Description Company Overview Burns & McDonnell is a globally respected AEC firm delivering complex infrastructure, energy, industrial, and public-sector projects. The company operates entrepreneurially as 22 distinct business units. Leadership has prioritized an enterprise data strategy that preserves this agility while harmonizing shared project execution (80-90% consistent across units) to unlock operational excellence, client value, and new revenue opportunities through advanced analytics and AI.
Role Summary The Managing Director, Data & AI will define and execute an enterprise-wide data and information strategy that turns data into a durable competitive advantage. The role spans data governance, information management, master data management (MDM), analytics, and AI, embedding data-driven decisioning across both project delivery (Professional Services/Engineering, Program Management, EPC) and corporate functions (Finance, HR, Legal, Risk Management, Supply Chain/Procurement, Marketing/BD, IT, HSE, and others). This leader will harmonize common project-execution data and processes across 22 business units while enabling flexibility where go-to-market approaches differ.
Scope & Priorities +
Enterprise Coverage: Project delivery plus corporate functions (Finance, HR, Legal, Risk, Supply Chain, Marketing/BD, IT, HSE, etc.).
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Project Focus: - Professional Services/Engineering
- Program Management
- EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction)
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Core Mandate: Create a unified, governed, high-quality data foundation; deploy analytics/AI to improve execution, reduce variance, increase win rates, accelerate cash flow, and enable new business models.
Key Responsibilities - Strategy & Operating Model
- Define a 3-year enterprise data strategy and target operating model covering data architecture, governance, MDM, analytics/AI, and data culture.
- Balance enterprise standardization (shared execution data) with local agility (market-specific pursuits) across 22 units.
- Build and manage a prioritization roadmap (0-12-24-36 months) with value cases, milestones, and adoption metrics.
- Governance, MDM & Information Management
- Stand up an enterprise data governance council, policies, standards, and stewardship roles.
- Implement MDM for key domains (Projects, Clients, Suppliers, Assets, People, Financials, Contracts, Risk).
- Establish data quality, lineage, and metadata practices; ensure a single source of truth for project and corporate data.
- Design scalable data platforms and pipelines (batch/real-time) to support analytics and AI across business and corporate functions.
- Analytics, AI & Value Creation
- Operationalize advanced analytics and AI (predictive/prescriptive insights, ML, GenAI where appropriate) in project execution and support functions.
- Prioritize high-impact use cases; pursuit/win-rate optimization, estimate accuracy, schedule & cost predictability, change-order/claims analytics, safety & quality insights, resource optimization, working-capital & cash-flow acceleration, risk early warning, talent/workforce planning, and legal/contract intelligence.
- Embed insights into workflows and systems when appropriate (ERP, project controls, EPM, CRM, HRIS, EAM) to drive decisions, not just dashboards.
- Stand up a Data & AI Center of Excellence and community of practice across units.
- Leadership, Culture & Change
- Hire and develop a multi-disciplinary team (data engineering, platform, governance/MDM, data science/ML, analytics translators, product owners, etc.).
- Drive data literacy and change programs across project and corporate teams; communicate value transparently.
- Risk, Security & Compliance
- Partner with InfoSec, Legal, and Risk to integrate privacy, security, compliance, and responsible AI into all data practices.
- Protect client and proprietary data across jurisdictions and contracts.
- Investment & Partnerships
- Own the data & analytics budget; partner with IT to influence the vendor ecosystem (cloud, MDM, integration, analytics/AI).
- Evaluate emerging technologies and standards to maintain a future-ready capability.
Core Responsibilities: - Develop, manage, and execute a strategic business plan for the department.
- Identify, develop, and direct the implementation of business strategies, including operational strategies and procedures, marketing strategies and pricing strategies, and business development and client retention strategies.
- Manages the development and execution of the department business plan to achieve stated targets and standards for financial performance such as sales, revenue, and profitability.
- Partner with leadership to ensure opportunities are being adequately and appropriately pursued and supported.
- Provide leadership to the team; direct and coordinate work assignments and review performance to ensure the efficient, cost-effective utilization of staff.
- Responsible for profitable growth of the department; manage staff levels, staff loading, and staff assignments to meet client requirements while maintaining profitability goals.
- Implement, apply, and support company, global practice and/or regional office programs and initiatives; successfully navigating and managing change within the group.
- Provide expert level technical, consulting guidance, and support.
- Develop and manage department budgets and expenditure of funds.
- Prepare and present monthly financial reports to global practice or regional management.
- Responsible for leading and/or collaborating with business development managers, business line leads, project managers, and proposal production staff on proposals to secure work for staff.
- Ensure quality is maintained and exceptional deliverables are being provided to clients.
- Responsible for the recruitment, development, training, and retention of staff.
- Responsible for conducting performance evaluations for department staff.
- Provide leadership, guidance, and instruction to the department.
- Responsible for interpreting the organization's policies, purposes, and goals to staff.
- Responsible for overall QA/QC process adherence.
- Enforce compliance with company and site safety policies.
- Performs other duties as assigned
- Complies with all policies and standards
Why Join Burns & McDonnell - Shape and scale a world-class data & AI capability across one of the industry's most entrepreneurial and successful AEC firms.
- Direct line of sight from data strategy to project outcomes, client value, and revenue.
- Enterprise scope spanning project delivery and corporate functions, with strong executive sponsorship.
Qualifications Minimum Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in information technology, business, or a related field from an accredited program.
- Minimum 13 years related professional consulting experience in complex industries required.
- Previous leadership and/or management experience is strongly preferable.
- Must demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to clearly and effectively present complex information to all levels of employees, management, and clients.
- Position requires the ability to thoughtfully and positively influence, lead, and manage change.
- Proven ability to develop business strategies and establish relationships with clients and staff.
- Must possess strong project/process management skills and a strategic perspective.
- Expert proficiency in the use of computer software (i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Strongly Preferred Qualifications & Experience - 15 years progressive leadership in data/analytics; 5 years at VP/CDO or equivalent enterprise scale.
- Proven success delivering enterprise data strategy, governance, information management, and MDM in complex, multi-business or decentralized environments.
- Demonstrated outcomes deploying advanced analytics and AI into project-based operations (AEC, engineering, industrials, EPC) and corporate functions (Finance, HR, Legal, Risk, Supply Chain).
- Expertise in data architecture (data lake/warehouse, streaming), integration, metadata/lineage, data quality, and BI/analytics platforms.
- Strong business acumen and stakeholder management; able to translate data strategy into measurable business results and align executives across 22 units.
- Track record building high-performing data organizations and leading change management at scale.
- Advanced degree in a relevant field (Data/Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, Business Analytics, or MBA with quantitative focus) or equivalent experience strongly preferred.
This job posting will remain open a minimum of 72 hours and on an ongoing basis until filled.
EEO/Disabled/Veterans
Job Information Technology
Primary Location US-MO-Kansas City
Schedule: Full-time
Travel: Yes, 50 % of the Time
Req ID: 260048
Job Hire Type Experienced #LI-SS #COR N/A
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