AI Pre-Sales Consultant

Location: UK-wide | Business Area: Chargeable | Salary Details: Up to £80,000 plus consultative bonus when targets are met.

We are seeking an experienced AI Pre‑Sales Consultant to support our growing portfolio of Artificial Intelligence opportunities across Microsoft 365, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, and complementary modern workplace technologies. This role is ideal for a consultant with strong pre‑sales experience within a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and a deep understanding of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping client conversations, designing AI‑driven solutions, and supporting the end‑to‑end pre‑sales lifecycle - from initial discovery through to scoping and handover to delivery teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Solution Design: Develop solution architectures and high‑level designs for Copilot, Microsoft 365, and adjacent AI technologies. Translate business requirements into feasible, secure, and compliant AI‑enabled solutions. Collaborate with technical architects and delivery teams to ensure proposed solutions are viable and deliverable.
• Pre‑Sales Engagement: Lead technical pre‑sales activities for AI and Microsoft 365 Copilot opportunities. Conduct discovery sessions to understand client challenges, business processes, and AI readiness. Present tailored demonstrations of Copilot, Microsoft 365, and AI capabilities aligned to client outcomes. Support bid responses, proposals, and SoW creation with clear technical scoping and value articulation.
• Advisory & Thought Leadership: Advise clients on AI adoption, governance, licensing, data readiness, and change management considerations. Stay current with Microsoft’s AI roadmap and communicate emerging capabilities to clients and internal teams. Contribute to internal knowledge sharing, playbooks, and accelerators for AI pre‑sales and delivery.
• Collaboration & Internal Enablement: Work closely with sales teams to qualify opportunities and craft compelling narratives. Partner with marketing to develop case studies, presentations, and thought‑leadership content. Support practice development by feeding back common customer challenges and market trends.

Key Skills and Experience:

• Essential: Proven pre‑sales consulting experience within an MSP or cloud services organisation. Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365, including security, compliance, collaboration, and productivity services. Understanding of Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft’s AI platform. Excellent communication and presentation skills, able to engage both technical and non‑technical audiences. Ability to shape customer requirements into structured solutions and clear documentation. Familiarity with AI readiness topics such as information architecture, data governance, and adoption frameworks.
• Desirable: Certification in Microsoft 365, Azure, or AI technologies (e.g., MS‑900, AI‑102, AZ‑900). Experience running workshops, demos, and PoCs for Microsoft solutions. Understanding of licensing models across Microsoft 365, Copilot, and Azure AI. Experience with modern workplace transformation, automation, or business change programmes.

What’s in it for You?: Up to £80,000 per annum depending on experience, plus a consultative bonus when targeted achievements are met. Your Benefits at Chess: Private healthcare (free after 1 year), eye tests, flu jabs, and on‑site health checks, mental health support from trained First Aiders, a Wellbeing Day after 1 year, hybrid working support with a home office allowance, buy or sell up to 5 holidays twice a year, Perkbox discounts on shopping, travel, fitness, and more, points‑based rewards from year 2, charity donation matching (up to £100), recognition platform to celebrate your wins, EE SIM offers for you and your family, learn 2 earn scheme to boost your salary, team socials and celebrations, bespoke onboarding and leadership training, dedicated Culture Team to support you.

Working Hours and Location: A standard week is 37½ Monday to Friday. Flexible, hybrid position with a home‑first working policy, allowing you to enjoy the flexibility of working from home whilst also having the option to work from one of our many local hubs spread throughout the UK. Ad‑hoc travel to offices within the group and other locations may be required on occasion.

Why Join Chess? Chess is one of the UK’s leading independent and trusted technology service providers, employing over 280 skilled people across the UK, supporting over 18,000 UK businesses. Diversity, equality, and inclusion is at the heart of our Chess culture, and we are passionate about our One Team spirit. We’re extremely proud that our people voted us No.1 in 'The 100 Best Companies to Work for' list 2018, and we continue to celebrate more than 17 years in the top 100. Our continued focus on growth creates opportunity for everyone to progress their career, to develop knowledge and skills, to gain reward and recognition and to maximise their potential. The growth and success of our people ensures the growth and success of our business. At Chess ICT, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workforce. We want to make sure everyone has a fair chance and opportunity throughout the application process. If you require any adjustments during your application or interview, please feel comfortable reaching out to our recruitment team so we can support you. We believe that "if you’re not growing, we’re not growing."