Service Line Sales Director – AI & Data
Role Summary
The Service Line Sales Director – AI & Data is a senior sales and consulting leader responsible for accelerating growth for Cognizant’s AI Readiness Business Unit across the USA. This is a quota-carrying leadership role with hard annual revenue targets, responsible for building and maturing a high-quality pipeline, closing large and complex deals, and driving growth in both existing Cognizant accounts and new logo hunting.
The ideal candidate brings a strong blend of enterprise sales leadership, AI/Data technical depth, and an established market presence in the US, with proven relationships across C‑suite and technology leadership. This role requires frequent travel across the US to engage clients, partners, and stakeholders.
The candidate should have hands‑on experience selling AI and Data‑driven deals, a strong understanding of AI solution landscapes, deep client relationships in the market, and the technical credibility to lead meaningful conversations with clients on AI topics.
In this role you will:
- Own and exceed hard revenue and margin targets for AI Training Data Services.
- Create, manage, and convert pipeline across existing Cognizant accounts and new logos in the USA.
- Drive end-to-end enterprise sales cycles: prospecting, qualification, proposal development, negotiation, and closure.
- Lead pursuit teams and coordinate with solution architecture, delivery, product, and offshore/nearshore teams.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to client CIOs, CDOs, CTOs, AI/ML leaders, and architecture teams.
- Represent Cognizant’s AI Readiness portfolio across US markets through roadshows, workshops, and executive briefings.
- Expand and strengthen Cognizant’s market positioning in AI readiness, training data, DataOps, and GenAI enablement.
- Identify emerging opportunities, industry trends, and influence GTM and solution strategy.
- Build and deepen relationships within Cognizant’s existing accounts; identify whitespace and grow share of wallet.
- Leverage strong market presence to open doors and accelerate entry into new client environments.
- Map and influence key decision-makers, stakeholders, and partners across the region.
- Build multi-year adoption roadmaps for AI/ML and training data modernization.
- Partner with vertical sales teams, delivery, product, CoE, and marketing to craft differentiated proposals and solutions.
- Mentor junior talent and contribute to the business unit’s long-term growth strategy.
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 3-4 days a week in a client or Cognizant office. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs.
Travel
- Frequent travel across the US to meet clients, attend workshops, drive pursuits, and support executive engagements.
What you need to have to be considered
- Demonstrable experience in enterprise sales, consulting, or business development in AI, Data, or Digital Engineering.
- Proven track record as a quota-carrying sales leader meeting/exceeding hard revenue targets.
- Strong experience in both new logo hunting and scaling business within existing accounts across US.
- Experience selling AI/ML services, data engineering, GenAI solutions, or data labeling/training data services.
This will help you stand out:
- MS or MBA degree
- Strong executive presence with the ability to influence at CIO, CDO, and CTO levels.
- Well-established relationships and market credibility across the USA.
- Powerful communicator with strong storytelling, negotiation, and value articulation capabilities.
- Ability to balance technical depth with commercial acumen.
- High ownership mindset, resilience, and comfort operating in a quota-driven environment.
Applications will be accepted until May 13th, 2026.
Salary and Other Compensation:
The annual salary for this position is between $190,000 -$220,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
Benefits
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 apply
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, based on applicable plan.
La communauté Cognizant :
Nous sommes une équipe de professionnels dont les membres s'apprécient et se soutiennent mutuellement. Nos collaborateurs sont les garants d'un lieu de travail dynamique, collaboratif et inclusif où chacun peut s'épanouir.
- Cognizant est une communauté mondiale qui compte plus de 300 000+ collaborateurs dans le monde entier.
- Nous ne nous contentons pas de rêver de façons idéales, nous apportons des améliorations concrêtes
- Nous prenons soin de nos collaborateurs, de nos clients, de notre entreprise, de nos communautés et du climat, en faisant ce qui est juste.
- Nous favorisons un environnement innovant où vous pouvez construire le plan de carrière qui vous convient.
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.
Cognizant est un employeur soucieux de l'égalité des chances entre candidats. Votre candidature sera étudiée indépendamment de votre race, couleur, sexe, religion, croyances, orientation sexuelle, identité de genre, origine, handicap, informations génétiques, grossesse, statut d'ancien militaire ou de toute autre critère jugé discriminant par les lois européennes ou françaises.
Vous êtes porteur d'un handicap, vous pouvez-nous contacter par courriel [email protected] si vous souhaitez préciser les aménagements nécessaires pour le poste ou les entretiens à venir.
Mentions légales :
Les informations relatives à la rémunération du poste à pourvoir dépendent de la date de publication de l’offre de poste. Cognizant se réserve le droit de modifier ces informations à tout moment, sous réserve des lois applicables.
Les candidats peuvent être invités à participer à des entretiens en face à face ou par vidéoconférence. En outre, les candidats peuvent être amenés à présenter une carte d'identité valide lors de chaque entretien.