Engagement Delivery Lead

About AI & Analytics: Artificial intelligence (AI) and the data it collects and analyzes will soon sit at the core of all intelligent, human-centric businesses. By decoding customer needs, preferences, and behaviors, our clients can understand exactly what services, products, and experiences their consumers need. Within AI & Analytics, we work to design the future—a future in which trial-and-error business decisions have been replaced by informed choices and data-supported strategies. By applying AI and data science, we help leading companies to prototype, refine, validate, and scale their AI and analytics products and delivery models. Cognizant’s AIA practice takes insights that are buried in data and provides businesses a clear way to transform how they source, interpret and consume their information. Our clients need flexible data structures and a streamlined data architecture that quickly turns data resources into informative, meaningful intelligence. Overview: We are seeking an Engagement Delivery Lead to oversee the successful delivery of Azure-based data and analytics programs across a strategic client portfolio. This role will serve as the primary point of contact for client leadership, ensuring delivery excellence, operational effectiveness, and alignment with business objectives. The ideal candidate will combine strong program management, stakeholder engagement, and technical leadership skills with expertise in cloud-based data platforms and enterprise delivery governance. This position requires driving delivery execution, managing cross-functional teams, and identifying opportunities for account growth and innovation. Key Responsibilities: Own end-to-end delivery of all vendor-managed Azure data and analytics programs, ensuring quality, timeline, budget, and business outcomes are achieved. Serve as the primary interface between client leadership, enterprise architecture teams, and delivery teams, providing visibility into program health, risks, and opportunities. Lead resource planning, forecasting, onboarding, and capacity management across multiple projects and workstreams. Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture and technical teams to define scalable cloud data solutions and align delivery with strategic technology roadmaps. Establish and manage governance forums, steering committees, status reviews, and executive reporting mechanisms. Monitor delivery KPIs, SLAs, milestones, dependencies, and financial metrics while proactively mitigating delivery risks. Drive continuous improvement initiatives across project management, delivery processes, operational efficiency, and team performance. Facilitate collaboration between engineering, architecture, business, product, and operations teams to ensure successful solution delivery. Support account growth through relationship management, opportunity identification, and successful execution of strategic initiatives. Prepare executive dashboards, presentations, and delivery reports for client and leadership stakeholders. Ensure adherence to security, compliance, regulatory, and organizational standards across all delivery streams. Conduct workshops, enablement sessions, and knowledge-sharing initiatives to strengthen team capabilities and delivery maturity. Qualifications: 12+ years of experience in IT delivery, program management, data transformation, or cloud technology leadership roles. Strong experience leading large-scale Azure data, analytics, and cloud transformation programs. Proven track record managing multiple projects, delivery teams, and stakeholder groups within enterprise environments. Experience collaborating with enterprise architecture teams to define scalable cloud and data platform solutions. Strong understanding of Azure data services, modern data platforms, data warehousing, and analytics architectures. Expertise in delivery governance, resource management, financial forecasting, risk management, and executive reporting. Experience managing onshore-offshore delivery models and cross-functional teams in Agile, Scrum, or hybrid environments. Excellent communication, executive presentation, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills. Strong business acumen with the ability to identify growth opportunities and drive strategic account development. PMP, Agile, SAFe, Azure, or cloud-related certifications are preferred. Applications will be accepted until 14 Aug 2026. Salary and Other Compensation: The annual salary for this position is between $[149,500 - 175,500] 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 Long-term/Short-term Disability Paid Parental Leave About us: Cognizant is one of the world's leading professional services companies, transforming clients' business, operating, and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build, and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant (a member of the NASDAQ-100 and one of Forbes World’s Best Employers 2024) is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at www.cognizant.com 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. Disclaimer: 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.

Oversee the end-to-end delivery of Azure-based data and analytics programs while serving as the primary contact for client leadership. Drive operational effectiveness, manage cross-functional teams, and align technical delivery with strategic business objectives.

Requires over 12 years of experience in IT delivery or cloud leadership with a proven track record in large-scale Azure data transformations. Candidates should possess strong expertise in delivery governance, stakeholder management, and modern data platform architectures.

• Medical Insurance • Dental Insurance • Vision Insurance • Life Insurance • Paid holidays • Paid Time Off • Long-term Disability • Short-term Disability • Paid Parental Leave

• ScrumPreferred

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Program Management
• Azure Data Services
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Cloud Transformation
• Delivery Governance
• Resource Planning
• Financial Forecasting
• Risk Management
• Agile Methodology
• Scrum
• Executive Reporting
• Data Warehousing
• Analytics Architecture
• Account Growth
• Cross-functional Team Leadership
• Enterprise Architecture

• Data & Analytics
• Management & Leadership
• Technology
• Consulting
• Software

Minimum education

Professional degree

Minimum experience

12+ years

Posting language

English

Working hours

40 hours per week

Seniority

Mid-Senior level

Application method

Direct apply is available