Senior Director Analyst, Cloud and AI Infrastructure

About the role: Gartner Analysts are industry thought leaders who create must-have insights , market predictions and best practices for a broad range of world-leading organizations. A Senior Director serves as a leader within Gartner’s Business and Technology Insights (BTI) group , establishing oneself as a credible voice within their designated market at local, regional and global levels. Utilizing exceptional research and analytical skills, a Senior Director plays a significant role in producing pragmatic and provocative insights which Gartner clients consume and apply to propel their business toward key objectives. They are a trusted source of advice for clients, reinforcing Gartner’s value every day by engaging them via in-person meetings, virtual meetings, sales support visits and Gartner conferences to discuss complex client challenges and offer appropriate recommendations. You will be a trusted advisor to senior executives, with a particular emphasis on Heads of Infrastructure & Operations (I&O) - guiding them through the intricacies of designing, deploying, and optimizing platforms with AI, across on-premises , Hybrid cloud and Edge . You will author research and frameworks in both Japanese and English that address strategic challenges in AI infrastructure and architecture , while continuously monitoring adjacent domains such as computing, cloud, and networking to ensure your insights are both timely and actionable. You will engage directly with clients in Japanese or English through meetings, events, and conferences, providing expert guidance that empowers their AI transformation journeys. While deep expertise at the intersection of infrastructure and AI is a cornerstone of this role—and integral to shaping our strategic research agenda for Heads of I&O—we also welcome accomplished professionals from adjacent disciplines. The ideal candidate combines senior leadership experience in I&O as well as Enterprise Architecture , a passion for innovation, and strong analytical and communication skills. You will make a lasting impact by helping the world’s leading organizations navigate the complexities of AI-driven transformation. What you will do: ● Drive Thought Leadership: Create innovative, thought provoking, and highly leveraged “must-have insights” content that inspire both Heads of I&O and the analyst team, shaping the industry’s IT architecture agenda ● Engage Executives : Connect directly with Heads of Infrastructure & Operations and Enterprise Architecture leaders , providing high-impact advice in both virtual and in-person settings . ● Shape the Future with independent insights: Dive deep into client needs, uncover root causes, and anticipate market shifts to reframe strategies and keep clients and vendors ahead of the curve. ● Be a Team Player: Collaborate with sales and BTI teams, providing market insights and sales support to create impactful content and drive meaningful client engagement and business growth. ● Be a Market Guide: Navigate the landscape of top vendors, such as Nvidia, AMD, Huawei, Intel, HPE, Dell, AWS, Microsoft, Google , Cisco and Oracle, as well as emerging AI vendors and neo-cloud providers and their go-to-market strategies. ● Deliver Presentation Excellence: Design and present compelling content for Gartner events, industry conferences, and executive briefings, both on stage and behind the scenes. ● Champion Client-Centricity: Proactively foster regular and meaningful client engagement, ensuring Gartner insights are always relevant and actionable. ● Mentor & Innovate: Support and coach junior team members, champion new ideas, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration through high-quality peer review ● Represent Gartner and Influence the Industry: Build credibility as an industry expert by exemplifying Gartner’s insights, methodology, and strategic vision—speaking, writing, and engaging in ways that influence leaders, shape boardroom strategies, and inspire technology roadmaps. ● Empower Collaborations: Actively participate in innovation, ideation, and research discussions and collaborate effectively with peers in the Insights community ● Pioneer Playbooks: Identify research process improvements or develop new processes that help the team and BTI provide excellent service delivery What you will need: ● Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; Graduate degree preferred ● 1 2 + years of relevant field or industry experience ● Seasoned I&O Experience for Heads of I&O: Proven I&O leadership at the executive level in mid- or large-sized organizations, with hands-on AI infrastructure architecting experience. ● Demonstrated mastery of a broad range of infrastructure platforms, including AI processors, model-serving architectures, and integration across both cloud and on-premises environments. Experience with scalability design and performance tuning for large-scale AI infrastructure is highly valued. Preferred background in compute , storage, or networking infrastructure to support AI architectures, with deep expertise in at least