About the role
A Performance & People Manager is a senior-level leader who thrives in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment. This role is ideal for someone who is highly self-motivated, people-focused, and data-driven, with a strong ability to drive both commercial results and team development.
You will lead Team Leads and Sellers, make impactful decisions, and manage complex operational and sales challenges within the LATAM SMB digital advertising portfolio.
A core responsibility of this role is to build and sustain a high-performance sales culture, developing current and future leaders while continuously improving operational excellence and client impact.
In this role, you will:
People Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, coach, and mentor Sales Team Leads and Sellers, owning performance measurement, engagement, and career development.
- Foster a strong performance culture by identifying development gaps, managing onboarding and selection processes, and building a robust leadership pipeline.
- Drive motivation through incentives, reward programs, contests, and bonus initiatives.
- Manage disciplinary actions, performance cases, and deboarding processes in close partnership with Talent Acquisition and HR.
Operational Excellence & Performance Management
- Own end-to-end operational metrics including Outbound Effort, CSAT, sales KPIs, and productivity targets, ensuring consistent achievement of goals.
- Lead Weekly, Monthly, and Quarterly Business Reviews (WBR, MBR, QBR), delivering clear performance narratives, root-cause analyses (RCAs), and actionable improvement plans.
- Oversee performance management frameworks for Team Leads and Agents, including defining and executing Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs).
- Own forecasting, capacity, and attendance planning to ensure optimal team coverage and delivery.
Strategic Leadership & Stakeholder Management
- Act as the main point of contact for all program-related matters, influencing a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Provide strategic guidance to leaders and sellers, enabling them to advise SMB clients on digital advertising strategies that maximize ROI.
- Operate in a target-driven environment, ensuring consistent quota attainment and contributing to the growth of the Google Ads customer base across LATAM SMB.
Work model
At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible and support a healthy work-life balance through our wellbeing programs. Based on business requirements, this is an onsite position requiring 5 days a week in a client or Cognizant office.
The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting and may evolve based on project, business, or client needs. We will always be transparent about role expectations.
What you need to have to be considered
Education
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
Experience & Leadership
- 2–5 years of experience in sales leadership, coaching, or people management roles.
- Proven track record of exceeding sales quotas and driving business growth through advertising sales or media account management.
- Experience working with CRM systems and managing multiple priorities in a high-volume environment.
Performance, Decision-Making & Communication
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to translate data into insights and action plans.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, with confidence communicating to senior stakeholders.
- Customer-centric mindset with a proactive, solution-oriented approach.
Technical & Language Skills
- In-depth knowledge of Google Ads (Search, Display, Video, Apps, etc.).
- Strong proficiency in Google Workspace (Sheets, Docs, Slides) for analysis and reporting.
- Native-level Spanish (written and spoken) and Advanced English (C1/C2).
These will help you stand out
- Executive presence and the ability to confidently represent your teams in senior forums.
- Strategic vision to scale sales and operational processes beyond day-to-day execution.
- Proven experience resolving complex performance or interpersonal challenges.
- Passion for talent development and building sustainable leadership pipelines.
- Experience preparing and presenting high-level business reviews for senior management.
Please upload your resume in English.
We’re excited to meet leaders who are passionate about people, performance, and impact. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply and bring your transferable skills, unique perspective, and drive to make a difference in this role.
About us
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, building the bridge 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, realize tangible returns and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant.
Additional employment information
Compensation 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.
Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government issued ID during each interview.
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, state or local laws.
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.
