Principal Industry Consultant - Banking

Vector8 is growing and we are looking for a Principal Industry Consultant – Banking to own and grow existing banking client relationships while helping clients move from AI ambition to production delivery. This is a senior, client-facing role for someone who understands the realities of the Swiss banking landscape and can translate strategic priorities into well-defined, commercially viable, and execution-ready engagements.

Working closely with vector8’s Vertical Lead, you will help shape and convert client priorities into Enterprise AI-Aligned ensuring that opportunities are structured in a way that creates measurable business value and a credible path to production. You will act as a trusted partner to banking clients, bringing together relationship ownership, advisory capability, delivery awareness, and practical understanding of AI adoption in regulated environments. 
The ideal candidate combines deep banking knowledge, consulting experience, and a strong grounding in AI solutions. You understand not only the technology, but also the organizational, regulatory, and cultural barriers that banks face when adopting AI. You know how to navigate these dynamics and how to move initiatives beyond experimentation - out of "POC purgatory" and into real production programmes. 

This role sits at the heart of vector8’s banking growth strategy. You will work with established banking relationships and help clients turn AI interest into real transformation. Rather than staying at the level of vision decks and pilots, you will help create the conditions for production success - shaping engagements that are commercially sound, operationally credible, and aligned with the realities of Swiss banking. 

It is an ideal role for someone who understands banking from the inside, knows how consulting engagements are built, and believes that the real value of AI comes from adoption at scale, not experimentation alone.

Responsibilities

• Own and develop existing banking client relationships, acting as a trusted point of contact for strategic and commercial engagement.
• Partner with vector8’s Vertical Lead to translate client priorities into Enterprise AI-Aligned engagements with clear business outcomes and delivery pathways.
• Identify, shape, and mature AI opportunities within client accounts, from early conversations through scoped engagements and production-oriented programmes.
• Help clients define practical pathways for AI adoption, balancing strategic ambition with delivery realism, governance, and operational readiness.
• Advise banking stakeholders on where and how AI solutions can create measurable value across regulated banking environments.
• Build credibility with senior client stakeholders by demonstrating a clear understanding of Swiss banking operating models, constraints, and transformation priorities.
• Support the progression of initiatives from pilot, prototype, or proof of concept into funded production projects.
• Navigate the regulatory, risk, and control considerations that influence AI adoption in Swiss banking environments.
• Work cross-functionally with delivery, product, and technical teams to ensure proposed engagements are executable, valuable, and aligned to client priorities.
• Contribute to account growth by identifying follow-on opportunities, expanding strategic relationships, and supporting proposal development where needed.

Requirements

• Deep understanding of the Swiss banking landscape, including how priorities differ across private banking, wealth management, retail banking, or universal banking settings.
• Demonstrable experience working with or advising banks on AI adoption, digital transformation, or innovation programmes.
• Strong understanding of the regulatory and governance landscape relevant to AI adoption in Swiss banking and other regulated financial environments.
• Clear appreciation of the cultural and organizational shift required for banks to adopt AI successfully, including stakeholder alignment, trust, controls, and operating model change.
• Proven ability to move initiatives beyond experimentation and help clients transition from proof of concept to production delivery.
• Consulting experience, with the ability to structure client problems, frame opportunities clearly, and connect business goals to executable engagements.
• Strong foundation in AI solutions, with enough technical understanding to engage credibly on modern AI capabilities and their enterprise application.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with confidence engaging senior client audiences.
• Commercially minded, with the ability to identify account growth opportunities while maintaining trusted-advisor credibility.
• MBA or Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, or related field. Strong experience in banking relationship management, consulting, account leadership, or engagement management roles.
• Fluent in English and German – ideally Swiss German.

Preferred Experience 

• Experience working with tier-1 Swiss banks, private banks, cantonal banks, or wealth managers.
• Familiarity with enterprise AI use cases in banking, such as knowledge workflows, client servicing, operations automation, compliance support, and productivity enablement.
• Experience shaping consulting or technology engagements in collaboration with senior internal and client stakeholders.
• Exposure to delivery models that combine advisory, product, and engineering capabilities.
• Ability to work effectively in ambiguous environments where both strategic direction and practical execution matter.

Personal Attributes 

• Trusted, credible, and highly client-oriented
• Commercially aware without being overly sales-led
• Strong relationship builder with executive presence
• Structured thinker who can turn ambiguity into action
• Pragmatic and delivery-aware
• Comfortable operating across strategy, engagement shaping, and client management
• Passionate about helping banks adopt AI in ways that are real, responsible, and scalable

Benefits

• Compensation & rewards: Competitive base salary with a variable performance-based bonus
• Work environment: Modern office in the heart of Zurich with access to an on-site gym, sports classes (yoga, pilates, spinning) and healthy snacks 
• Flexibility: Hybrid working model — balance remote work with in-office collaboration
• Learning & growth: Ongoing investment in your professional development, with clear opportunities to take on leadership
• Parental leave: 16 weeks fully paid maternity leave, with a flexible 50% return-to-work option in the first month (while receiving full salary) and 4 weeks fully paid leave for the second parent
• Travel & mobility: Paid Halbtax travel card to support sustainable commuting
• Team & culture: Join a diverse, international team across 5 locations, with regular team events and opportunities for cross-border collaboration
• Recognition & rewards: Attractive referral bonuses for both candidate and client conversions.
• Our values: A culture grounded in inclusivity, curiosity, ownership, and collaboration — where your ideas shape the future of AI consulting.