Senior Program Director

About the role

As an Senior Program Director, you will make an impact by owning end-to-end Infrastructure Management Services (IMS) delivery, operational excellence, and financial performance across a large-scale North America engagement, serving as the primary client-facing delivery executive who drives service excellence, stakeholder satisfaction, AI-led transformation, and profitable business growth. You will be a valued member of the Infrastructure Management Services (IMS) delivery team and work collaboratively with client IT leadership, business stakeholders, market units, vertical leaders, solution and pre-sales teams, and clients. In this role, you will Own end-to-end IMS delivery operations across the North America footprint, ensuring SLA achievement, contractual compliance, operational stability, and service excellence. Serve as the primary point of contact for client IT leadership and business stakeholders, managing executive relationships, governance forums, escalations, and customer satisfaction initiatives. Direct revenue, operating margin, forecasting, and financial performance for a multi-million-dollar managed services engagement, while driving achievement of business growth objectives including a 20% year-over-year growth target. Lead AI-led transformation initiatives, automation programs, and modernization efforts aligned with client business outcomes, and translate client business challenges into technology solutions from pursuit through steady-state delivery. Manage large-scale global delivery teams across onsite, nearshore, offshore, and matrixed organizations, and build, mentor, and retain high-performing delivery leadership teams. Consistently demonstrate the Cognizant Way to Lead through strategic agility, client value creation, AI-led innovation, disciplined execution, collaborative ecosystem building and amplifying human potential through a culture of growth, inclusion and effective human-AI collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end IMS delivery operations across the North America footprint, ensuring SLA achievement, contractual compliance, operational stability, and service excellence.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for client IT leadership and business stakeholders, managing executive relationships, governance forums, escalations, and customer satisfaction initiatives.
• Direct revenue, operating margin, forecasting, and financial performance for a multi-million-dollar managed services engagement, while driving achievement of business growth objectives including a 20% year-over-year growth target.
• Lead AI-led transformation initiatives, automation programs, and modernization efforts aligned with client business outcomes, and translate client business challenges into technology solutions from pursuit through steady-state delivery.
• Manage large-scale global delivery teams across onsite, nearshore, offshore, and matrixed organizations, and build, mentor, and retain high-performing delivery leadership teams.
• Consistently demonstrate the Cognizant Way to Lead through strategic agility, client value creation, AI-led innovation, disciplined execution, collaborative ecosystem building and amplifying human potential through a culture of growth, inclusion and effective human-AI collaboration.

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in IT services with at least 8 years of senior delivery leadership, including 10+ years in Infrastructure Management Services (IMS), infrastructure operations, and SLA-based managed services delivery.
• Proven experience managing large-scale enterprise infrastructure engagements and geographically distributed delivery organizations, including service desk and infrastructure tower operations.
• Strong client-facing leadership experience with executive and CXO-level stakeholder management, plus demonstrated ownership of large-account P&L, revenue, operating margins, and forecasting.
• Proven track record of driving transformation, automation, and operational excellence, with a strong understanding of AI-led delivery models and infrastructure modernization strategies.
• Excellent communication, executive presentation, negotiation, and relationship management skills, with deep knowledge of IT outsourcing, managed services governance, and service delivery best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to lead with strategic vision