Program Manager
About the Role
We are seeking a Program Manager to support platform stability, reliability, automation, and production operations. This role will partner with cross-functional teams to improve resilient systems, troubleshoot production issues, strengthen observability, and apply site reliability engineering best practices.
In This Role, You Will
Own the project plan and delivery cadence across phases: Mobilization, Design, MVP Build, Expansion, Migration, Go-Live. Coordinates a distributed delivery team.
Manage the Logistics stakeholder group across different sites, including SME availability for discovery, design validation, and UAT. Runs governance: scope control, risk and issue management, dependency tracking, action follow-through, and escalation.
Own Leadership and stakeholder reporting. Tracks budget consumption and resource allocation against plan in coordination with the Application Development Manager.
Drive approvals and signoffs to closure with the named owners per RACI (MVP scope signoff sits with Executive Leadership). Deliverables Deliverable Cadence / Timing Integrated project plan and delivery schedule, maintained against the six-phase structure Baselined, then maintained weekly.
Weekly status report — progress against plan, milestones, risks, decisions, escalations Weekly Leadership /Stakeholder update pack Per RAID log (risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies) with owners and target dates Live, reviewed weekly Decision and assumption register, driven to formal closure Live Sprint and backlog coordination in Azure DevOps against the delivery plan Per sprint Facilitated discovery, design, and validation sessions with outputs captured, actioned, and signed off Per phase Requirements and process-map signoff packages routed to the correct approvers Per milestone Architecture Review Board (ARB) submission coordination Per gate Resource and budget consumption tracking against forecast Monthly UAT plan and execution coordination MVP and each subsequent release Migration and cutover plan, including Smartsheet parallel-run and deprecation sequencing Per release.
Absorb the knowledge transfer. No Logistics domain background is assumed — the role relies on named SMEs at both sites for process validation.
Work Model
We strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a remote position open to qualified applicants able to work in Pittsburg, PA. 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 and may change based on business and client requirements.
Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship. *Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*
What You Need to Have to Be Considered
End-to-end project delivery ownership, maintaining an accurate view of scope, plan, status, risks, decisions, dependencies, and open items while proactively driving actions and decisions to closure.
Project governance and organizational discipline, with experience maintaining integrated project plans, RAID logs, decision registers, backlogs, executive status reporting, and steering committee materials.
Cross-functional and executive stakeholder management, coordinating business, technology, offshore/onshore teams, and external vendors across multiple locations and time zones; comfortable challenging stakeholders, managing scope creep, escalating issues, and holding owners accountable.
Proven technology delivery experience, including Agile delivery, ERP integration dependencies, backlog/sprint/release management, vendor transitions, in-flight project takeovers, and complex cutover or parallel-run implementations. Familiarity with Microsoft Power Platform and Azure DevOps is preferred.
Ability to ramp quickly in complex or regulated environments, absorb domain knowledge, challenge SME inputs, and translate technical delivery into business impact. Experience in medical device, life sciences, validation, or similar regulated environments is strongly preferred.
These Will Help You Stand Out
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.
Ability to ramp quickly in complex or regulated environments, absorb domain knowledge, challenge SME inputs, and translate technical delivery into business impact. Experience in medical device, life sciences, GxP/CSV, validation, or similar regulated environments is strongly preferred.
Salary and Other Compensation
The annual salary for this position is between 120,000 - 140,000 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
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.
