About McElhanney
Based in Western Canada for over 110 years, McElhanney offers innovative and practical engineering, surveying, mapping, planning, landscape architecture, and environmental services. As a 100% employee-owned and operated firm, with over 1,500 staff members in 31 locations, we are proud to offer qualified staff with shareholding options in our company. At McElhanney, we work in teams to build strong connections with our staff, clients, and local communities. Our employees enjoy working here because of our varied projects, high levels of autonomy, opportunities for career development, excellent total compensation and benefits package, and collaborating with a team of great professionals.
The Opportunity:
As one of Canada's largest employee-owned consulting firms with over 115 years of experience, we recognize the opportunity that trusted data and responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) present to enhance how our people work, make decisions, and deliver greater value for our clients.
As part of our Strategy 2030 journey, we're establishing an enterprise Data, Analytics & AI capability to enable smarter decision-making, improve access to trusted information, and support more connected ways of working. Guided by responsible AI principles and human-in-the-loop decision-making, this role will define the strategy, operating model, governance, and technology roadmap that will responsibly embed data and AI across our business empowering our people while ensuring professional judgment, accountability, and client relationships remain at the center of everything we do.
We are seeking an experienced and visionary Senior Director, Enterprise Data, Analytics & AI to establish and lead McElhanney's enterprise data and AI capability.
Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, this newly created leadership role will define the enterprise strategy for data, analytics, data & AI governance, and artificial intelligence while building the platforms, operating model, and organizational capability needed to support business growth and digital transformation.
This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced technology leader who enjoys building capabilities from the ground up. It is an enterprise leadership opportunity requiring close partnership with executive leaders across client delivery, operational excellence, finance, people & culture, marketing, legal, and technology you will position data as a strategic enterprise asset that enables better decisions, strengthens collaboration, simplifies business processes, and enhances how our people deliver value to clients. You will influence enterprise strategy, create practical business value through data and AI, and build a high-performing team that enables McElhanney's Strategy 2030 objectives.
While our preference is for the successful candidate to be based in Vancouver, we are open to candidates located in any of our major McElhanney offices across Alberta or British Columbia.
What You’ll Do:
Develop the Enterprise Data & AI Strategy
- Define and execute McElhanney's enterprise Data & AI strategy, aligning investments with business priorities, Strategy 2030, and long-term digital transformation objectives.
- Establish the enterprise operating model, governance framework, and multi-year roadmap to build scalable, trusted data and AI capabilities.
- Translate strategic priorities into practical, measurable outcomes that create lasting business value.
Build a Modern Enterprise Data Platform
- Lead the evolution of McElhanney's enterprise data platform using modern Microsoft technologies including Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, and Purview
- Establish scalable architecture, integration standards, semantic models, reusable data products, and enterprise data services that support enterprise-wide decision-making
- Ensure enterprise data is trusted, secure, accessible, and positioned to support future business growth and technology initiatives
Lead Enterprise AI Enablement
- Develop and operationalize McElhanney's enterprise AI strategy and delivery model
- Identify, prioritize, and oversee high-value AI initiatives that improve simplify workflows, improve access to information, support decision-making
- Establish Responsible AI governance, including human-in-the-loop decision-making, to ensure AI is implemented ethically, securely, transparently, and in compliance with regulatory and privacy requirements.
Strengthen Enterprise Data Governance
- Establish enterprise standards for data ownership, stewardship, quality, privacy, and lifecycle management.
- Build practical governance practices that improve the consistency, reliability, and integrity of enterprise data.
- Partner closely with cybersecurity, legal, privacy, and business leaders to ensure data is managed responsibly.
Deliver Business Value Through Data
- Develop enterprise reporting, dashboards, analytics products, and trusted performance metrics that support decision-making across the business.
- Define meaningful KPIs that measure business performance and demonstrate the value of data, analytics, and AI investments.
- Champion a data-driven culture by improving access to trusted information and enabling better business decisions at every level of the organization.
Build Enterprise Partnerships
- Partner with leaders across operations, project delivery, finance, people & culture, marketing, legal, and technology to align data and AI initiatives with business priorities.
- Support enterprise transformation initiatives including ERP, CRM, Operational Excellence, and digital modernization through integrated and governed data solutions.
- Influence decisions, build alignment, and foster a culture where data is recognized as a strategic enterprise asset that supports business performance and client success.
Build and Lead a High-Performing Team
- Build, coach, and develop a multidisciplinary team spanning Data Engineering, Business Intelligence, Analytics, Data Governance, and AI.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, continuous learning, accountability, and business partnership.
