SAM administrator
Location : Wayzata, MN
Role Summary
We are seeking an experienced SAM Administrator to manage the software license estate for a long-term client engagement. The role owns license entitlement tracking, compliance, audit readiness, and cost optimization across major publishers, partnering with procurement, vendor management, security, infrastructure, and finance teams.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Maintain the software entitlement repository, including contracts, purchase records, license metrics, and rights (upgrade, downgrade, virtualization, BYOL).
- Reconcile software discovery/installation data against entitlements to produce an accurate Effective License Position (ELP) for key publishers (Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle, VMware, IBM, SAP, Salesforce, etc.).
- Monitor license compliance, identify over/under-licensing risks, and drive remediation with application owners and procurement.
- Prepare for and support vendor audits and self-audits, including data collection, response coordination, and negotiation support.
- Identify cost-savings opportunities such as shelfware, unused or underused licenses, reclamation, and right-sizing at renewal.
- Track contract renewals, true-ups, and expirations; provide renewal forecasts and recommendations to procurement and finance.
- Manage software request, approval, and reclamation workflows; validate software normalization and publisher/product catalogue accuracy in the SAM tool (SAM Pro and/or Flexera).
- Produce dashboards, KPIs, and compliance reports; define and improve SAM processes, policies, and documentation.
Skill Matrix
Mandatory Skills (Top 5 Keywords or skills) | Skill Proficiency | |||
Years of Experience | Basic Knowledge | Medium | Expert | |
Software Asset Management & License Compliance | 5+ | x | ||
SAM Tools: Flexera and/or SAM Pro | 3+ | x | ||
Publisher Licensing (Microsoft, Oracle, Adobe, Oracle) | 3+ | x | ||
Software Audit Defense & ELP | 3+ | x |
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.
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.
