Senior Director, Data & AI Strategy

Harbor•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Harbor is seeking a Senior Director, Data and AI Strategy to join our growing team. The Senior Director for Data & AI Strategy defines, leads, and grows Harbor’s consulting offering that helps law firms and corporate legal departments modernize how they use data, knowledge, and emerging technologies. This role sits at the intersection of strategy, transformation, and enablement, guiding clients as they adapt their operating models, systems, and practices for a technology-driven future. The leader is accountable for the service line’s growth, profitability, and delivery excellence, and plays a critical role in developing Harbor’s perspective on how data, AI, and innovation reshape the business of law.

Requirements

Proven record of owning and growing a consulting P&L of at least $3 million annually, with clear success in driving 30 to 50 percent year-over-year growth through strong financial management, pricing, and utilization oversight.
Experience developing and scaling consulting offerings, including frameworks, delivery playbooks, and repeatable methodologies.
Deep understanding of how law firms and corporate legal departments operate, and how data, KM, and AI transformation enable performance and innovation.
Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams and guiding programs that integrate strategy, data, and emerging technology.
Strong leadership and talent-development skills, with the ability to build, coach, and inspire a diverse team.
Executive presence and communication ability, able to advise and influence senior leadership across legal, business, and technology functions.
Market-facing experience through conferences, panels, or publications on topics related to legal technology, data, or innovation.
Familiarity with cloud, AI, and analytics ecosystems sufficient to lead conversations with technical counterparts while remaining focused on business outcomes.

Responsibilities

Strategic and Financial Leadership
Own the financial performance of the service line, managing a budget of more than $3 million with a goal of achieving 30 to 40 percent annual growth.
Oversee monthly and annual reporting, including revenue forecasting, utilization management, and margin optimization.
Track delivery performance throughout the month and reconcile projects at both month-end and year-end.
Drive pricing and resourcing strategies that balance innovation investment with disciplined commercial management.
Manage speculative budgets for new offerings, ensuring progress is measured and outcomes are reviewed against expectations.
Offering Development and Innovation
Design, evolve, and manage the portfolio of Data & Innovation Strategy offerings to align with changing market needs.
Lead the creation of new offerings that may be speculative or emerging, managing investment, delivery pilots, and refinement cycles.
Encourage repeatable, scalable, and eventually productized delivery models to increase efficiency and profitability.
Collaborate across Harbor’s service lines, including AI, Knowledge Transformation, and Technology-Enabled Solutions, to deliver integrated transformation programs.
Delivery Leadership
Oversee high-impact client engagements, ensuring quality, consistency, and measurable value realization.
Support client teams in designing and executing transformation programs that integrate data, AI, knowledge, and innovation strategies.
Partner with delivery leads to ensure projects align with scope, budget, and desired business outcomes.
Talent Leadership and Development
Recruit, develop, and retain exceptional talent across strategy, data, and innovation disciplines.
Mentor team members, build clear career paths, and foster a culture of learning, experimentation, and accountability.
Shape the team’s structure to ensure the right balance of strategic, delivery, and technical expertise.
Thought Leadership and Market Presence
Represent Harbor in the market as a leader in data, AI, and innovation strategy for the legal industry.
Participate in Harbor’s Sounding Board Series for CIO, CINO, COO, and CMO audiences, and contribute to new and emerging topics.
Speak at and attend industry events such as ILTA, contributing to thought leadership, panels, and networking opportunities.
Support broader Harbor programs such as AI Mastermind and cross-firm initiatives, amplifying the firm’s perspective on technology transformation.