Head of Product & AI Solutions (Charlotte, NC)

We're seeking a Head of Product & AI Solutions to serve as a pivotal pre-sales solutions lead enabling Cabin Consulting's clients to secure capital expenditure (capex) funding for critical business initiatives through innovative and speculative digital solutions. This role is designed for a strategic visionary with deep expertise in product strategy and AI who can translate complex client challenges into compelling actionable proposals. Operating akin to a sales engineer at a product company you will meticulously define the engagement model, process, deliverables, timeline, and the clear value prop for each prospective project. 

This is a critical business function for Cabin as we specialize in fixed-bid fixed-scope projects and your ability to precisely define these engagements is paramount to our success. The role will also carry a partially billable target acting as a trusted advisor or Subject Matter Expert (SME) on sold projects.

This role will report directly to the Chief Revenue Officer and will be an integral part of a horizontal guild of Solution Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Each SME in this guild will possess core domain expertise tied to critical digital solutions that Cabin's clients leverage for either top-line revenue growth or significant operational efficiency gains.

Role Summary

This role is a critical blend of thought leadership and deep subject matter expertise, operating as a strategic pre-sales architect. You will be instrumental in supporting Cabin's Business Development team through expert solution selling, particularly in crafting speculative digital and AI solutions that unlock capex funding for clients. Your ability to precisely define fixed-bid, fixed-scope projects, from engagement model to value proposition, is paramount.

You will also contribute directly to project delivery as a billable advisor, ensuring the successful realization of the solutions you've envisioned. Ultimately, you will help Cabin embed AI at its core, both in how we operate internally and, more importantly, in the innovative, fundable services we provide to our clients.

Why This Role is Important:

• Cabin sells fixed-bid, fixed-fee engagements, and having viable approaches to solving clients' problems are critical to delivering a superior client experience. We must be intentional with how we structure engagements that are mutually beneficial for both Cabin and our client partners. 
• Cabin employs top digital talent and our talent is our product. We seek to solve complex client problems that engage, grow, and retain that top talent. We must have engagements with thoughtful assumptions called out to enable delivery teams to do their best work in an enjoyable environment. 
• Cabin operates as a strategic advisor in digital. We seek to evolve our offerings to align with market demand for AI-enabled and AI-scaled solutions. We must have perspectives that offer a unique point of view aligning cutting edge technologies to pragmatic business solutions for the enterprise. 
• Cabin's clients seek capex funding to fuel their strategic initiatives. We need to help clients understand the what, why, and how in the approach we will take to solve their problems. We also need to create the materials and perspectives that enable clients to socialize Cabin as a partner. 

Responsibilities

Solutions & Pre-Sales Leadership

• Speculative Solution Development: Lead the ideation, design, and articulation of speculative digital and AI-driven solutions that directly address client business challenges and enable them to obtain funding for key initiatives.
• Engagement Definition: Architect the complete framework for prospective client engagements, meticulously defining the engagement model, detailed process, key deliverables, proposed timelines, and the clear value proposition.
• Pre-Sales & Scoping: Own the end-to-end pre-sales process for complex AI and product strategy engagements, including initial consultations, opportunity framing, deep-dive solutioning, and comprehensive pitch support. Partner closely with account leads and business development to drive new business.
• Commercial Offering Development: Develop and refine Cabin's commercial offerings for enterprise clients, focusing on digital product lifecycle solutions and AI-enabled product solutions, encompassing a full lifecycle approach from assessments and strategic planning to implementation and rollout, ensuring they align with fixed-bid, fixed-scope project models.
• Delivery Onboarding: Ensure seamless transition and comprehensive onboarding of delivery teams to sold engagements including hosting internal kickoffs to transfer core domain knowledge from the pre-sales process ensuring they are fully equipped for successful execution within the defined scope.

Strategic Client Engagement & Growth

• Advisory & Growth Catalyst: This role will bill out as a fractional Head of AI for strategic accounts, operating as a partial Subject Matter Expert (SME) on select client projects. You will act as a critical lens for solutions growth, engaging with Cabin's project teams at key moments to help frame branches, extensions, and identify net new growth opportunities. Furthermore, you may serve as a "parachute player," airdropping into projects for issue triage or expertise for critical intervention.

