
Lead small to medium sized teams with diverse backgrounds skills and knowledge
Support client sales origination and thought leadership development
Use the latest analytical tools and digital tech to help clients find new ways to understand how to make their organizations more effective and efficient
Practice & Talent Leadership
Build, mentor, and inspire high performing Planning transformation teams across adjacent practices.
Lead through ambiguity: set clear direction when the path forward is uncertain, model intellectual humility, and cultivate a team culture of curiosity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Coach and develop junior and mid-level talent with intention not just delegating tasks, but actively building capability, confidence, and career trajectory across the team.
Contribute to capability development, reusable assets, and go to market offerings for Planning.