- Establish technical standards, delivery practices, and clear team accountabilities while developing internal capability for long-term success.
Lead Vendor & Technology Partnerships
- Build and manage strategic relationships with technology vendors, implementation partners, and service providers that support McElhanney's enterprise data and AI capabilities.
- Evaluate and influence enterprise investments in data platforms, analytics, and AI technologies, ensuring priorities align with business strategy and long-term technology objectives.
- Oversee vendor performance, delivery, and value realization to ensure technology investments deliver measurable business outcomes.
- Identify opportunities to leverage emerging technologies and strategic partnerships to accelerate innovation and strengthen successful delivery of enterprise data and AI initiatives.
What You’ll Bring:
We're looking for a leader who combines strong technical credibility with business acumen and exceptional relationship-building skills.
You will bring:
- Extensive leadership experience in Enterprise Data, Analytics, AI, Data Engineering, Platform Engineering, or Digital Transformation.
- Demonstrated success designing or modernizing enterprise data and analytics capabilities.
- Experience leading enterprise-wide technology transformation initiatives across complex organizations.
- Strong knowledge of modern cloud data platforms, data architecture, data & governance, analytics and AI. Experience with modern cloud data platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, and Microsoft technologies including Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, and Purview (or other data governance platforms) is an advantage.
- Experience establishing enterprise operating models, governance frameworks, and scalable delivery practices.
- A track record of influencing executive stakeholders and leading cross-functional change without direct authority.
- Strong people leadership experience developing high-performing technical teams.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into practical business solutions.
- Experience managing strategic vendors, technology partners, and enterprise investments.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Business, or a related discipline.
- Experience within engineering consulting, infrastructure, professional services, or project-based organizations would be considered an asset.
What Can We Offer You?
The salary range for this position is $125,000 to $190,000 per annum. McElhanney offers fair compensation that is commensurate with the individual’s education, experience, skills, and professional qualifications. The posted base salary range is representative of the required level of qualifications and experience for the position as noted in the job posting. The salary offered will be based on the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate.
In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer:
- Opportunity for the right candidate to become a shareholder in an employee-owned company
- Flexible work hours to accommodate your lifestyle
- Great benefits, including extended health and dental coverage, healthcare spending account, and RRSP matching.
- Relocation assistance if applicable
- Maternity leave top-up and parental leave top-up
- Participation in our generous Performance Bonus Plan
- Employee and Family assistance program, which offers 24/7 support for all employees and their families either online or over the phone
- Continuous support for your professional development and growth
Application Instructions:
To be considered for this opportunity, please submit the following:
1. An updated resume highlighting your relevant leadership experience and accomplishments.
2. A cover letter (maximum two pages) that outlines:
- What interests you about this opportunity and why you're excited to lead McElhanney's enterprise Data, Analytics & AI capability.
- Your experience developing or leading enterprise data, analytics, AI, or digital transformation initiatives, including the business outcomes achieved.
- An example of how you've partnered with executive leaders to establish new capabilities, influence enterprise strategy, or lead organizational change.
- How your leadership approach and experience would position you to successfully establish and scale McElhanney's enterprise Data, Analytics & AI function.
Application deadline: July 28, 2026, 11:59pm PT (same as indicated above in Eastern Time)
Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
At McElhanney, our unwavering commitment lies in cultivating a culture that aligns with our core values and fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion. We celebrate the collective achievements of a team rich in expertise, experiences, and perspectives, and welcome applications from individuals of diverse ethnicities, religions, backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, aboriginal statuses, various age groups, and those with disabilities. Requests for accommodations can be made at any stage of the selection process. If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of the requirements outlined. We’re interested in getting to know you and explore the unique contributions you can bring to McElhanney!
If this is the opportunity for you, apply now or visit www.mcelhanney.com/careers to learn more. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Learn more about our recognition here: McElhanney Requalifies as a Gold Standard Best Managed Company!
Visit us on Glassdoor to learn more about our employee experience.
Our Purpose: Amaze our clients. Care for our communities. Empower our people.
McElhanney is aware of activities where individuals have received fraudulent job offers. Please be advised that McElhanney will not ask applicants for any form of monetary exchange at any point in the recruitment process. To learn more visit: www.mcelhanney.com/careers/fraud-warning. The disclosure of your information in accordance with this Policy and applicable law, including to third party service providers may result in your personal information being transferred outside of Canada, including to the United States. Such transferred personal information may be subject to the laws of these other countries and the laws of other countries regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information may be different from the laws of Canada.
