Job Summary
The Validation Governance Lead will be responsible for defining, establishing, and governing the validation strategy, framework, standards, and execution oversight for SAP S/4HANA programs within a regulated GxP environment. This role provides enterprise-level leadership for Computer System Validation (CSV), ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, data integrity principles, quality standards, and corporate policies. The individual will drive risk-based validation approaches, oversee validation lifecycle governance, ensure audit and inspection readiness, and provide strategic guidance across SAP implementations, releases, data migrations, and integrated systems. The role will partner closely with business, quality, compliance, IT, and program stakeholders to ensure validation excellence and release readiness across the organization.
*Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*
About the Role
As a Validation Governance Lead, you will serve as the authority for validation governance across SAP S/4HANA initiatives, driving consistent validation methodologies, compliance standards, and quality oversight throughout the system lifecycle. You will establish validation frameworks, define governance processes, lead risk-based assessments, and ensure end-to-end traceability from requirements through testing, defect resolution, and release approval.
The ideal candidate is a seasoned validation leader with deep SAP S/4HANA and CSV expertise, strong knowledge of regulatory compliance in life sciences environments, and a proven track record of governing enterprise-scale validation programs. This individual will also play a key role in mentoring validation teams, supporting audits and inspections, and driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance validation maturity, standardization, and operational excellence.
In This Role, You Will
· Define and maintain the enterprise SAP S/4HANA validation strategy and governance framework.
· Support establishing validation standards, procedures, templates, and best practices aligned with regulatory requirements and company SOPs.
· Lead risk-based validation assessments for projects, enhancements, releases, interfaces, reports, and data migrations.
· Establish and govern the Validation approach, methodology, Validation planning and standards.
· Govern validation lifecycle execution from requirements through release approval.
· Drive standardization of validation methodologies across SAP functional streams and integrated systems.
· Ensure compliance with GxP regulations, computerized system validation requirements, data integrity principles, and corporate quality policies.
· Ensure appropriate documentation, traceability, and validation evidence are maintained.
· Define and govern defect lifecycle, logging, classification, severity and priority, triage, aging, service-level expectations, root cause analysis, duplicate and invalid handling, and deferral controls.
· Facilitate governance-level defect reviews and escalate quality risks, unresolved critical defects, overdue actions, and decision gaps.
· Ensure defect trends and risk exposure are visible to accountable stakeholders and appropriately considered in readiness decisions.
· Define and maintain Validation metrics, KPIs, dashboards, and report standards for execution progress, coverage, defects, aging, trends, automation, risks, and readiness.
· Review validation documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance.
· Ensure end-to-end requirements traceability from requirements through testing and defect resolution.
· Ensure appropriate defect management, triage, remediation, and closure criteria are achieved.
· Support implementation of quality gates and entry/exit criteria across validation phases.
· Participate in SAP Change Control and CAB reviews.
· Ensure validation activities are integrated into release and deployment plans.
· Provide release readiness recommendations and validation sign-off.
· Facilitate governance reviews, steering meetings, risk assessments, and compliance reviews.
· Mentor Validation engineers and project validation resources.
· Support SAP team for Audit and inspection readiness activities.
· Support continuous improvement initiatives for S4 HANA validation processes, automation, and governance maturity.
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 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in Foster, CA. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs.
*Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related discipline.
• 18+ Years overall experience including 10+ years of Computer System Validation (CSV) experience.
• Strong Experience supporting regulated GxP environment and applying Risk-Based Validation Methodologies
• 5+ years leading end-end validation programs for ERP platforms.
• Strong experience with SAP S/4HANA implementations, upgrades, and releases.
• Experience with SAP RISE, Clean Core methodology and framework
• SME level understanding of Test Management (ALM), Document and Change Management systems (Veeva).
• Experience managing SAP OTC, STS, PTD, RTR end-end business processes Validation
• Strong experience with Test Management and Defect Management
• Experience with End to End Data Migration Qualification activities
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience governing large scale SAP transformation enterprise platforms with complex integrations and end-to-end business processes.
• Experience working within complex delivery models involving internal teams, system integrators, managed service providers, and external partners.
• Relevant testing, quality, agile, project management, SAP certifications.
• Experience coordinating business-led testing activities across multiple stakeholders is a nice to have.
Additional Information
We welcome applicants who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Even if you don’t meet every listed requirement, we encourage you to apply. Consider your transferable experience and unique skills that may bring fresh perspective to the role.
Salary and Other Compensation:
Applications will be accepted until November 1st , 2026.
The annual salary for this position is between $95,850 to $150,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, 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.
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.
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.
