Description
Software Audit & Software Asset Management (SAM) Principal Consultant
Wanted: dynamic and creative individuals ready to connect with a like-minded team. You’ll enjoy all the autonomy you need to help our clients make their digital infrastructure faster and more effective. Free reign for free spirits doesn’t mean you’ve got to go it alone. Over 1400 teammates from around the globe are eager to help you out when things get down to wire. That means you’ll be able to thrive in an organization with a team that supports you and welcomes everyone’s ideas – whether a partner, consultant, or analyst. So get ready to kickstart your career with a team that’s connected – connected by freedom.
Position Overview
ISG is seeking a senior leader to drive and scale its Software Audit & Software Asset Management (SAM) Services practice. This role is focused on enterprise software audit defense, proactive audit readiness, effective license position (ELP) validation, and the support of development of recurring managed SAM services that create long-term client value and sustainable revenue growth.
The successful candidate understands the realities of today’s software economy including complex licensing models and software provider audit behaviors. They will lead enterprise software audit defense engagements while building a structured, repeatable, and defensible SAM services capability designed to keep clients continuously audit-ready.
This role reports to a Director in our Software Advisory service line and partners closely with ISG industry teams, and subcontractors. The mandate is clear: help evolve ISG’s Software Audit capabilities into a scalable, sticky managed services business that delivers year-over-year revenue growth and measurable risk reduction for clients.
Responsibilities
- Lead complex enterprise software audit defense engagements across major publishers including Microsoft, SAP, Oracle, VMware, IBM/Red Hat, and others
- Develop and oversee defensible Effective License Positions (ELPs), entitlement validation, deployment normalization, and audit response strategies
- Establish and support proactive audit-readiness and compliance health check programs to ensure clients remain continuously audit-ready
- Support the design and build of repeatable SAM managed service offerings focused on ongoing compliance monitoring, ELP maintenance, entitlement lifecycle governance, and publisher risk management
- Partner with ISG sales teams to position Software Audit & SAM managed services as long-term, recurring client solutions
- Provide subject matter expertise and oversight to subcontractor partners, ensuring quality, defensibility, and consistency across engagements
- Identify opportunities to convert audit events into multi-year managed service relationships
- Contribute to practice development strategy, service packaging, pricing models, and go-to-market positioning
- Represent ISG in executive briefings, audit escalations, and relevant industry forums
- teams
- Responsibility for supporting the building and governance of a scalable SAM delivery capability
- Accountable for both delivery excellence and supporting sales
- Close collaboration with sales, consulting, subcontractor partners, and marketing
Measures of Success
- Growth and profitability of the Software Audit & SAM Services practice
- Development of recurring, year-over-year managed services revenue
- Successful defense and mitigation of client audit exposure
- Quality, defensibility, and repeatability of SAM service delivery
- Expansion of audit-readiness programs within existing client accounts
- Strength of subcontractor governance and delivery consistency
- Client satisfaction and long-term retention
Required Skillsets
- This is a remote position based in the United States
- Significant experience in enterprise software licensing, audit defense, compliance, or Software Asset Management (SAM) leadership
- Demonstrated expertise leading software provider audit defense engagements and refuting client’s defensible compliance positions
- Deep understanding of major enterprise software vendors and their licensing constructs, audit tactics, and commercial models
- Strong experience developing Effective License Positions (ELPs) and performing entitlement reconciliation and compliance risk assessments
- Experience designing or leading managed service delivery models
- Proven ability to build, mentor, and scale high-performing teams
- Experience leading subcontractor or partner delivery models with structured governance controls
- Executive-level communication skills with the ability to articulate financial risk, compliance exposure, and remediation strategies
- Sourcing expertise across software providers is a bonus that will position for maximum success
- Strategic leader with the ability to transform reactive audit support into proactive, recurring compliance programs
- Strong executive presence and credibility in audit and compliance discussions
- Builder mindset with the ability to create scalable, repeatable service offerings
- Deep analytical capability with attention to defensibility and documentation rigor
- Collaborative operator comfortable with leading projects and providing thought leadership
- Passion for continuous learning in evolving licensing environments
Education
- Bachelor’s degree required
At ISG, we don’t just accept difference we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our clients, and our communities. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. ISG is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The more diverse and inclusive we are, the better our work will be.
The duties and responsibilities described in this job description may not be a comprehensive list. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time and/or the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demand
