Associate Director, AI Strategy and Solution Architecture

ecsfederal; Virginia (MN); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

ECS Federal is seeking an Associate Director of Digital Transformation & Cloud Solutions to lead large-scale IT modernization initiatives across federal civilian agencies. The role will drive cloud adoption, provide executive-level advisory support, and oversee end-to-end delivery of data/AI programs while building high-performing teams in regulated environments.

The position emphasizes strategic leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and business development support to position ECS Federal

Qualifications

• US citizen required.
• Ability to obtain Public Trust clearance.
• 15+ years in technology consulting, cloud solutions, or IT transformation.
• 7+ years managing IT/tech projects with data science, data analytics, and data management teams.
• 5+ years leading large teams in federal/public sector environments.
• Experience with cloud adoption strategies (AWS, Azure, or equivalents).
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

Responsibilities

• Lead large federal portfolios and drive cloud adoption strategy across agencies.
• Advise senior government executives and translate strategy into executable outcomes.
• Oversee end-to-end delivery of data/AI projects across agencies.
• Drive innovation and R&D on emerging technologies and best practices.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Cloud strategy

Client engagement

Team leadership

Federal program delivery

Education

Bachelor's degree in Technology/Business

Tools

AWS

Azure

Public Cloud Platforms

Job description

Everforth ECS is seeking an Associate Directorto work remotely.

ECS Federal is seeking a results-driven Associate Director of Digital Transformation & Cloud Solutions to lead complex, high-impact IT modernization initiatives across federal civilian agencies. ECS combines mission understanding with technical firepower to deliver real-world outcomes, providing frontier technology solutions in data and AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.

The ideal candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to senior government executives, translating strategic vision into executable outcomes while building and leading high-performing teams in regulated, mission-critical environments. This role will support business development and capture efforts while driving innovation and excellence through research and development on emerging technologies and best practices.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Client Engagement

• Lead large federal portfolios, driving cloud adoption strategy and digital transformation across cabinet-level agencies, including Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior government stakeholders, including C-suite executives at federal agencies
• Develop and execute unsolicited proposals and whitepapers to position ECS Federal as a transformative partner for large-scale federal opportunities
• Provide thought leadership, subject matter expertise, and innovative solutions to support ECS Federal's business development and capture efforts
• Help ECS meet Federal agencies where they are to transform their customer experience efforts and create scalable, actionable strategies

Program & Delivery Management

• Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of multiple data/AI projects from planning/ideation through to deployment/implementation
• Oversee post-sales delivery and technology implementation across multiple federal entities with varying cloud and IT maturity levels
• Assess technical feasibility of proposed use cases by clarifying and analyzing requirements with data architects, SMEs, data engineers, and federal stakeholders
• Lead end-to-end enterprise technology and process transformations impacting thousands of users and systems
• Coordinate efforts with ECS Centers of Excellence (COE) and other corporate Cyber, Data, and AI SMEs to support use case development, roadmap and maturity development, and data integration

Team Development & Organizational Excellence

• Lead and develop cross-functional teams of 10-30+ technical and business resources (data architects, data engineers, developers, and functional staff) across on-site and distributed environments
• Drive talent acquisition, executing interviews, hiring, and onboarding of high-caliber professionals
• Maintain 100% training and certification compliance across teams
• Foster a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing among cybersecurity experts, researchers, and practitioners within ECS Federal to drive innovation and excellence

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Conduct research and development on emerging technologies and best practices to stay ahead of the curve and identify new opportunities for ECS Federal
• Design and launch innovation initiatives to drive employee-driven ideation and executive-sponsored programs
• Apply AI-enabled analytics and data-informed decision-making to improve delivery consistency and accelerate customer outcomes
• Leverage expertise of ECS Federal employees to drive business success and growth
• Establish ECS Federal as a thought leader in the industry through participation in conferences, workshops, and other industry events

Salary Range: $200,000-$210-000

General Description of Benefits

• Must be a US Citizen
• Must be able to obtain Public Trust Clearance
• 15+ years of progressive experience in technology consulting, cloud solutions, or IT transformation
• 7+ years managing IT/technology projects with experience managing technical and strategy teams in data science, data analytics, and data management
• 5+ years leading large teams in federal or public sector environments
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-million-dollar contracts
• Proven track record delivering complex solutions for federal civilian agencies (DHS, DOT, or similar preferred)
• Experience with cloud adoption strategies (AWS, Azure, or similar platforms)
• Proficiency in various project management methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, etc.)
• Excellent verbal and written communication, leadership, team management, and presentation skills
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (Technology, Business, or related discipline)