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Associate Director, Business Development (Service Line Specialist) – Data, AI & Analytics - Belgium

00070199511

Associate Director, Business Development (Service Line Specialist) – Data, AI & Analytics - Belgium

About the role

As a Service Line Specialist – Data, AI & Analytics, you will make an impact by driving sales, business development and customer relationships for AI, Agentic AI, Analytics and Data solutions within the Life Sciences industry across the Benelux market, with a specific mandate to make Agentic AI adoption a differentiated growth lever. You will own the targets for the Artificial Intelligence & Analytics (AIA) service line across the Benelux Life Sciences market, spanning the pharma, biotech, MedTech and CRO/CDMO segments. You will be a valued member of the Benelux Life Sciences / AIA team and work collaboratively with sales, solutioning, delivery and partner teams, ecosystem partners and client executives.

In this role, you will

  • Drive revenue and Agentic AI growth: own the AIA service line sales targets across priority Benelux Life Sciences accounts, identify market gaps and growth opportunities, design penetration plans for new logos, and manage the full sales lifecycle from pipeline creation through conversion and closure, including fulfilment.
  • Own and lead deals: direct the deal-pursuit process end to end with a focus on Agentic AI-led deals, multi-agent platform proposals and AI transformation programmes; position Cognizant's accelerators and platforms (agent-engineering frameworks, "Agent Foundry"-style accelerators); and lead complex, multi-stakeholder pursuits and commercial negotiations, engaging clients through workshops, demos and PoCs.
  • Manage client relationships and act as a trusted advisor: maintain a regular cadence with key Life Sciences clients, advising CIO / CTO / CDO / CDIO and business leaders by translating Agentic AI capabilities into measurable business outcomes, ROI and operating-model change, and own the stakeholder-management map across key accounts as well as relationships with internal leaders.
  • Develop the Benelux GTM strategy, sales plays and offering commercialisation: define the service line vision and roadmap, build and execute the Agentic AI GTM (industry plays, messaging and repeatable solutions), package enterprise-ready offerings (agent-engineering frameworks, multi-agent workflows, orchestration, monitoring), and deliver at- or above-market revenue growth with strong forecasting discipline and pipeline hygiene.
  • Own alliances, responsible-AI governance and thought leadership: establish and grow strategic alliances with hyperscalers and Agentic AI / GenAI platform partners (Microsoft, AWS, Google, Anthropic, OpenAI) to create joint pipeline and co-sell motions; ensure pursuits incorporate responsible AI, compliance and governance with sensitivity to the Life Sciences regulatory context (EU AI Act, GxP, data privacy); and position Cognizant's AIA expertise with analysts and through thought leadership.

Work model

At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 2 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in Benelux. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs.

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 need to have to be considered

  • Deep experience in enterprise technology consulting / services sales (or equivalent), with ownership of large / complex pursuits and executive stakeholders
  • Demonstrated experience selling AI / GenAI / Agentic AI or adjacent solutions (data platforms, automation, cloud transformation) with credible business-outcome positioning.
  • Strong consultative selling and commercial acumen: structuring deals, value cases and multi-year programmes, with working knowledge of agentic concepts (orchestration, tools, memory/state, evaluation, observability and governance).
  • Awareness of data, traditional BI and cloud architectures across multiple analytics platforms and domains, plus EU AI Act implications and the ability to position Cognizant's responsible-AI and governance offerings; able to hold a technically credible dialogue with enterprise data and AI architects and to lead cross-functional virtual teams.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills; fluent in English, with proficiency in Dutch and/or French Desirable.

These will help you stand out

  • Strong awareness of Agentic AI platforms and orchestration frameworks, data platforms including Databricks, Snowflake, Informatica and Qlik, and understanding of LLM architecture, RAG and enterprise AI deployment patterns; technical expertise to bring Data & AI offerings together and create PoCs where needed.
  • Benelux market experience with an established CXO network in Life Sciences, and deep knowledge of IT services / IT outsourcing.
  • Strong command of deal structuring, commercial modelling, pricing governance and margin management; able to evaluate pursuit ROI, set pricing guardrails and lead commercial negotiations at C-suite level.
  • Exposure to enterprise platforms where agents deliver value (CRM, ServiceNow, SAP, Salesforce ecosystems) and "orchestration layer" narratives; familiarity with agentic sales playbooks and packaged use cases for scale and repeatability.
  • Executive presence and outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills: able to articulate vision, align stakeholders to strategic plans, mediate conflict and lead teams across the enterprise, with strong project management, budgeting and talent-management skills.

We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.

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.

Benefits that help you thrive and grow

Our benefits program is built with you in mind—so you can enjoy a fulfilling, balanced and healthy life.

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Financial wellbeing

We regularly review market data to ensure compensation reflects the value you bring. Your benefits extend beyond pay and may include retirement plans, financial education, etc.

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Physical and mental health

We empower you to prioritize your wellbeing through paid time off, flexible working where possible, healthcare plans, counselling, our Mental Health Allyship program and more. 

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Your career, your way

With 350,000+ roles at Cognizant, you’ll have opportunities explore new technologies, industries and locations—and build the skills you need to grow your career.

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Real-world impact

Think about the biggest brands you rely on. Chances are, they rely on us to help strengthen their business. Here, you’ll turn bold ideas into solutions that improve lives everywhere.

Your path to Cognizant

Here’s what you can expect from our hiring process. Please keep in mind that it may vary by role and location. Explore our FAQs to learn more.

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Step 1: Apply to the right opportunity

Find an open role that matches your skills and career goals and show us why you’re the person for the job. Don’t see the right opportunity? Consider joining our Talent Community.

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Step 2: Connect with your recruiter

If one of our recruiters sees a fit, they’ll set up a short intro call to learn more about you and how your experiences and skills match the role.

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Step 3: Show off your skills

If you and our team would like to continue the process, you’ll interview with our hiring team. Some roles may also require technical assessments and/or client interviews.

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Step 4: Decision time

Our team will then review each candidates’ potential to succeed in the role. This step may take some time because we want to find the right fit for both you and us—but you can count on us to keep you updated.

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What I value most about working at Cognizant is the opportunity to innovate while delivering real business impact. My role allows me to combine strategy, technology, and collaboration across global teams, which makes every project meaningful. The support for continuous learning and innovation has been instrumental in my growth.
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I’ve had the chance to work on impactful projects and shadow colleagues, all while getting involved in internal initiatives. The world is your oyster at Cognizant—you just need to take advantage of it!
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