GDS Consulting - Executive Director

As an Executive Director in the Consulting – Transformation Delivery (TD) practice, you will lead strategic portfolio and program management engagements, driving value for clients through transformation, governance, and delivery excellence. You will play a pivotal role in shaping the PMO strategy, mentoring senior leaders, and embedding best-in-class project management practices across client engagements. This role demands a visionary leader with deep domain expertise, strong client relationship skills, and a passion for continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership & Delivery Excellence 
  • Lead and manage large-scale, complex portfolios and programs aligned with client strategic objectives.
  • Establish and implement PMO frameworks, governance models, and delivery methodologies tailored to client needs.
  • Drive governance of client programs - across planning, execution, monitoring, and risk mitigation.
  • Lead client conversations across various governance and strategy forums
  • Champion continuous improvement by evolving PM practices in line with industry trends and client feedback.
• Client Engagement & Business Development
  • Build and maintain trusted advisor relationships with senior client stakeholders. 
  • Identify and pursue new business opportunities within existing engagements.
  • Represent the GDS Consulting TD&E practice as a thought leader and evangelist.
• Operational & Process Excellence
  • Define and tailor PM processes, tools, and templates to ensure consistency and scalability.
  • Establish structured review mechanisms, RAID processes, and performance dashboards.
  • Analyze project data to generate insights on resource utilization, schedule adherence, and financial performance.
• People Leadership
  • Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams across geographies.
  • Conduct performance reviews, support career development, and foster a culture of excellence.
  • Drive talent acquisition and retention strategies for the PMO practice.

Core Skills & Experience:

• 20+ years of relevant experience in portfolio/program management, with a strong consulting background.
• Experience in leading large strategic programs will be of significant advantage.
• Proven track record of managing large, cross-functional teams in global delivery environments. Experience in setting up
• Excellent track record in stakeholder management, building trusted relationships with clients
• Deep expertise in BFSI domain, including Wealth Management, Investment Banking, Core Banking, and Regulatory programs.
• Strong command of SDLC methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Scrum, Kanban) and experience with scaled agile frameworks.
• Proficiency in tools such as MS Project, Jira, Confluence, Azure DevOps, Power BI, Clarity, and Primavera.

Certifications (Preferred):

• PMP, PRINCE2, PMI-ACP, SAFe, CSM, PSM, CSPO

Soft Skills:

• Executive presence with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Resilient, adaptable, and proactive in dynamic environments.
• Collaborative leader with a growth mindset and a passion for mentoring.

Desirable Skills:

• Experience with MS SharePoint and enterprise project management tools.