Job Title :
Associate Director / Director – Data Analytics and AI Practice
Location : Pune
About QKS Group
QKS Group is a global research and advisory firm known for its SPARK Matrix™, a globally recognized framework for vendor evaluation and competitive intelligence. We work with leading technology providers and enterprise buyers to deliver deep insights, technology research, and strategic advisory support.
Our products and services, including SPARK Plus, SPARK Matrix™, and tailored analyst advisory engagements, help vendors accelerate go-to-market success, improve positioning, and strengthen customer perception through trusted analyst validation.
About the Role
We are hiring a core technology leader to drive and lead QKS research practices across Data Management & Governance, Analytics, and AI platforms. The ideal candidate comes from data engineering, analytics, AI platform, product management, or solution architecture backgrounds- not traditional BI / reporting roles. This role requires deep technical understanding, the ability to evaluate enterprise platforms, and the capability to convert insights into structured research and executive advisory.
What You Will Work On (Key Responsibilities)
Practice Leadership
- Own practice strategy for Data, Analytics & AI , with adjacent scope in BPM and EA.
- Build market landscapes, segmentations, trend reports, and research frameworks.
- Define SPARK Matrix evaluation criteria and lead vendor assessments.
Technology Evaluation
Analyze vendor architectures across :Data platforms (lakehouse, warehouse, ingestion, pipelines)AI / ML & LLMOps platformsMetadata, governance, quality, lineage toolsProcess mining & low-code automation ecosystemsEnterprise architecture platformsAssess product capabilities, roadmap maturity, and competitive differentiation.Advisory & Insights
Conduct advisory sessions with CIO, CDO, CAIO, Heads of Data / AI, Enterprise Architects.Provide guidance on platform choices, modernization, AI adoption, and automation roadmaps.Content & Thought Leadership
Publish whitepapers, architecture deep dives, trend predictions, and benchmarking studies.Present key insights through webinars, videos, and community interactions.Cross-functional Collaboration
Work closely with SPARK Plus team to produce persona-focused insights.Mentor junior analysts and scale a small research team over time.What We Are Looking For
Core Technical Experience
Must have deep hands-on OR architecture-level experience in :
Data Management
Data lakes, lakehouse, data warehousesData ingestion, ETL / ELT, pipelines, orchestrationMetadata, lineage, cataloging, MDM, data governanceTools like : Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, Redshift, Atlan, Collibra, InformaticaAnalytics & AI Platforms
AI / ML platform architectureMLOps, LLMOps, feature stores, vector databasesModel lifecycle, AI governanceTools like : SageMaker, Azure ML, Vertex AI, DataRobot, H2O.ai, DataikuBPM & Automation (Awareness Required)
Process mining fundamentalsAutomation ecosystems (RPA + workflow + low-code)Enterprise Architecture
Exposure to capability mapping, portfolio rationalizationUnderstanding of TOGAF principlesExperience with tools like LeanIX, Orbus, MEGA, Planview preferredExperience Profile (Who Should Apply)
We want people coming from :
Data Architects / AI Architects / Analytics ArchitectsPrincipal Data Engineers or Data Platform LeadsSenior Product Managers / Directors for Data or AI PlatformsSolutions Consultants / Pre-sales Architects (Data / AI-heavy)Consultants from Accenture, Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG, McKinsey, BCG (Data / AI practices)15-20 years total experience
Strong preference for candidates who have designed, implemented, or evaluated real enterprise data / AI systems.
Why Join Us
Lead global research in a high-growth domain.Direct visibility with senior industry leaders.Opportunity to shape QKS’s Data Analytics and AI Technology practice and SPARK Matrix evaluations.Fast-moving, product-led, analyst-driven environment.