Role Summary
The Assistant Director, AI Builder is a senior client-facing advisor who leads defined AI strategy, transformation and solution-shaping engagements. The role translates executive priorities into actionable AI roadmaps, prioritized use cases, investment cases and governed implementation plans. Working across clients, account teams, consulting, industries, service lines and ecosystem partners, the Assistant Director independently manages workstreams and small teams while supporting the Director in shaping strategic opportunities and scaling repeatable offerings across APJ.
Key Responsibilities
Client and executive engagement: Lead discovery sessions, executive briefings and AI strategy workshops; build trusted relationships with business and technology leaders; translate AI concepts into clear business outcomes.
AI strategy and roadmap: Assess AI maturity and readiness, identify value pools, prioritize use cases, and develop roadmaps, operating-model recommendations, governance controls and adoption plans.
Business case and value: Develop investment cases, ROI models, benefit baselines and value-realisation measures covering productivity, cost, growth, service quality and customer experience.
Solution shaping and commercial support: Orchestrate cross-functional solution inputs, define scope and delivery approach, contribute to proposals and RFPs, and support PoC and outcome-based commercial models.
Delivery leadership: Lead small consulting or PoC teams, manage quality, risks, dependencies and stakeholder expectations, and produce executive-ready deliverables and demonstration narratives.
Growth and capability building: Develop industry use-case narratives and reusable assets, support pipeline conversion and influenced bookings, coach junior team members, and contribute to thought leadership and AI fluency initiatives.
Key Performance Indicators
Bookings TCV / influenced bookings TCV and qualified pipeline supported
Conversion of discovery engagements into funded PoCs, consulting assignments or scaled programmes
Quality, timeliness and client satisfaction for assigned engagements
Reusable assets, industry narratives and team capability developed
Billability: 30%
Experience & Skills
Typically 12–16 years of experience in consulting, business transformation, technology strategy or digital transformation, including significant AI-related advisory or implementation experience.
Demonstrated ability to lead client workstreams, facilitate senior stakeholder workshops and convert complex AI topics into practical recommendations.
Strong working knowledge of Generative AI, Agentic AI, LLMs, RAG, context engineering, Responsible AI, governance, enterprise data and leading cloud AI platforms.
Proven experience in use-case prioritisation, AI roadmaps, business cases, value tracking, operating models and change or adoption planning.
Strong proposal development, solution-shaping, analytical, storytelling and executive-presentation skills.
Relevant industry depth in one or more priority sectors, with the ability to connect business processes, regulatory considerations and AI opportunities.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; postgraduate, cloud, AI, data, governance or consulting credentials are advantageous
About Cognizant
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, bridging the gap 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, drive tangible outcomes and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at cognizant.ai or @cognizant.
Things to know before you apply
- Work authorization: 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.
- Accommodations: 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.
- AI in hiring: We use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help us screen and assess applications more efficiently. Our team performs additional human review and ultimately decides who moves forward in our hiring process.
- Open position: Unless otherwise stated, this job posting is for an open position on our team.
- Language proficiency: 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.
- Inclusion: 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.
