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 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.
Core Responsibilities:
Strategic and Financial Leadership
- Own the financial performance of the service line, overseeing a multi-million-dollar budget and driving ambitious annual growth in the 30–40% range.
- 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 Business Development
- 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.
- Partner with senior stakeholders to position and sell Data + AI solutions to top-tier law firms.
- Support business development through thought leadership, proposals, and client presentations.
Service Line Portfolio:
The Data & Innovation Strategy Service Line encompasses:
- Enterprise Data Strategy: Helping organizations understand how data flows through their business, design governance frameworks, recommend modern data platforms, and align implementation with long-term vision.
- Practice Strategy: Assisting law firm practices with experience data, process optimization, and AI readiness in collaboration with Harbor’s marketing technology and experience teams.
- AI Strategy: Advising firms on their approach to AI adoption, governance, and prioritization of tools and investments.
- AI Enablement: Delivering training and rollout programs in collaboration with Harbor's AI laboratory and knowledge management teams.
- AI Custom Build: Acting as the business and client lead for custom AI solutions developed by Harbor’s Advanced Technology Team and Harbor Labs.
- Knowledge Management Strategy: Designing and modernizing knowledge programs, structures, and processes in coordination with content management and document management initiatives.
- Innovation Strategy: Helping firms establish and scale innovation programs with clear structure, metrics, and alignment to firm strategy.
Qualifications:
- 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 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.
About Us:
Harbor is the preeminent provider of expert services across strategy, legal technology, operations, and intelligence. Our globally integrated team of 800+ strategists, technologists, and specialists navigate alongside our clients – leading law firms, corporations, and their law departments – to provide essential resources and invaluable insights. Anchored in a rich heritage of deep knowledge, steadfast relationships, and mutual respect, our unwavering dedication lies in shaping the future of the legal industry and fostering enduring partnerships within our community and ecosystem.
Harbor is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, national origin, ancestry, age, parental status, disabled status, veteran status, or any other legally protected classification, in accordance with applicable law.
