Service Line Sales Leader

Cognizant is one of the world’s leading professional services companies, transforming clients’ business, operating and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant is ranked on the Fortune 500 and is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world.

Across Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ), Cognizant has a strong and growing footprint in key markets including Australia, Singapore, India, Japan, China, Hong Kong and beyond. We’re scaling our sales crew with proven, trail-blazing talent to power this next phase of growth — and Japan will play a significant part of that story.

The Opportunity

Cognizant’s ServiceNow practice is one of six Global Elite ServiceNow partner organisations. We turn ‘smarter ways of working’ from a buzzword into reality — driving transformation, digitisation and automation for our customers at the speed of NOW. Our global crew of ServiceNow experts helps customers get the absolute most out of the platform, no mucking around.

As Service Line Sales – ServiceNow (SM level) for Japan, your job is to build and grow ServiceNow-led sales right across the local patch — working closely with the broader Cognizant Industry teams, ServiceNow and the ServiceNow Business group. You will lead, develop and grow sales strategies with strategic clients to grow revenue. You’ll own your Sales Plan and drive it hard, contributing to one of the fastest-growing service lines in Cognizant’s APJ portfolio.

You’ll get to work with top-tier companies across Japan, bringing genuine thought leadership on how to solve complex business problems using the ServiceNow platform, and have a good time doing it — no corporate stuffiness, just good people doing good work.

At the Senior Manager level, this role is equal parts hands-on sales grind and strategic nous. You’ll be the trusted advisor clients turn to as they navigate their ServiceNow journey, bringing your own concepts and working hand-in-glove with Cognizant Industry leaders, pre-sales, delivery and marketing to shape, pitch and close opportunities. You bring energy, commercial smarts and a curiosity about where the platform can go — and you’re comfortable owning a number without needing your hand held.

• Pipeline & Revenue Growth: Build, manage and convert a qualified pipeline of ServiceNow opportunities across new and existing Japanese accounts, in line with agreed sales targets. Develop client specific roadmaps and sales strategies with a horizon view.

• Sales Planning, Thought leadership & Execution: Develop and execute a structured sales plan for the ServiceNow service line in Japan, aligned to broader APJ and company-wide objectives.

• Client Relationship Management: Build genuine, trusted relationships with client stakeholders across IT, digital transformation and business functions, positioning Cognizant as the ServiceNow partner of choice. Be able to advise clients on what best practice on the platform looks like, and how Cognizant can help them get there.

• Solution Positioning: Partner with pre-sales, delivery and platform SMEs to shape compelling ServiceNow value propositions and proposals tailored to client needs.

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with the Regional Business Development Director, account teams and marketing to identify white space, drive account-based selling and support demand generation.

• Forecasting & Reporting: Keep pipeline forecasts honest and up to date, and give senior leadership the straight story on sales performance, market trends and the competition.

• Market & Competitive Intelligence: Stay across ServiceNow’s product roadmap, partner ecosystem and competitor positioning to keep the sales strategy sharp.

• Commercial Negotiation: Lead commercial discussions and contract negotiations, working with legal and finance to close deals that actually stack up. This includes a broad understanding of ServiceNow licensing propositions.

• 6–10+ years of experience in a senior sales, business development, or client-facing consulting role, ideally within IT services, SaaS, or platform ecosystems — ServiceNow experience strongly preferred

• A genuine track record of hitting or smashing sales targets in a solution-selling or platform-selling environment

• Solid understanding of the ServiceNow ecosystem, partner landscape and platform value proposition (or equivalent enterprise SaaS/platform experience)

• Experience running complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles, from pipeline generation right through to commercial negotiation and close

• An established network and relationships within the Japan enterprise / mid-market ServiceNow ecosystem is a big plus

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA, Communications, or other sales training certifications preferred

• Straight-talking communication, strong stakeholder management and executive presence; comfortable operating autonomously in a matrixed, partner-led organisation

5. Success Will Be Measured By

• Revenue Targets: Achievement of sales revenue targets for the ServiceNow service line in Japan.

• Pipeline Growth: Growth and quality of qualified pipeline generated across new and existing accounts.

• New Logo & Account Expansion: Number of new clients landed and expansion revenue secured within existing accounts.

• Win Rate: Conversion rate of qualified opportunities to closed-won deals.

• Forecast Accuracy: Accuracy and consistency of sales forecasting and reporting to leadership.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Quality of collaboration with Cognizant Industry teams, pre-sales, delivery and ServiceNow teams in shaping and closing opportunities.

If this sounds like your kind of gig, and you’re keen to join one of the world’s largest pure-play ServiceNow partners, we’d love to have a chat. Apply directly, or head to www.cognizant.com/careers for the full list of current openings with Cognizant.

Cognizant is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunities. Successful candidates will be required to undergo a background check.

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.