Head of GCR Advisory - Hong Kong

Job Description

Want to create value with digital and turn your ideas into human impact? So do we.

There’s one in every group—the person who dreams big and has the motivation to bring their ideas to life, even as others might roll their eyes and prefer to play it safe. Are you that person? One who isn’t afraid to break the mold and who gets inspired by the power of digital to transform organizations and ways of working? Because we are building teams of people like that to help our clients unlock the power they need now and own what’s next.

At Avanade Advisory, we are breaking apart the traditional process of setting strategies and goals first, then finding technologies to achieve them. In the digital age, there’s no time for that linear process. We partner with clients to accelerate value from digital innovation by being bold, imaginative – and fast. We think big and deliver personally. We relentlessly challenge, inspire, and support our clients and each other.

Want the agility and energy of a start-up, backed by the resources of Accenture, Microsoft and the Center for Information Systems Research at MIT Sloan School of Management? Here you will find a team of people who thrive on turning ideas and innovations into breakthrough results for leading organizations around the world. Ultimately, we’re not just making business better. We’re making life better for our clients and their customers.

If that sounds like you, you sound good to us. Find your next opportunity at Avanade Advisory.

About the role:

We are seeking a Head of Advisory, Greater China who is comfortable to operate on both global and local matrix. This person will lead the build-out of the Advisory business in Greater China, so is a key leadership hire that will be pivotal to the growth and success of the Greater China business as well as Avanade’s Global Advisory Services organisation, given the scale of the opportunity. A strategic leadership role with the remit to grow and lead a team who work closely with Avanade’s enterprise clients and in tandem with the broader organisation, with the specific purpose of accelerating the achievement of business objectives through a roadmap of pragmatic digital transformation. This role will be responsible for leading a team which advises clients on their digital strategy and how to transition their businesses to become a player in the digital world.

Headline activities include:

▪ Business Developmen t: Develop and extend major client relationships at the CxO level through a prominent professional network, previous client impact, and domain expertise.

▪ Practice Development : Support the Global Advisory Services practice growth, nurturing and developing talent, assets and intellectual capital.

▪ Project Delivery : Role modelling high impact client work including value architecting and realization around technology enabled change programmes and developing high level technology roadmaps and strategies.

▪ Thought Leadership : Provide thought leadership in digital transformation, keep abreast of digital transformation trends and innovative approaches to operational excellence. Drive ideation and co-innovation programmes from front end CX to large scale IT transformation.

▪ Firm Development : Play an active role in influencing and shaping the go to market of the wider firm, collaborating across the firm to harness our capabilities and communities effectively.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking an advisory leader who is a strong business builder with experience in Manufacturing/Retail, Healthcare and Financial Services who can unify the different capabilities of Avanade Greater China as well as attract high-quality talent into the Advisory team. The capability to balance practice leadership skills with role modelling high impact client work is also essential.

Candidates will be able to demonstrate they can drive rapid growth in an Advisory business and creating teams to consult in industries such as Manufacturing/ Retail, Healthcare and Financial Services and work with MNC clients and large local corporates. Knowledge and expertise in digital and modern technology services is essential especially with experience as trusted advisor in Cloud Infrastructure Strategy (Hybrid and Multi-Cloud), Enterprise Architect and new business model.

Entrepreneurial spirit and an appetite to grasp the opportunity to build a business quickly are critical. The successful candidate will have built their experience in a high-calibre consulting or technology environment and ideally be able to display a breadth of experience or understanding of various types of consulting models.

In terms of the competencies required for the position, the following are important.

Demonstrate the ability and capacity to influence others to achieve common goals through understanding people (emotional leadership skills) and embrace Avanade’s values and culture and commitment to diversity.

Setting Strategy

§ Sets a compelling direction for the business and innovative strategies to address customer needs.

§ Communicates the vision and anticipates market changes.

§ Contributes to broader business issues.

Business Acumen

§ Understands the levers of a services business and able to drive growth at a profitable level.

§ Able to balance the competing pressures of growing a services business.

§ Builds strong commercial propositions.

Executing for Results

§ Possesses an extensive and distinctive track record of delivering growth.

§ Sets and achieves ambitious targets.

Leading Teams

§ Truly a “player/coach” – capable of Practice Building (hiring, mentorship, capability development), managing complex delivery teams, and sales / account management teams.

§ Forges strong diverse teams of people with multiple perspectives and talents.

§ Holds people accountable for agreed-to results.

Building Relationships and Using Influence

§ Able to guide and unify stakeholders to achieve agreed business goals and outcomes

§ Builds and sustains excellent relationships at multiple levels in the organization.

§ Has a strong network of external relationships at high levels.

§ Uses relationship networks strategically to accomplish objectives.

§ Proficiencies in Mandarin and English (preferably some Japanese)

Trusted Advisor in Digital Transformation

• Able to strategize to advocate, position, and sell Microsoft suite of solutions especially on Cloud Infrastructure (especially Multi-Cloud) and/or with understanding of all domains of Enterprise Architecture, including the business, data, application, infrastructure and security domain.
• Strong understanding of the digital and regulatory landscape and the competition in GCR along with network/clientele that can provide opportunities for RFIs/RFPs.
• A trusted advisor who has direct experiences in advising clients CXOs to originate, design and implement large scale digital transformation projects.
• A trusted advisor with Cloud Infrastructure (especially Multi-Cloud) and/or Enterprise Architect domain knowledge with credentials as bridge between the Business, Sales, Solutions and partner teams locally and globally to lead and drive proposals/bids.

Credentials in developing and driving GTM strategy

§ Strong understanding of industry players/network, pricing levels, solutions with credentials in developing/driving competitive GTM strategies and programs.

§ Able to provide insights on key clients and their near future project opportunities.

§ Familiar with large scale project bidding procedures and procurement law in GCR context (especially China Mainland).

§ Strong understanding on the diversity, differences in local and business culture of HK, Tier 1 and 2 provinces of China.

§ Credentials as trusted advisor who has served MNCs and Large local Corporates (and/or SOEs) in GCR with exposure in public speaking and CXO events.