Senior Consulting Manager – Utilities Grid Modernization & Speed to Power Transformation, Houston, Texas, United States

Senior Consulting Manager – Utilities Grid Modernization & Speed to Power Transformation

Location: Houston, Texas (Downtown)
Job Category: Consulting
Employment Type: Full-Time
Work Model: Hybrid (3-4 days onsite)

About Cognizant Consulting

Cognizant Consulting is more than Cognizant's consulting practice. We're a global community of experts dedicated to helping clients reimagine their businesses through industry, operational, and technology transformation. We partner with leading organizations to solve complex business challenges and create sustainable value through innovative solutions.

About the Role

As a Senior Consulting Manager – Utilities Grid Modernization & Speed to Power Transformation, you will make an impact by advising utility clients on strategic transformation initiatives that improve service energization, modernize distribution operations, enhance reliability, and accelerate business outcomes. You will be a valued member of Cognizant Consulting's Energy & Utilities practice and will collaborate closely with utility executives, operations leaders, engineering organizations, IT and OT stakeholders, and project teams to drive large-scale transformation programs.

This role requires a blend of strategic advisory experience, utility industry expertise, business process transformation leadership, and program execution capabilities. You will help clients navigate complex grid modernization initiatives while delivering measurable operational and customer-focused outcomes.

In This Role, You Will:

Lead strategic consulting engagements focused on grid modernization, distribution operations transformation, utility operational excellence, and Speed to Power initiatives
Partner with utility executives and operational leaders to assess current-state capabilities, identify improvement opportunities, and define transformation roadmaps
Design future-state operating models, governance structures, business processes, and organizational frameworks that improve energization performance and operational effectiveness.
Serve as a trusted advisor across utility operations and technology domains, including SCADA, DMS, OMS, ADMS, GIS, DERMS, AMI, work management, asset management, and customer platforms.
Facilitate executive workshops, stakeholder alignment sessions, transformation planning activities, and strategic decision-making forums.
Translate business objectives into actionable requirements, operating procedures, implementation strategies, and measurable success metrics.
Lead cross-functional teams across operations, engineering, IT, OT, field services, and vendor organizations to deliver transformation outcomes.
Establish and monitor KPIs related to energization cycle times, outage restoration performance, operational efficiency, field productivity, customer service, and system reliability.
Contribute to Cognizant's thought leadership, industry solutions, business development efforts, and Energy & Utilities consulting 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 position requires 3-4 days per week onsite at a Cognizant or client office in Houston, Texas (Downtown).

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.

What You Must Have to Be Considered

12+ years of consulting, advisory, business transformation, or program leadership experience within the Energy & Utilities industry.
Deep expertise in electric transmission and distribution operations, grid modernization, outage management, restoration processes, and utility operating models.
Proven experience leading large-scale utility transformation programs, operational improvement initiatives, or technology-enabled business transformations.
Strong executive stakeholder management skills with demonstrated experience advising business and operational leadership teams.
Experience working with utility technologies including SCADA, DMS, OMS, ADMS, GIS, DERMS, AMI, WMS, EAM, CIS, and related platforms.
Experience developing business cases, transformation roadmaps, governance frameworks, operating models, and implementation strategies.
Strong consulting, facilitation, communication, and problem-solving skills with the ability to influence executive decision-making.
Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Power Systems, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, or a related discipline. Advanced degree preferred.

These Will Help You Succeed

Experience supporting service energization, customer connections, field operations transformation, commissioning, and operational readiness initiatives.
Knowledge of outage lifecycle management, crew dispatch, switching operations, restoration prioritization, and customer communication processes.
Understanding of distributed energy resources, distribution planning, reliability improvement programs, and operational resilience initiatives.
Experience leading Agile, hybrid, or waterfall transformation programs and managing complex stakeholder environments.
Professional certifications such as PMP, SAFe, Agile, ITIL, Lean Six Sigma, Prosci Change Management, or utility-industry certifications.

We're excited to meet people who share our passion for helping clients solve complex challenges and create meaningful business outcomes. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you don't meet every qualification. We value diverse experiences, transferable skills, and unique perspectives that help drive innovation and transformation.

Compensation

This position is eligible for Cognizant's discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant's applicable plans.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
401(k) plan and company contributions
Employee stock purchase plan
Employee assistance program
10 paid holidays plus paid time off
Paid parental leave and fertility assistance
Learning and development certifications and programs

Post Closing Date

Applications will be accepted until September 5, 2026.

Work Authorization

Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring company sponsorship now or in the future.

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
Os candidatos podem ser obrigados a comparecer a entrevistas presenciais ou por videoconferência. Além disso, os candidatos podem ser obrigados a apresentar seu documento de identificação emitido pelo estado ou governo atual durante cada entrevista.

Embora nosso sistema permita a candidatura em todos os idiomas, o(s) idioma(s) e o(s) nível(is) de proficiência exigidos para o trabalho variam. No entanto, é necessário um nível básico de inglês para fins de comunicação em toda a empresa.

Se você tem uma deficiência que requer adaptações razoáveis para procurar uma vaga de emprego ou enviar uma candidatura, envie um e-mail para [email protected] com sua solicitação e informações de contato.