Business Applications Data/AI Lead Architect

Why this role matters

Every Dynamics 365 programme creates a wealth of financial, supply chain and customer data. The organisations that win are the ones that turn that data into trusted insight and, increasingly, into AI that acts on it. Our clients' leaders want to know what their data can tell them, whether they can trust it and how AI can make their business faster and smarter. They need someone who understands Dynamics 365 data inside out and can answer those questions with clarity and credibility.

Come join us

As Lead Data & AI Architect in our global ERP Centre of Excellence, you will be the link between Avanade's Business Applications and Data & AI Solution Areas. Avanade has a large, dedicated Data & AI practice with its own strategies, platforms and offerings. Your role is not to reinvent those within Business Applications, but to bring them to Dynamics 365: aligning, adapting and applying them so our clients get one joined-up approach. You will lead our global Dynamics 365 Data & AI Community of Practice, support our project teams as their senior data and AI expert, and be the person executives call when they want to understand what their ERP and CRM data can do for them.

How you will work

This role supports both solutioning (presales) and delivery. When a strategic programme needs it, you may be assigned to a single project as its lead data and AI architect for a longer period. However, our preferred way of working is different: your greatest impact comes from working across our whole portfolio as the senior data and AI expert our own project teams can rely on. In practice, that means:

• Acting as the go-to data and AI expert for our Dynamics 365 project teams across all regions, available for design reviews, second opinions and advice on reporting, analytics and AI questions.
• Running quality assurance on the data, reporting and AI elements of in-flight programmes, with reviews at key moments so that risks are spotted and addressed early.
• Stepping in for short, focused engagements to help solve complex problems, from Fabric and Power BI performance issues to data integration and AI solution challenges.
• Leading recovery activities when the analytics or AI part of a programme is in trouble: stabilising the solution, restoring client confidence and handing back a healthy project.
• Overseeing the work of the data and BI architects on our Dynamics 365 projects, reviewing their key decisions, coaching them and keeping their approaches aligned with Avanade's Data & AI standards.
• Shaping the data, analytics and AI elements of major pursuits together with the Data & AI practice, including solution design, estimates and risks, so that what we sell is what we can deliver.

What you will do

Be the bridge between Business Applications and Data & AI

• Act as the link between Avanade's Business Applications and Data & AI Solution Areas, the person who makes the two practices work as one for Dynamics 365 clients.
• Take Avanade's Data & AI strategies, offerings and reference architectures as the starting point, and align and adjust them for Dynamics 365 rather than inventing separate approaches within Business Applications.
• Bring Dynamics 365 knowledge into the Data & AI practice, so that its architects understand ERP and CRM data, Dataverse and the AI capabilities built into Dynamics 365.
• Bring the right Data & AI experts into Dynamics 365 pursuits and programmes, and make sure joint solutioning and delivery run smoothly.

Architect data and analytics for Dynamics 365

• Own the data and analytics architecture for Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management and Customer Engagement solutions, building on Avanade's Data & AI reference architectures and adapting them to the Dynamics 365 data model.
• Design modern analytics platforms on Microsoft Fabric (OneLake, Lakehouse, Warehouse, Data Factory and Real-Time Intelligence), connected to Dynamics 365 through Fabric Link, Synapse Link for Dataverse and the Dataverse data platform.
• Lead the design of Power BI solutions: semantic models, DAX, embedded analytics in Dynamics 365, financial and operational reporting, and performance tuning for enterprise scale.
• Make sure Dynamics 365 data is fit for analytics and AI, with clear ownership, data quality rules and well-defined business semantics.
• Put governance, security and lineage at the centre of every design, using Microsoft Purview, row-level security and sensible capacity and cost management.
• Modernise legacy reporting estates, such as BYOD, entity store and older BI platforms, into a Fabric-first architecture.

Turn data into AI that delivers value

• Identify and shape AI use cases across finance, supply chain and customer processes, from forecasting and anomaly detection to Copilot experiences and autonomous agents.
• Design solutions with Copilot in Dynamics 365 and Power BI, Copilot Studio, Fabric data agents, Microsoft Foundry and Azure OpenAI, grounded in trusted, well-governed business data.
• Make client data AI-ready, with the right models, semantics and controls so that AI answers can be trusted and explained.
• Embed responsible AI, privacy and compliance in every solution, and help clients set up governance that keeps pace with innovation.

Be the trusted data and AI voice at C-level

• Engage CFOs, COOs, CIOs and chief data officers on data strategy, analytics roadmaps and AI investment decisions.
• Translate complex data and AI topics into clear, concise updates and stories that show business value, risks and next steps, and that build lasting trust.
• Help leadership teams define the KPIs and insights that matter, and show them how a modern data platform will deliver them.
• Act as senior escalation point and adviser to Avanade leadership for data and analytics on critical programmes.

Lead the Dynamics 365 Data & AI Community of Practice

• Lead the global Dynamics 365 Data & AI Community of Practice, whose purpose is to align Dynamics 365 data and AI work with Avanade's wider Data & AI practice, bringing together BI specialists, data engineers and AI practitioners from both Solution Areas.
• Run regular community calls and joint sessions with the Data & AI practice, translating its strategies, offerings and roadmaps into what they mean for Dynamics 365 clients and projects.
• Adopt Avanade's Data & AI reference architectures, data models and accelerators and adapt them for Dynamics 365, rather than building parallel assets within Business Applications.
• Coach and develop data and AI talent across the practice, and help build a clear career path for data specialists in Business Applications.

