About the group:
Cognizant’s Cloud, Infrastructure, and Security Services Practice (CIS), is all about accepting digital transformation by driving core modernization holistically across layers. We help customers transform infrastructure and workplace to meet the constantly evolving needs of the digital era. Our broad approach delivers key results for our customers by achieving cloud driven modernization and workplace and operational transformation to own the business in a secure environment.
*Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*
Role: Windows Patching Lead
Location: Toronto, ON
ROLE SUMMARY
10+ years in Windows Server/desktop administration and patching; 4+ years as tower/pod lead
The Windows Patching Tower Lead (Onshore) is the subject matter expert and client-facing lead for all Windows patching across a 190,000+ endpoint estate. This individual owns the full Windows patch lifecycle — SCCM/MECM/WSUS/Intune/Tanium-driven wave execution, GPO management, reboot orchestration, and compliance reporting — while acting as the primary Wintel interface to client L2/L3 teams and application owners during Canada business hours and weekend change windows.
ROLE IN THE OPERATING MODEL
▸ Tower/pod lead and subject-matter expert for Windows patching — owns execution, quality, and compliance for the Windows tower
▸ Primary Wintel interface to client L2/L3 engineers and application owners during Canada hours and weekend windows
▸ Coordinates app-owner sign-off post-patching and owns Windows tower compliance reporting to the Patch Service Lead
▸ Operates as the Windows execution layer under client direction; gold image/packaging engineering remains client L2/L3 owned
▸ Directs and reviews the work of Windows-assigned offshore SMEs during onshore hours
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
▸ Plan and execute monthly Patch-Tuesday cumulative/quality updates, hotfixes, and out-of-band/zero-day patches via SCCM/MECM, WSUS, Intune, and Tanium
▸ Manage SCCM/MECM deployment rings, collections, maintenance windows, WSUS approvals, and GPO-driven patch policies across servers and end-user devices
▸ Run pre-flight checks — disk space, connectivity, pending reboots, backup confirmation — and reboot orchestration with post-patch smoke tests
▸ Coordinate application-owner sign-off and change-window adherence; track compliance via Tenable/Qualys and remediate non-compliant assets
▸ Update CMDB patch levels, close vulnerability tickets, and maintain KEDB; perform RCA and rollback (KB uninstall) for failed patches
▸ Manage EOL/EOS tracking for Windows versions; flag end-of-support risks to the Patch Service Lead
▸ Own Windows tower compliance reporting; present KPIs and exception summaries to the Patch Service Lead for governance reviews
▸ Coordinate with client NOC during weekend change windows; manage escalation to client Wintel L2/L3 within agreed SLTs
TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE SCOPE
▸ Execute monthly Patch-Tuesday and out-of-band patch cycles via SCCM/MECM, WSUS, Intune, and Tanium across Windows Server 2016–2025 and Windows 10/11
▸ Configure and manage SCCM/MECM collections, deployment rings, WSUS approval policies, and GPO-driven patch rollouts
▸ Run pre-flight readiness checks (disk, connectivity, pending reboots, backup), reboot orchestration, and post-patch smoke tests
▸ Track compliance posture via Tenable/Qualys; remediate non-compliant assets and close vulnerability tickets in ServiceNow
▸ Author and submit RFC/CAB documentation for Windows patch waves; coordinate maintenance window scheduling
▸ Perform KB uninstall rollback for failed patches; document RCA and update KEDB
▸ Generate Windows tower compliance reports for cycle governance and coordinate app-owner sign-off
SKILLS, TOOLS & COMPETENCIES
Primary Skills
OS Expertise Windows Server 2016–2025 · Windows 10/11 · Active Directory · Group Policy (GPO) · Servicing stack updates
Patch Tools SCCM/MECM (deep) · WSUS · Microsoft Intune · Tanium · Windows Update for Business · BigFix (consumer view)
Automation PowerShell scripting · Ansible (Windows modules) · Task Scheduler · WMI/CIM automation
ITSM & Vuln ServiceNow (Change/CMDB) · Tenable · Qualys · RFC/CAB lifecycle · KEDB management
Observability Splunk · Dynatrace · Moogsoft · Windows Event Log analysis
Secondary Skills
▸ PowerShell and Ansible playbook authoring for Windows patch automation
▸ SCCM application packaging awareness and end-user device management
▸ Virtualisation (VMware/Hyper-V) and Azure Windows fundamentals
▸ VDI patching awareness — Citrix or VMware Horizon
CERTIFICATIONS
Mandatory
▸ ITIL 4 Foundation
Preferred (one or more)
▸ Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate (AZ-800/AZ-801)
▸ Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate (MD-102) — SCCM/MECM/Intune
▸ Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) — advantageous
▸ Legacy MCSA: Windows Server acceptable; Tanium Certified Operator a plus
NICE TO HAVE
▸ Experience managing SCCM environments with 100,000+ endpoints
▸ Microsoft Endpoint Manager / Intune co-management exposure
▸ Experience with Windows patch compliance in a regulated financial services environment
WORK MODEL & COMMITMENT
Hours Canada business hours + weekend change window coverage
Shift Model Hybrid onshore; participates in Patch-Tuesday and scheduled maintenance windows
On-Call Yes — weekend patch windows and zero-day escalations
Language English (mandatory)
Compensation: We are offering between $60,000 – $85,000. Applications will be accepted until Aug 21, 2026.Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in Canada without requiring employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.
Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.
*Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*
コグニザントについて
コグニザント（NASDAQ: CTSH）は、AI Builderおよびテクノロジーサービスプロバイダーとして、お客様にフルスタックのAIソリューションを構築することで、AI投資と企業価値を結ぶ架け橋となっています。業界、ビジネスプロセス、エンジニアリングに関する当社の深い専門知識を活かし、組織固有のビジネス環境をテクノロジー・システムに組み込みます。これにより、人間の可能性を最大限に引き出し、確かな成果を実現するとともに、急速に変化する世界においてグローバル企業が常に一歩先を行くための支援を行っています。 詳細については、cognizant.ai をご覧ください。
雇用に関する追加情報
本募集に記載されている報酬情報は、掲載日時点で正確なものです。Cognizantは、適用される法令に従い、いつでも本情報を変更する権利を留保します。
応募者は、対面またはビデオ会議による面接への参加を求められる場合があります。また、各面接の際に、現在有効な州政府または政府発行の身分証明書の提示を求められる場合があります。
Cognizantは機会均等雇用主です。応募および選考において、人種、肌の色、性別、宗教、信条、性的指向、性自認、国籍、障がい、遺伝情報、妊娠、退役軍人の地位、その他連邦法・州法・地方自治体の法律により保護されるいかなる特性に基づく差別も行いません。
