Role Overview
Associate Director – Data Fabric & AI Strategy
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA
About Cognizant Consulting
Cognizant Consulting is more than Cognizant’s consulting practice—we’re a global community of 5,000+ experts helping clients reimagine their business. Blending deep industry expertise with technology advisory capabilities, we deliver innovative solutions to Fortune 500 clients.
We’re looking for a seasoned consulting leader to shape enterprise data and AI transformation strategies. Could this be you?
About the Role
As an Associate Director – Data Fabric & AI Strategy, you will lead strategic architecture and advisory engagements for large-scale data and AI transformation programs. You will partner closely with Technology Leaders, Chief Architects, and client stakeholders to define target-state architectures, governance frameworks, and modernization roadmaps.
You will play a critical role in enabling enterprise adoption of scalable, secure, and AI-ready data platforms while guiding organizations from analytics maturity to AI and agentic AI capabilities.
In this role, you will:
- Define enterprise-grade Data Fabric and AI architectures aligned to business outcomes and risk posture
- Establish architecture standards, governance frameworks, and reusable design patterns
- Guide legacy-to-cloud modernization strategies, including enterprise data warehousing (Amazon Redshift)
- Drive architecture decision-making through structured trade-offs and executive advisory
- Enable progression from analytics to AI to governed agentic AI adoption
What you need to have to be considered
- Proven experience in enterprise data architecture and consulting leadership roles
- Strong expertise in Data Fabric architecture and cloud-native data platforms (AWS preferred)
- Hands-on experience with enterprise data warehousing, including Amazon Redshift
- Experience leading legacy-to-cloud data modernization initiatives
- Demonstrated capability in architecture governance, design assurance, and executive advisory
- Strong understanding of data security, privacy, and regulatory compliance frameworks
- Ability to drive stakeholder alignment across business, IT, and enterprise architecture teams
- Excellent communication and executive-level stakeholder engagement skills
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or MBA preferred
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship
What will help you stand out (Preferred Skills)
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (or equivalent)
- Experience enabling AI-ready data platforms and advanced analytics ecosystems
- Exposure to machine learning and agentic AI use cases
- Experience advising regulated or asset-intensive industries (Energy & Utilities preferred)
- Strong consulting mindset with ability to influence without direct authority
Work Model
We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 3 days per week at a client or Cognizant office in Charlotte, NC, with the remainder remote. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs.
Travel Requirements
- Up to 25% travel depending on client engagement
Compensation (Pay Transparency)
Base salary range (good-faith estimate): $165,000- $194,000 annually
This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, subject to applicable plan terms.
Benefits
Cognizant offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- 401(k) plan with company contributions
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Employee Assistance Program
- Paid time off and 17 paid holidays per year
- Paid parental leave and fertility assistance
- Ongoing learning and development programs and certifications
Application Deadline
This job posting will close on 29th June 2026.
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What we offer
- The chance to work with impact. Here, you’re empowered to bring your biggest thinking to help our company and clients improve everyday life.
- Ownership over your career. Stay at the top of your game through our award-winning learning and development ecosystem. And when your ambitions change or we offer new opportunities, we help you pivot by providing reskilling, on-the-job learning and guidance to find new roles that might be a better fit.
- The opportunity to thrive on a high caliber team with heart. We celebrate each other’s experiences and perspectives and promote a sense of belonging through our affinity groups and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
- A comprehensive total rewards package, including a competitive salary and a pension plan with matching contributions.
- Flexible health and financial benefits to support you and your eligible dependents—from day one.
- True work-life balance. Be at your best through paid time off, flexible work arrangements, volunteering opportunities, social events, and so much more.
About us
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, building the bridge between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, realize tangible returns and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant.
Other employment-related information
Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial or local laws.
If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email [email protected] with your request and contact information.
Language requirements vary depending on roles, but we ask that all candidates have basic English proficiency for company-wide communications purposes. For roles based in Quebec, professional English proficiency is required, as you’ll deliver services to and collaborate with stakeholders outside the province who may not speak French.