Connect Avanade with Microsoft and Accenture

• Build strong relationships with Microsoft's Dynamics 365, Dataverse, Fabric and Power BI product teams, bringing preview programmes and roadmap insight to the community and feeding real client experience back.
• Work with Accenture's data and AI communities, and with Microsoft's partner teams, so that Dynamics 365 scenarios are part of our joint data and AI offerings and go-to-market.
• Represent Avanade at Microsoft and industry events, and through points of view and thought leadership on data and AI in business applications.
  

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Skills and Experience

Delivery experience

• Long experience with Microsoft Dynamics, typically 12 years or more across Dynamics AX, Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management and Dataverse-based applications, including several full-lifecycle enterprise implementations.
• A strong track record designing and delivering data, reporting and analytics solutions on Microsoft BI tools for Dynamics 365 clients.
• Experience working across organisational boundaries, bringing business applications and data and analytics teams together around one approach.
• A background in consulting or systems integration, with experience leading distributed delivery teams.

Data, analytics and AI expertise

• Deep understanding of the Dynamics 365 data model, data entities and Dataverse, and of the options for making Dynamics 365 data available to analytics and AI platforms.
• Expert command of Power BI, including semantic modelling, DAX, performance optimisation and governance at enterprise scale.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Fabric and Azure data services, including Fabric Link, Synapse Link for Dataverse, Data Factory, Lakehouse and Warehouse.
• Practical knowledge of Microsoft AI: Copilot in Dynamics 365 and Power BI, Copilot Studio, Fabric data agents, Microsoft Foundry and Azure OpenAI.
• Strong grasp of data governance, security and lineage, ideally with Microsoft Purview.
• A good understanding of finance and supply chain processes and the KPIs that matter to business leaders.

Leadership and communication

• Genuine executive presence: you can hold your own with a CFO or chief data officer and still go deep with a data engineering team.
• The ability to turn complex data and AI topics into concise, compelling C-level updates that build trust and lead to decisions.
• Experience building and energising communities, and a natural instinct to share what you know.
• A collaborative, consultative style, intellectual curiosity and a strong sense of ownership.
• Fluent English; additional languages are a plus.

Nice to have

• Microsoft certifications such as Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate, Fabric Data Engineer Associate, Power BI Data Analyst Associate, Azure AI Engineer Associate or Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert.
• Microsoft MVP status or a visible profile as a speaker or author in the data, Power BI or Dynamics community.
• Experience with sustainability, ESG or industry-specific data solutions built on Dynamics 365.

What success looks like after 12 months

• You are recognised by clients, delivery leads and Microsoft as the go-to authority for data and AI on Dynamics 365 at Avanade.
• Business Applications and Data & AI work from one aligned approach for Dynamics 365: our programmes apply Avanade's Data & AI reference architectures and assets, adapted where Dynamics 365 needs it, instead of parallel solutions.
• Project teams actively seek out your reviews and expert support, and data and AI issues on our programmes are resolved quickly under your leadership.
• The Data & AI Community of Practice is the active meeting point between Dynamics 365 and Avanade's wider Data & AI practice, with a clear agenda, regular joint sessions and contributions from every region.
• Data and AI are a stronger part of our Dynamics 365 proposals, and clients see real AI use cases move into production.
• You have strong, active relationships with Avanade's Data & AI leadership, with Microsoft's Dynamics 365, Fabric and Power BI product teams, and with Accenture's data and AI communities.

Why Avanade

Avanade sits at the heart of the Microsoft ecosystem and is majority-owned by Accenture. That gives you something few employers can offer: direct access to Microsoft product teams, the reach of Accenture's global delivery network, and a Business Applications practice made up of people who genuinely love this platform. You will work on programmes that matter to the clients who run them, alongside colleagues who will challenge you, back you and learn from you.

• A global role with real influence on how Avanade delivers Dynamics 365 around the world.
• Early access to Microsoft roadmaps, previews and product engineering conversations.
• Generous investment in your learning, including paid Microsoft certifications and dedicated training time every year.
• A dedicated career advisor and a clear path into the most senior technical leadership roles.
• An inclusive, international community where your expertise is valued and your ideas are acted on.

Ready to take the lead?

If you know Dynamics 365 data inside out, love turning it into insight and AI, enjoy bringing two strong practices together, and can explain it all to a boardroom with confidence, we would love to talk to you. Bring your experience and your curiosity, and help us shape the future of data and AI in business applications.

Compensation at Avanade varies depending on a wide array of factors, which may include but are not limited to the specific office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. As required by local law, Avanade provides a reasonable range of compensation for roles that may be hired as set forth below. 

Avanade offers a market competitive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability coverage, a 401(k) plan, bonus opportunities, paid holidays, and paid time off. 

See more information on our benefits here: Benefits and Total Rewards | Avanade United States

Role Location                                    Annual Salary Range 

Seattle                                           $159,000 to $189,000 

District of Columbia         $159,000 to $189,000 

Illinois                                                 $149,000 to $179,000 

Dallas                                           $149,000 to $179,000 
Houston $149,000 to $179,000 

San Diego                               $149,000 to $179,000 

Boston                                           $159,000 to $189,000

Denver $149,000 to $179,000 
New York $170,000 to $200,000
San Francisco $170,000 to $200,000
Los Angeles $159,000 to $189,000
Tampa $138,000 to $164,000
Miami $138,000 to $164,000

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