one of these areas. ● Ideally, the candidate will also possess up-to-date knowledge of, and a proactive curiosity about, emerging technologies . ● Architectural expertise: Enterprise Architecture experience (certification or significant project work highly valued). ● Collaboration and Global Perspective: Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multicultural, global teams, embracing timezone and cultural differences to foster effective teamwork and tailor approaches to the unique needs and contexts of specific regions and clients. ● Bilingual proficiency in Japanese and English (written and verbal) required. ● Explorer Mindset: Adapt to diverse environments and verticals, bringing broad perspective to every challenge. ● Critical thinking on overdrive: You won’t just explain how things work— you’ll challenge assumptions, expose blind spots, and point toward hidden opportunities , drawing on facts, data, and client needs as revealed through their questions, inquiries, and behaviors. ● Unfettered Curiosity: Never leave a “why” unanswered and see constraints as puzzles to be solved. Demonstrate learning agility and adeptness in navigating highly matrixed environments. ● Demonstrate executive presence; can immediately establish credibility with executives and additional stakeholders ● Strong organizational skills; ability to work under tight deadlines and produce high quality deliverables ● Demonstrate excellence in research and writing ability ● Strong written and verbal proficiency, analytical and presentation skills; ability to engage clients and respond effectively to questions ● Proficient in analyzing and synthesizing data; can effectively apply patterns and frameworks while drawing and defending conclusions to client challenges . ● Strong communicat ion skills - able to explain complex concepts concisely and simply ● Subject matter expert ise; comfortable presenting at large and small-scale speaking engagements ● Strong business and financial acumen ● Deep knowledge of the global and competitive landscape within subject area as well as the interplay in that market ● Ability to represent Gartner's research methodology and strategies effectively at all levels ● Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% (where applicable) #LI-SJ3 #LI-Hybrid Who are we? At Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT), we guide the leaders who shape the world. Our mission relies on expert analysis and bold ideas to deliver actionable, objective business and technology insights, helping enterprise leaders and their teams succeed with their mission-critical priorities. Since our founding in 1979, we’ve grown to 20,000 associates globally who support over 13,000 client enterprises in ~90 countries and territories. We do important, interesting and substantive work that matters. That’s why we hire associates with the intellectual curiosity, energy and drive to want to make a difference. The bar is unapologetically high. So is the impact you can have here. What makes Gartner a great place to work? Our vast, virtually untapped market potential offers limitless opportunities – opportunities that may not even exist right now – for you to grow professionally and flourish personally. How far you go is driven by your passion and performance. We hire remarkable people who collaborate and win as a team. Together, our singular, unifying goal is to deliver results for our clients. Our teams are inclusive and composed of individuals from different geographies, cultures, religions, ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and generations. We invest in great leaders who bring out the best in you and the company, enabling us to multiply our impact and results. This is why, year after year, we are recognized worldwide as a great place to work. Gartner is the world authority on AI At Gartner, you’ll join a company at the very center of the AI revolution. Gartner has proactive, objective guidance throughout clients’ AI journeys. We set the standard for how organizations leverage artificial intelligence to drive meaningful impact. You’ll have access to unmatched resources, expertise, and technology, and play a key role in helping Gartner and our clients innovate and grow as we leverage AI to transform business and technology landscapes. It’s an exciting time to be at Gartner, with limitless opportunities to make a real impact, grow your skills, and build a lasting, meaningful career in a field that’s reshaping the way we operate. If you’re passionate about AI and want to be part of a team that’s guiding the leaders who shape the world, Gartner is the place for you. What do we offer? Gartner offers world-class benefits, highly competitive compensation and disproportionate rewards for top performers. In our hybrid work environment, we provide the flexibility and support for you to thrive — working virtually when it's productive to do so and getting together with colleagues in a vibrant community that is purposeful, engaging and inspiring. Ready to grow your career with Gartner? Join us. 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