Principal Technical Consultant, App Dev

Technical Expertise

Significant experience leading large-scale application transformation, custom development, or modernization engagements for enterprise clients .

Deep expertise in modernization strategies and patterns, including refactoring, rearchitecting, rebuilding, and related portfolio transformation approaches .

Expert-level understanding of cloud-native architecture (microservices, APIs, event-driven patterns, serverless, containers, orchestration) with in-depth proficiency on at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP).

Deep proficiency in some common enterprise languages and frameworks, with the ability to read, write, debug, and review complex code (C#, Java, Python, TypeScript) .

Strong experience with DevOps and DevSecOps practices including CI/CD, infrastructure as code, automated testing, code security scanning, and observability .

Deep knowledge of data migration strategies and patterns .

Strong understanding of database modernization, schema evolution, and the migration of relational and non-relational data platforms .

Experience working with legacy or monolithic applications and understanding the challenges of older technology stacks .

Strong understanding of working with LLMs, including prompting, context management, context-window limitations, and clear output validation for AI-assisted delivery .

Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies and modern SDLC practices .

Proven ability to architect robust, scalable, and secure solutions that directly address business needs .

Consulting & Client Leadership

Executive presence and trusted-advisor track record with senior client stakeholders (Director through C-suite) — including delivering difficult messages, handling pushback , and resolving conflict constructively.

Communicates with clarity and influence across audiences: constructs compelling storylines, surfaces underlying stakeholder concerns, and aligns groups around a recommendation.

Demonstrated ability to build, defend, and present business cases (TCO, ROI, value realization) that connect modernization investments to measurable financial and operational outcomes .

Strong ability to assess technical debt, identify modernization candidates, determine business value, and estimate effort and risk .

Ability to help clients develop an informed point of view on where and how to responsibly adopt AI-assisted engineering in their own organizations — including the operating model, governance, quality controls, and talent implications — not just the tooling .

Experience in consulting or pre-sales roles, including technical solutioning, prototyping, requirements definition, and project scoping .

Strong leadership qualities with the ability to motivate teams and provide direct technical oversight and mentorship

Preferred

Working knowledge of the business models, value chains, and competitive dynamics of the industries AHEAD serves (e.g., financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, retail), with the ability to connect modernization decisions to industry-specific value drivers and regulatory constraints

Experience modernizing brownfield applications and legacy enterprise systems

Experience building proofs of concept, prototypes, or technical demonstrations in consulting sales cycles

Experience contributing reusable code libraries, accelerators, templates, or practice assets

Experience with automated software analysis tools (CAST , Matilda, Dyna trace, etc.)