Leading at Cognizant
This is a Leadership role at Cognizant. We believe how you lead is as important as what you deliver. Cognizant leaders at every level: Drive our business strategy and inspire teams around our future. Live the leadership behaviors, leading themselves, others and the business. Uphold our Values, role modeling them in every action and decision. Nurture our people and culture, creating a workplace where all can thrive.
At Cognizant, leadership transcends titles and is embodied in actions and behaviors. We empower our leaders at every level to drive business strategy, inspire teams, uphold our values, and foster an inclusive culture.
About the role
As a Field CTO AI Customer Engineering Leader, you will serve as the executive technology spokesperson and technology champion for Cognizant’s AI market unit, driving exponential growth and establishing the firm as a recognized leader in AI. You will be a valued member of the team, working collaboratively with cross‑functional internal stakeholders, partners, and clients to define and shape Cognizant’s AI technology strategy and offerings. In this role, you will cultivate strategic partner relationships, engage industry advisors and experts, and create a buzz about Cognizant’s AI capabilities unlocking large deal opportunities with new and existing clients, expanding the scope of potential opportunities, and championing the technical solutioning and integration of large pursuits to ensure higher success rates.
In this role, you will:
Lead Strategic Advisory and Thought Leadership
• Study and understand key technology trends, capabilities, and priorities across the AI Landscape.
• Share thought-leadership and deep industry knowledge with C-level staff, architects, senior leaders, and prospects at industry conferences, user groups, and partner events
• Collaborate with external entities like industry and sourcing analysts, advisors, consulting firms, design agencies, and ecosystem partners particularly hyper scalers and platform firms to identify and shape client opportunities
• Identify and champion tech debt elimination and modernization with client technology leaders to create value and enable transformation
Enterprise Architecture and Platform Strategy:
• Identify Partners suitable for building Cognizant use cases on AI
• Connect regularly with partners to understand their offerings and how they apply across Cognizant’s industry segments.
• Educate the sales organization on key components, trends, and capabilities of AI technologies
• Primary leadership interface with the delivery components of the AI business unit for Cognizant.
Customer Advocacy and Influence:
• Champion AI technology choices and tradeoffs for clients as they contemplate implementing Cognizant recommended solutions.
• Collaborate with the market commercial and sales teams, during the sales cycle.
• Communicate with senior management team at appropriate junctures during the pursuit and facilitates strategic pursuit decisions to improve win probability
• Strategize solution definition and solution defense along with extended Cognizant teams to increase pursuit success
Team Leadership and Transformation:
• Build a team of high-performing Distinguished Sales Engineers and lead them to build solutions that drive differentiation for Cognizant.
• Lead a team of high-performing individuals to build
• Continuous coaching and sponsoring of sales engineering leaders ensuring career discussions and growth
Consistently demonstrate the Cognizant Way to Lead, which means operating with Personal Leadership (building trust, collaboration, and inclusion), Organizational Leadership (driving vision and purpose, demonstrating a strategic and enterprise mindset, and creating and communicating a bold direction that inspires purpose), and Business Leadership (exemplifying client focus, managing ambiguity with accountability and results, and operating with financial acumen)
What you need to have to be considered
· CIO/CTO level candidate who has experience engaging, advising, and/or directly leading complex technology organizations including C-suite interaction
· Proven strong functional and technology background and ability to deliver technology transformation in Fortune 500 organizations
· Minimum of 20+ years of industry experience in a Field Sales Engineering Role in a Hyperscaler or a Software company. CTO of an industry segment or a service in line in a consulting firm will also be considered.
