Key Responsibilities
· Own end-to-end governance and execution oversight across multiple programs, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy, business priorities, and delivery commitments.
· Develop and maintain integrated program roadmaps, milestones, dependencies, risks, issues, and decision logs across all assigned programs.
· Partner with project managers, delivery leads, product owners, technology teams, operations teams, and business stakeholders to drive coordinated execution.
· Establish and manage program governance forums, including steering committees, leadership reviews, status reporting, and escalation mechanisms.
· Monitor program performance against scope, schedule, cost, quality, benefits, and key performance indicators.
· Identify cross-program dependencies, delivery risks, resource constraints, and blockers; drive mitigation plans and timely escalations.
· Ensure consistent standards for planning, reporting, risk management, change management, and delivery assurance across programs.
· Manage stakeholder communication by providing clear executive updates, dashboards, summaries, and decision points.
· Support budgeting, forecasting, resource planning, vendor coordination, and financial tracking where applicable.
· Drive continuous improvement by identifying process gaps, improving delivery predictability, and promoting best practices across teams.
Required Experience and Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree in Business, Technology, Engineering, Management, or a related field; MBA or equivalent advanced qualification preferred.
· 10+ years of overall experience with significant exposure to program management, project delivery, consulting, technology delivery, or business transformation.
· Proven experience managing multiple programs or large-scale initiatives involving cross-functional and geographically distributed teams.
· Strong understanding of project and program management methodologies, including Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, hybrid delivery models, and governance frameworks.
· Experience in managing executive stakeholders, client relationships, delivery reviews, and complex escalations.
· PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP, SAFe, Scrum Master, or equivalent certification preferred.
Key Skills and Competencies
· Strategic planning and execution discipline
· Strong leadership and cross-functional team coordination
· Executive communication and stakeholder management
· Risk, issue, dependency, and escalation management
· Program governance, reporting, and delivery assurance
· Financial, resource, and capacity planning awareness
· Problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict resolution
· Ability to manage ambiguity and drive outcomes in complex environments
· Proficiency with tools such as Microsoft Project, Jira, Azure DevOps, Smartsheet, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, and collaboration platforms
Success Measures
· Programs are delivered in alignment with approved scope, timelines, quality standards, and business objectives.
· Risks, issues, and dependencies are proactively identified, governed, and resolved with minimal business disruption.
· Stakeholders have clear visibility into program progress, decisions, escalations, and outcomes.
· Delivery teams operate with consistent governance, accountability, and execution discipline.
· Program outcomes contribute measurable value to business performance, customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, or transformation goals.
Preferred Attributes
· Ability to influence without direct authority across matrixed organizations.
· Strong business acumen with the ability to connect delivery execution to strategic outcomes.
· Comfort working with senior leadership, client stakeholders, and distributed delivery teams.
· High attention to detail while maintaining a broad view of program-level priorities and risks.
· Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on delivery excellence and operational maturity.
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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.
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