AI & Optimisation Solution Strategist

Who We Are: At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse. Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

As an organisation, we push the boundaries of data science, optimisation and artificial intelligence to solve the most complex problems in industry. Satalia, a VML Enterprise Solutions, is a community of individuals devoted to working on diverse and challenging projects, allowing you to flex your technical skills whilst working with a tight knit team of high performing colleagues.

The opportunity: As an AI & Optimisation Solution Strategist, you are the client's trusted partner - your strategic guidance shapes and defines their most complex AI and optimisation challenges, ensuring every project starts with crystal-clear problem framing and value hypotheses. You lead collaborative discovery workshops and interviews to decompose computationally hard business issues into tractable, high-impact AI and optimisation solutions. Armed with deep technical fluency, you translate these problem statements into detailed solution roadmaps - prioritising quick-win pilots alongside scalable, long-term deployments. You then coordinate cross-functional teams - data scientists, engineers, and product specialists - to architect, deploy, and operationalise bespoke AI-driven workflows that deliver measurable ROI within months. Throughout delivery, you maintain hands-on oversight, navigating integration hurdles, managing stakeholder expectations, and embedding change management practices to maximise adoption and impact. Finally, you rigorously track performance metrics post-deployment, iterating on models and processes to sustain value and continually elevate operational efficiency for our clients.

What you'll be doing:

• Lead client workshops and stakeholder interviews to unravel complex operational challenges and crystallise the computationally hard problems that matter most to their business.
• Translate business objectives into optimisation and AI solution blueprints, balancing quick-win pilots with scalable, long-term deployments that maximise ROI.
• Serve as the primary liaison between clients and our data scientists, optimisation specialists, and engineers - managing timelines, budgets, and risks to keep projects on track and on budget.
• Oversee the design, integration, and validation of custom AI and optimisation models - ensuring solutions are robust, performant, and seamlessly embedded into clients' operational environments.
• Implement change-management best practices, deliver training, and build governance frameworks to ensure client teams confidently adopt and sustain new AI-driven processes.
• Define clear success metrics upfront, track performance post-deployment, and lead iterative refinements - leveraging data and feedback loops to continuously enhance solution impact.
• Cultivate long-term relationships by communicating technical concepts in business terms, aligning stakeholders around shared goals, and championing transparency, trust, and inclusivity at every step.
• Continuously expand your expertise in AI, generative models, and combinatorial optimisation, sharing insights and best practices both internally and with clients to drive innovation.
• Help shape our consulting offerings, refine our methodologies, and mentor junior team members - ensuring we consistently deliver world-class talent and unparalleled impact.
• Model and promote our culture of autonomy, transparency, and inclusivity - supporting not only client success, but also the well-being and professional growth of every Satalian.

What we want from you:

• Relevant consulting experience, ideally within management or technology consultancy, with a proven track record of successful end-to-end project delivery.
• Technical understanding of AI, machine learning and combinatorial optimisation methods (e.g., solving NP-hard problems).
• Hands-on experience collaborating with technical experts - data scientists, optimisation specialists and engineers - to translate client needs into robust, scalable solutions.
• Strong workshop facilitation skills, including planning and leading discovery sessions, requirements capture and executive interviews.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts in clear business terms and build trusted client relationships.
• Proven leadership capabilities, motivating and guiding cross-functional teams through ambiguity to deliver on time and within budget.
• Practical knowledge of AI solution lifecycles, including generative AI tools and platforms, from scoping through deployment and change management.
• Analytical problem-solving mindset, capable of decomposing complex operational challenges into tractable optimisation and AI problem formulations.
• Bachelor's degree (2:1 or above) in Business, Management, Economics, Finance, or a closely related field, or equivalent professional experience in a consulting.

If you know some of this, even better:

• AI, Cloud & MLOps Familiarity Experience on projects deploying AI/optimisation solutions on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Data Visualization & BI Tools Proficiency in dashboarding and visualization platforms (Tableau, Power BI, Looker) to craft compelling, data-driven recommendations for stakeholders.
• Agile & Lean Delivery Practices Certification or experience in Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and Lean problem-solving to drive iterative, customer-centric delivery.
• Domain Expertise Prior consulting or industry experience in logistics, retail, finance, or media to bring sector-specific insights and accelerate client alignment.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Facilitation Advanced workshop facilitation skills (design thinking, JTBD) and stakeholder-mapping techniques to drive consensus among executive sponsors.

What we can offer you:

• Alongside the opportunity to work with some of the most exciting brands around the world, we'll also prioritise your career development and help you grow your skills.
• Development - annual development budget to upskill yourself.
• Benefits - Health insurance, income protection, life assurance, enhanced pension.
• Annual bonus - when Satalia does well, we all do well.
• Impactful projects - focus on bringing meaningful social and environmental change.
• People oriented culture - wellbeing is a priority, as is being a nice person.
• Truly flexible working hours - school pick up, volunteering, gym - no problem.
• Generous leave - 27 days' holiday plus bank holidays and enhanced family leave.
• Transparent and open culture - you will be listened to and heard.

Life as a Satalian: Led by our founder (who is also WPP's Chief AI Officer), Satalia's ambition is to become a decentralised organisation of the future. Today this involves developing tools and processes to liberate and automate manual repetitive tasks, with a focus on freedom, transparency and trust. At the core of our thinking is an approach to wellbeing and inclusivity. We unpack human behaviour and unpick prejudice to ensure a safe and inviting environment. We offer true flexible working and allow our employees to find the working practice that makes them most productive. At Satalia, your opinion matters and your achievements are celebrated.

AT VML Enterprise Solutions Our Enterprise Solutions division houses strategic consultants, creative and technical architects and skilled developers and operators that together help some of the world's leading organisations to deliver outstanding digital experiences across all major routes to market worldwide: marketplaces, online retailers, D2C, B2B and social platforms. With over 4,200 experts in 55 operational centres across 34 countries, our capabilities span the entire buying journey from customer acquisition, through engagement, to conversion and loyalty, driving multi-channel growth for world-leading brands.

We work with some of the most exciting brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, EY, Bosch, Unilever, Ford, DFS, Mercedes-Benz, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Sainsbury's, Selfridges, Shell and Tiffany & Co. We've built over 500 platforms for brands and retailers and generate in excess of $29bn annually for our clients and work with over 50 strategic partners including Adobe, SAP, Salesforce, HCL, Shopify, Sitecore, BigCommerce, commerce tools and Acquia. Our reputation is based on our people, and we believe we have some of the best in the business.

As our business grows internationally, we're looking for new people to join us on our journey to inspire and take a key role in shaping some of the best commerce solutions, services, and websites in the world. Working as a team, no problem is insurmountable; we share in our client's successes and believe that anyone can show creative bravery no matter what their role is in the team.

WPP (VML Enterprise Solutions) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.