AI & Product Strategy Expertise

• Thought Leadership & Brand Building: Collaborate with marketing to establish Cabin's authoritative point of view in the AI and product strategy space, creating impactful supporting materials such as case cases, whitepapers, and content for speaking engagements.
• Solution Refinement: Establish and lead forums for rigorous solution critique, refining problem solving approaches for clients and ensuring AI is strategically integrated into our proposed solutions.
• Internal Tooling & Efficiency Guidance: Provide strategic guidance on the development of AI-powered internal tools and processes to optimize Cabin's operational and delivery effectiveness, identifying and integrating AI into existing workflows.

A Day in the Life

A typical day sees you deeply engaged with prospective clients, leading discovery sessions to uncover their strategic needs and presenting speculative digital solutions that align with their capital expenditure goals. You'll frequently lead pitches alongside business development, client executives, and delivery teams, articulating Cabin's unique value proposition for fixed-bid engagements.

You will dedicate significant time to meticulously defining engagement models, processes, deliverables, and timelines for new opportunities. At a macro level, you'll provide strategic solution support to client executives and internal teams, offering a portfolio-level view to guide engagement direction.

A portion of your time will involve acting as a billable advisor or SME on active projects, ensuring the strategic integrity of solutions. Finally, you'll be actively involved in driving key company initiatives, ensuring strategic goals related to our solutioning capabilities are met.

All SMEs within the Solutions org will have a seat at the leadership table, significantly influencing what Cabin sells, guiding our hiring strategies, shaping how we train our staff to maintain cutting-edge capabilities, and contributing directly to how we market the organization's unique value proposition in the market. 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in product management, AI/ML solutioning, and/or technology consulting, with a strong emphasis on pre-sales and solutions architecture.
• Proven track record of successfully developing and commercializing technology offerings particularly in AI or enterprise software with a focus on defining fixed-scope projects.
• Deep expertise in the AI/ML lifecycle, from ideation and assessment to the strategic definition of development, deployment, and operationalization within an enterprise context.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex client challenges into tangible, fundable product and service solutions.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, capable of engaging effectively with C-suite executives, technical teams, and business development professionals, particularly in a pre-sales context.
• Extensive experience in pre-sales and sales enablement, including expert-level scoping of complex engagements, framing opportunities to secure capex funding, and delivering compelling pitches for fixed-bid projects.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive strategic initiatives forward in a fast-paced consulting environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related quantitative field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree (MBA, MS in AI/ML, etc.) is a plus.
• Experience in building and scaling a consulting practice's solutioning capabilities.
• Familiarity with various product management and solution architecture methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum, Lean).
• Published thought leadership (articles, whitepapers, speaking engagements) in AI, product management, or solution architecture.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate for this role will possess a unique blend of experience spanning both consulting and industry, offering a holistic perspective on enterprise needs and solution delivery. We are seeking an individual who deeply understands how buyers within large enterprises seek funding, navigate complex procurement processes, and strategically manage capital expenditure (capex) investments.

From a consulting standpoint, the candidate will bring a strong lens of client services, a spirit of servitude, exceptional flexibility, and proven client management capabilities, ensuring successful partnerships and outcomes.

In terms of domain expertise, the ideal candidate will have robust experience in program management, product strategy, and significant exposure to AI. This individual should possess a powerful mix of subject matter expertise combined with a talent for speculative solutioning – the ability to envision and articulate innovative digital solutions even in nascent stages. Furthermore, they will be adept at designing engagements specifically to validate core assumptions, ensuring proposed solutions are grounded in reality and deliver tangible value. Ultimately, someone with strong product, program, and AI experience is the ideal candidate.

Any prior experience within the following industries is a significant plus: financial services, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and insurance, as these are key sectors where Cabin focuses its efforts.

Compensation Package

The compensation for this role includes a highly competitive base salary and an additional on-target performance-based variable. This variable is structured to pay out based on Cabin's annual top-line revenue goals.

Recognizing the significant influence this role has on Cabin's sales and value proposition, the variable package includes participation in a revenue-sharing model. In addition, you will receive a commission on all sales where AI is the "champion of the work." The "champion of the work" is defined as the primary value proposition, ensuring that you directly share in the financial upside as you grow the practice.

More specific details on the revenue sharing model and the AI champion commission will be provided in your official offer letter. We want to be clear that your compensation is tied to top-line revenue and growth, so company investments that may affect net profit are not perceived as penalizing your earnings.

Contact Information

For more information, please apply and we will be in touch to discuss the role in more detail.