· Experience of leading diverse teams, experience of cultivating and collaborating in a multi-cultural environment
· Bachelor’s Degree OR equivalent combination of education, training, and experience Embodiment of the Cognizant Way to Lead: Leading Self, Leading Others, & Leading the Business
· The embodiment of Cognizant’s Values of: Work as One, Dare to Innovate, Raise the Bar, Do The right Thing, & Own It
These will help you succeed
· Trusted CIO/CTO partner providing strategic AI guidance, modernization leadership, and executive‑level thought leadership
· Proven track record delivering large‑scale AI and technology transformations across complex enterprise environments
· 20+ years of experience across hyperscalers, enterprise software, or consulting shaping AI use cases through strong partner ecosystems
· Leads AI architecture and platform strategy while enabling sales and delivery teams to drive differentiated, scalable solutions
· Builds and mentors high‑performing, diverse technical teams and drives solution definition and deal success in complex pursuits
Work model
At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible, and we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is an onsite position requiring 3 days a week in a client or Cognizant office.
The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations
We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.
Salary and Other Compensation:
Applications will be accepted until June 5, 2026.
The annual salary for this position is between $305,000 - $435,000 depending on the experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program and stock awards, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.
Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
· Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
· Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
· 401(k) plan and contributions
· Long-term/Short-term Disability
· Paid Parental Leave
· Employee Stock Purchase Plan
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.
Ce que nous offrons
- La possibilité d’avoir une carrière avec un impact. Ici, vous avez la possibilité de partager vos idées transformatrices pour aider notre entreprise et nos clients à améliorer le quotidien de tous.
- Prenez votre carrière en main grâce à notre écosystème d'apprentissage et de développement. Et lorsque vos ambitions changent ou que nous vous offrons de nouvelles occasions, nous vous aidons à pivoter en vous proposant des formations et des conseils pour trouver des postes qui pourraient mieux vous convenir.
- L’occasion de s'épanouir au sein d’une communauté diversifiée. Nous célébrons les expériences et perspectives d’autrui et encourageons un sentiment d'appartenance à travers nos groupes d'affinité et nos initiatives en matière de diversité et d'inclusion.
- Rémunération compétitive qui comprend un salaire concurrentiel et une pension avec des contributions équivalentes.
- Des prestations de soins de santé et financières flexibles pour vous soutenir, ainsi que vos personnes à charge admissibles, dès le premier jour au travail.
- Une vraie conciliation travail-vie personnelle. Nous offrons des vacances, des modalités de travail flexibles, des occasions de bénévolat, des événements sociaux et bien d’autres afin que vous puissiez être au mieux.
À propos de nous
Cognizant (NASDAQ : CTSH) est un concepteur d’IA et un fournisseur de services technologiques. Avec notre gamme de solutions IA full-stack, nous accompagnons nos clients au carrefour de l’investissement dans l’IA et de la valeur ajoutée. Notre grande expertise sectorielle, des processus et de l’ingénierie nous permet de convertir le contexte propre à chaque entreprise en systèmes technologiques amplificateurs du potentiel humain, générateurs de résultats tangibles et garants de l’avantage des acteurs internationaux dans un monde en constante évolution. Découvrez notre méthode sur www.cognizant.com ou suivez @cognizant.
Renseignments suppplémentaires sur l'emploi
Cognizant est un employeur souscrivant au principe de l’égalité d’accès à l’emploi. Votre candidature et votre dossier ne seront pas examinés en fonction de la race, de la couleur, du sexe, de la religion, des croyances, de l'orientation sexuelle, de l'identité de genre, de l'origine nationale, du handicap, de l'information génétique, de la grossesse, du statut d'ancien combattant ou de toute autre caractéristique protégée telle que décrite par les lois fédérales, provinciales ou locales.
Si vous avez un handicap qui nécessite un aménagement raisonnable pour rechercher une offre d'emploi ou poser une candidature, envoyiez un courriel à [email protected] avec votre demande et vos coordonnées.
Les exigences linguistiques varient selon les postes, mais nous demandons à tous les candidats d’avoir une connaissance de base de l’anglais afin de faciliter les communications internes à l’échelle de l’entreprise. Pour les postes basés au Québec, une maîtrise de l’anglais est requise puisque vous fournirez des services et collaborerez avec des parties prenantes situées hors de la province, qui ne parlent pas nécessairement le français.