Principal, AI & Digital Transformation

Mint Specialist Recruitment Ltd; Dubai; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Mint Specialist Recruitment Ltd in Dubai seeks a Principal – AI and Digital Transformation to lead large-scale programs in AI, digital transformation, and telecoms for government and TMT sectors. You will drive strategy-to-delivery, work with C-suite clients, and manage cross-functional teams and partners.

The role demands a decade of postgraduate experience, strong consulting background, and proven ability to translate AI initiatives into measurable business value across complex environments in

Qualifications

• A minimum of ten years of postgraduate work experience, including at least five years in a leading global strategy or management consulting firm.
• A strong consulting background, ideally from a Tier-1 global consulting firm, with demonstrated progression to senior engagement and client-leadership responsibilities.
• Significant experience leading large-scale AI or digital transformation programs across multiple functions, technology platforms, delivery partners, or geographies.
• Demonstrated experience taking AI solutions beyond strategy and experimentation into implementation, production deployment, business adoption, and measurable value realisation.
• Strong familiarity with a range of AI technologies and delivery approaches.
• Sufficient technical fluency to challenge architects, engineers, and vendors.
• A strong industry orientation toward the TMT and Government sectors. Substantial telecommunications experience is mandatory, gained through consulting or client-side roles.
• A practical understanding of how telecom operators function and meaningful exposure to the operational realities of telecom environments.
• Broader experience across Government, technology, media, digital infrastructure, or other complex and regulated sectors would be an advantage.
• Strong experience managing external technology providers, system integrators, and consulting partners.
• The ability to connect AI and digital initiatives to measurable revenue, cost, productivity, customer service, and operational outcomes.
• Experience managing senior client relationships and a proven ability to build trust, influence decisions, and constructively challenge senior stakeholders.
• Strong project and program leadership skills, with the ability to provide direction while remaining sufficiently close to delivery detail.
• Excellent collaboration and interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong leadership, maturity, self-confidence, and executive presence.
• A self-starting and pragmatic working style.
• The ability to inspire others, and build strong teams.
• A track record demonstrating sustained progression, consistent performance, and increasing levels of responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Serving as the senior leader for large and complex AI and digital transformation programs.
• Manage senior client relationships and acting as a trusted adviser to C-suite executives and functional leaders.
• Lead engagements across the TMT and Government sectors, while bringing strong familiarity with the telecommunications companies.
• Lead AI initiatives across the full lifecycle.
• Lead delivery across internal teams, technology providers, system integrators, and specialist partners.
• Ensure that AI and digital solutions are embedded into business processes, operating routines, roles, and ways of working.
• Define measurable business outcomes.
• Provide thought leadership.
• Lead multiple project components and senior teams.
• Build alignment across corporate, business, technology, and operational stakeholders.
• Lead, coach, and develop high-performing consulting teams.
• Contribute to the growth of the Middle East business by identifying opportunities and selling work through personal relationships and the firm’s client network.
• Support recruitment and attract, retain, develop, and motivate highly qualified staff.

Job description

We are urgently looking to hire an experienced and highly talented Principal – AI and Digital Transformation with strong Technology, Media & Telecommunications and Government industries experience to join a global industry-leading Digital Consulting firm, based in their Dubai office.

The successful candidate will lead large-scale transformation programs from strategy through implementation, adoption, and value realisation, so should be comfortable operating at both executive and working-team levels, moving between strategic decisions and the practical delivery issues that determine whether transformation initiatives succeed.

Responsibilities will include:

• Serving as the senior leader for large and complex AI and digital transformation programs.
• Manage senior client relationships and acting as a trusted adviser to C-suite executives and functional leaders.
• Lead engagements across the TMT and Government sectors, while bringing strong familiarity with the telecommunications companies.
• Lead AI initiatives across the full lifecycle.
• Lead delivery across internal teams, technology providers, system integrators, and specialist partners.
• Ensure that AI and digital solutions are embedded into business processes, operating routines, roles, and ways of working.
• Define measurable business outcomes.
• Provide thought leadership.
• Lead multiple project components and senior teams.
• Build alignment across corporate, business, technology, and operational stakeholders.
• Lead, coach, and develop high-performing consulting teams.
• Contribute to the growth of the Middle East business by identifying opportunities and selling work through personal relationships and the firm’s client network.
• Support recruitment and attract, retain, develop, and motivate highly qualified staff.

Required Experience:

• A minimum of ten years of postgraduate work experience, including at least five years in a leading global strategy or management consulting firm.
• A strong consulting background, ideally from a Tier-1 global consulting firm, with demonstrated progression to senior engagement and client-leadership responsibilities.
• Significant experience leading large-scale AI or digital transformation programs, preferably involving multiple business functions, technology platforms, delivery partners, or geographies.
• Demonstrated experience taking AI solutions beyond strategy and experimentation into implementation, production deployment, business adoption, and measurable value realisation.
• Strong familiarity with a range of AI technologies and delivery approaches.
• Sufficient technical fluency to challenge architects, engineers, and vendors.
• A strong industry orientation toward the TMT and Government sectors. Substantial telecommunications experience is mandatory, gained through consulting or client-side roles.
• A practical understanding of how telecom operators function and meaningful exposure to the operational realities of telecom environments.
• Broader experience across Government, technology, media, digital infrastructure, or other complex and regulated sectors would be an advantage.
• Strong experience managing external technology providers, system integrators, and consulting partners.
• The ability to connect AI and digital initiatives to measurable revenue, cost, productivity, customer service, and operational outcomes.
• Experience managing senior client relationships and a proven ability to build trust, influence decisions, and constructively challenge senior stakeholders.
• Strong project and program leadership skills, with the ability to provide direction while remaining sufficiently close to delivery detail.
• Excellent collaboration and interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong leadership, maturity, self-confidence, and executive presence.
• A self-starting and pragmatic working style.
• The ability to inspire others, and build strong teams.
• A track record demonstrating sustained progression, consistent performance, and increasing levels of responsibility.