**Company Description****We Dream.
We Do.
We Deliver.
**At Merkle, a dentsu company, we power the experience economy.
Whether we're building the next great app, running CRM at scale for global brands, delivering technology architectures that support millions of users, or providing world-class data, identity, and insights solutions, it's all in the name of crafting experiences that set brands apart from the competition.
Backed by dentsu's legacy of innovation and creativity originating in Japan, we've spent over 35 years helping brands build loyalty, drive growth, and connect meaningfully with their audiences.
We've been named a global "Leader" by top industry analyst firms in categories as wide-ranging as digital transformation and commerce, experience design, engineering and technology integration, digital marketing, data science, CRM and loyalty, and customer data management.
As part of dentsu's global network, Merkle pushes the boundaries of customer experience, integrating creativity, technology, and data to drive real-world impact.
For over 35 years, we've been innovating to meet the changing needs of our clients.Most organisations treat AI consulting as a support function — specialists called in after decisions have been made.
This position rejects that model.
As Lead AI Consultant, you operate as a forward-deployed practitioner: embedded in client engagements from the earliest strategic conversations, present when problems are still being framed, and accountable through to delivery.
You own the translation of practice direction into structured client work and measurable outcomes.Client-facing delivery is half the mandate.
The other half is internal: from your first weeks, you lead enablement programmes designed to raise AI literacy across Merkle's own workforce.
We transform ourselves before we offer to transform anyone else.
What sets this role apart is its orientation toward the future.
We are not hiring engineers who optimise within the current state.
AI is, by reasonable estimation, the most consequential technology for restructuring how organisations coordinate action, route information, and allocate decision-making authority.
Linear hierarchies, siloed channels, static approval chains — these were designed for an information environment that started to shift.
The person who thrives here sees that shift with clarity, thinks through its second-order consequences, and helps clients prepare for organisational forms that do not yet have names.
Mindset comes first;
technical proficiency without it is insufficient.
**Key Responsibilities** - Translate business requirements into technical specifications, and technical constraints into language stakeholders can act on.
Both directions matter equally.
**5.
Ecosystem Building*** Sustain partnerships with startups, university research groups, and open-source communities.
The frontier of applied AI does not live inside large organisations alone.
* Help organise technical hackathons and experimentation sprints designed to test ideas before they reach client engagements.
**Requirements:*** Degree in Business, Information Systems, Computer Science, Data, or a closely related technical discipline.
An engineering foundation is non-negotiable.
* Several years of experience in AI consulting, software engineering, or data with direct client interaction and delivery accountability.
* Professional fluency in English is mandatory and German a nice to have.
* Strategic foresight over reactive execution.
You see where AI is heading and think in future scenarios.
An consultant who lives in the present — however skilled — is not the person we are looking for.
* Deep practical literacy.
Generative AI tools, coding assistants, agentic frameworks — used daily, not experimentally.
You maintain current proficiency as the ecosystem evolves week by week.
* Empathy and communicative precision.
Technical capability without the ability to listen, understand client constraints, and build trust is insufficient.
* Self-directed prioritisation.
You manage your workload without waiting to be told what matters.
* A drive to learn that does not depend on external motivation.
If the pace of change feels like disruption rather than opportunity, this role will not suit you.
**Nice to have:*** Prior consulting, client-facing technical advisory, or forward-deployed engineering experience.
* Hands-on experience with agent orchestration frameworks, LLM integration, or AI-native product development.
* Track record of facilitating workshops or guiding clients through structured discovery.
* Familiarity with global professional services organisations.
- Competitive compensation, flexible working arrangements, and the operational backing of Dentsu's global infrastructure.
**Benefits and perks:** Health insurance (also possible for family members)We cherish the unique talents and perspectives of all individuals, welcoming applicants regardless of gender, gender identity, nationality, religion, ethnicity, cultural background, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability.
By embracing diverse perspectives, we create meaningful change and sustainable growth for our people, clients, and society.
Our hiring decisions are guided by qualifications and role-specific requirements, ensuring a workplace free from discrimination and harassment.
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