Associate Director, Consulting Lead – Payments Domain Practice, Teaneck, New Jersey, United States

Associate Director, Consulting Lead – Payments Domain Practice

Location: New York, New Jersey, USA

Work Mode: Hybrid (3 days/week at client location)

About the Role

We are seeking a senior consulting leader to build and scale our Payments Domain Practice. As a Consulting Lead, you will drive strategic growth, shape market-facing offerings, and lead high-impact transformation programs for clients across the payment’s ecosystem.

This role combines domain expertise, advisory leadership, business development, and delivery oversight, with a strong focus on creating measurable business outcomes and long-term client value.

Your Key Responsibilities

· Define and execute the practice vision, including offerings, target markets, growth strategy, and capability roadmap.

· Serve as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders by bringing industry insights, operating model expertise, and transformation recommendations.

· Partner with sales and account teams to shape opportunities, develop proposals, and support RFP/RFI pursuits.

· Develop differentiated consulting offerings, frameworks, accelerators, and thought leadership assets.

· Provide oversight across engagements to ensure quality, consistency, commercial discipline, and measurable outcomes.

· Build and mentor a high-performing consulting team, driving capability development, knowledge sharing, and career growth.

Stakeholder Management
Collaborate with cross-functional teams across consulting, delivery, technology, and operations.

Thought Leadership
Stay ahead of payments trends, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies; translate insights into market-facing perspectives.

Payments Domain Expertise (Core to Role)

Payment modernisation initiatives and Payment Hub implementation
ISO 20022 readiness (impact assessment, migration, testing, cutover)
Payment rail integration (real-time payments, ACH, wires, cards, SWIFT, cross-border, open banking/APIs)
Partner onboarding, integration, certification, and operational readiness
End-to-end payments transformation across product, operations, risk, compliance, and technology

Required Qualifications

12+ years of experience in consulting, advisory, or transformation leadership roles
Strong Payments domain expertise with ability to influence senior stakeholders
Proven success leading consulting engagements from opportunity through delivery
Experience in business development, proposal creation, and client presentations
Demonstrated experience building consulting offerings and reusable assets
Strong understanding of operating models, digital transformation, data, and AI-led change
Excellent executive communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred

Preferred Experience

· A senior consulting leader with strong domain credibility and executive presence, who can translate market needs into scalable offerings, drive growth, and deliver complex transformation programs while developing high-performing teams.

Experience building or scaling a consulting practice or domain capability
Hands-on Payment Hub transformation experience (routing, validation, reconciliation, exception handling)
Deep expertise in ISO 20022 migration and payment formats
Experience with global payment networks, processors, or ecosystem partners
Exposure to fintech, vendor onboarding, and integration programs
Experience in AI, analytics, automation, or platform modernization initiatives
Strong commercial acumen (pipeline, revenue, margin, utilization)
Experience mentoring senior consultants and operating in global, matrixed environments

Compensation & Benefits

Base Salary Range: USD $165,000 – $194,000
Eligible for performance-based incentives/bonus (as applicable)
Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, and wellness programs
Retirement savings support and paid time off
Learning & development opportunities and leadership training

Work Environment

Hybrid model with 3 days/week at client site
Collaborative, inclusive, and growth-oriented consulting environment
Opportunity to work on large-scale transformation programmes across global clients

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, gender, disability, or other protected characteristics.

Application Deadline

30 July 2027

Sobre a Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) é uma construtora de IA e fornecedora de serviços de tecnologia, criando a ponte entre o investimento em IA e o valor para as empresas por meio do desenvolvimento de soluções de IA completas para nossos clientes. Nossa profunda experiência em setores, processos e engenharia nos permite incorporar o contexto único de cada organização em sistemas tecnológicos que potencializam a capacidade humana, geram resultados tangíveis e mantêm empresas globais à frente em um mundo em rápida transformação. Saiba mais em cognizant.ai ou @cognizant.

A Cognizant é uma empregadora que investe em equidade. Sua candidatura não será pautada em raça, cor, gênero, sexualidade, credo, origem, deficiência, gravidez ou qualquer outra característica protegida pelas leis brasileiras.

Informações adicionais de emprego
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