Senior Consultant (AI)

Open Box Software is an internationally focused consulting company that specialises in business and software consulting services for the Real Estate Industry. Since 2001, we have been delivering practical, smart, and cost-effective technology solutions for our clients. We have a team of highly talented individuals who are driven by excellence and open to finding a better way of making a positive impact.

As a senior consultant, you play a critical role in understanding the business needs of our focus clients and leveraging technology, including AI, to deliver relevant innovative solutions that drive their success. Your primary responsibility is to serve as their trusted advisor, building and maintaining strategic relationships with business stakeholders, understanding their goals, and translating them into technology and AI solutions that deliver measurable value. You will play a crucial role in providing strategic guidance and expertise to clients, leading and overseeing complex consulting projects, and driving business growth. This includes leading AI workshops, defining AI strategy and enablement plans, and guiding the delivery of practical AI solutions that clients can adopt safely and effectively.

Responsibilities

Strategic Consulting, Thought Leadership and AI Advisory:

• Collaborate with our clients and their business leaders to understand their objectives, identify technology solutions and where AI can add value, and align IT and AI initiatives with overall business goals.

• Identify opportunities where Open Box can contribute to their business growth, efficiency, and innovation.

• Conduct in-depth analysis of client businesses, industries, and market trends to provide strategic insights and recommendations.

• Define AI strategy and execution plans with clients, including AI roadmaps and enablement plans aligned to their business goals.

• Lead AI workshops with client stakeholders to explore opportunities, build awareness, and agree priorities.

• Map client processes and data to identify, assess, and prioritise AI use cases based on value, feasibility, and risk.

• Identify and drive innovation initiatives, keeping abreast of emerging technologies (including AI), methodologies, and industry best practices, and assess their relevance to the Real Estate Industry.

• Contribute to thought leadership activities, including building AI demos, publishing articles, delivering presentations, and participating in industry events.

• Actively participate in budget discussions and planning to ensure ROI, including quantifying the expected benefits and running costs of AI solutions.

  Relationship Management:

• Understand client needs, challenges, and business objectives to identify opportunities for value creation and develop tailored consulting solutions.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across different business units, acting as a trusted advisor and strategic partner.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for IT and AI-related discussions and foster effective communication channels. and foster effective communication channels.

  Requirement Analysis and AI Solution Design:

• Conduct thorough analysis of business requirements and translate them into actionable IT and AI projects and initiatives, including solution designs and workflows.

• Develop a deep understanding of the business processes and operations to effectively translate them into IT requirements.

• Collaborate with IT teams to design and deliver technology and AI solutions that meet business needs, including where human review and sign-off are required.

• Identify opportunities for process improvement and automation, leveraging AI and other technology to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

  Project Management, Implementation and AI Adoption

• Lead and oversee complex consulting engagements, including AI initiatives, from initiation to successful completion, ensuring quality, timeliness, and client satisfaction. from initiation to successful completion, ensuring quality, timeliness, and client satisfaction.

• Lead cross-functional teams and third-party vendors to successfully implement IT and AI projects, ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines, and budgetary constraints., ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines, and budgetary constraints.

• Monitor project progress, identify risks, and develop mitigation strategies to ensure successful delivery.

• Collaborate with key stakeholders to define project budgets, scope, deliverables, and success criteria, including for AI initiatives.

• Coordinate user acceptance testing, change management, and training activities, including rolling out AI enablement plans and hands-on AI training, to maximize user adoption and minimize disruptions. to maximize user adoption and minimize disruptions.

  Technology Consulting and Vendor Management: (Solution Development, Delivery and AI Governance)

• Proactively engage with business leaders to identify emerging technology and AI trends and assess their potential impact on the organization.

• Guide the configuration and maintenance of AI tools, templates, and reusable solutions that support everyday client and internal work.

• Provide strategic guidance and recommendations on technology and AI investments, solutions, and vendors, working with technical teams where integration with client systems is required.

• Collaborate with vendors to negotiate contracts, manage relationships, and ensure service levels meet business expectations.

• Oversee the testing and evaluation of AI outputs for accuracy, consistency, and brand compliance, and refine designs based on results and user feedback.

• Provide expertise in areas such as business process optimization, organizational design, change management, and digital transformation, including AI-enabled transformation.

• Ensure AI assets are reviewed against Open Box standards before release, with clear documentation so solutions can be reused and supported.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and implement solutions, leveraging technology, AI, data analytics, and industry-specific methodologies.

• Ensure AI governance, data privacy (e.g. POPIA, GDPR), and cyber security elements are considered and included in every step of the solution design and implementation.

  Business Development:

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities, including AI opportunities, with existing and potential clients.

• Lead proposal development efforts, including solution design, AI demos, pricing, and client presentations.

• Develop and maintain a strong network of industry contacts and actively participate in business development activities.

• Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness and impact of IT and AI solutions, such as adoption, time saved, and output quality.

• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement, cost optimization, and increased operational efficiency.

• Engage with stakeholders to gather feedback, address concerns, and drive user satisfaction.

  Knowledge Sharing and Team Collaboration:

• Share knowledge, best practices, and industry insights with the consulting team to foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development.

• Collaborate with colleagues on internal initiatives, contributing to the growth and success of the consulting practice.

• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior consultants, promoting their growth and development.

• Help colleagues across Open Box adopt AI by sharing reusable assets, how-to guides, and practical tips, and contribute to the internal AI asset library.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Engineering, Accounting, or a related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Information and Technology environments, with at least 3 years in a leadership or managerial role.

• Formidable leadership capabilities, with experience in leading and managing teams.

• Practical experience using AI tools (e.g. Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot) to improve business processes and productivity, and in facilitating AI workshops with business stakeholders.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with clients, effectively engaging at all levels of the organization.

• Business development acumen, with a proven ability to identify and pursue new business opportunities, including AI-led opportunities.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Proven track record of successfully managing and delivering multiple complex technical projects, including AI initiatives, on time and within budget.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think strategically and provide innovative solutions which meet business needs.

• Proficiency in analyzing complex business requirements and translating them into IT solutions.

• Knowledge of AI and emerging technologies, including their benefits, limitations, and potential applications in a business context.

• Experience in vendor management, contract negotiations, and service level management.

• Awareness of AI governance, responsible AI principles, and data privacy requirements.

• Deep knowledge of IT trends, emerging technologies, and their applications in a business context.

• Experience in Agile/Scrum methodologies and project management tools.

• Understand the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

• Ability to multitask, prioritize work effectively, and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Good understanding of accounting, budgeting, and financial processes. 

• Real Estate or financial industry knowledge and expertise would be highly beneficial.

• Willingness to travel and work international hours as required for client engagements.

Personal Traits:

• Friendly and humble

• Conscientious

• Empathetic and self-aware

• Considerate

• Self-motivated and curious, with a drive to experiment and learn

• Sound decision-making ability

• Team player