AVP - Client Partner - BFS

Cognizant; North Sydney; On-site; AUD 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a senior, individual-contributor AVP – Client Partner in Australia to drive new business, grow strategic BFS accounts, and lead high-stakes client engagements. The role emphasizes hunter-led growth with a focus on C-level collaboration, AI-enabled offerings, and durable relationships across a portfolio of five strategic accounts.

Reporting to the VP, Industry Lead – BFS Australia, you will shape opportunities, forecast revenue, and partner with pre-sales and delivery to

Qualifications

• Minimum 10+ years in a senior client leadership role, with direct IT services sales and delivery experience.
• Minimum 15+ years of experience selling into strategic accounts within the Banking & Financial Services sector.
• Minimum 15+ years of experience in the assigned functional/technology area, with applicable market-standard certifications preferred, not required.
• Proven track record of business development, with a track record of acquiring new business and winning large deals and net-new logos.
• Thorough working knowledge of the latest digital and AI innovations relevant to the Banking & Financial Services domain.
• Interest and passion for engaging senior client executives (C-level) in transformation conversations through a consultative approach.
• Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to plan ahead, set direction and stay the course in complex, competitive environments.
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to structure and close large, complex deals.
• Ability to navigate a large, multi-dimensional matrix organization and persuade through content and confidence.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to tell strong stories and deliver impactful presentations.
• Ability to work with multicultural, geographically distributed teams and lead them toward a common goal.
• Preferred background: prior senior leadership experience managing large client teams, with domain expertise across BFS sub-verticals and a track record of selling large deals by leveraging C-level relationships across the industry.

Responsibilities

• Account strategy & planning: Lead the development and execution of strategic account plans across the assigned BFS portfolio to achieve sales targets and business objectives.
• New business & client relationships: Own senior client relationships and drive net-new logo acquisition alongside expansion of existing accounts, hunting rather than farming for growth.
• Sales forecasting: Provide accurate sales forecasts using Cognizant’s Winzone sales forecasting tools to inform business planning and leadership decision-making.
• Solutioning & cross-functional collaboration: Collaborate with capability-led Service Lines, pre-sales and delivery teams to shape and deliver tailored, AI-enabled solutions that meet client needs and position Cognizant as an AI Builder and technology services provider, not just a delivery vendor.
• Business reviews & account governance: Conduct regular business reviews with clients to assess performance, deepen relationships and identify opportunities for account growth.
• Market expansion & revenue growth: Develop and implement strategies to expand Cognizant’s market presence and increase revenue, TCV and margin across the BFS sector.
• Market & competitive intelligence: Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments and competitor activity within Banking & Financial Services to stay informed and maintain a competitive edge.
• Client issue resolution: Ensure timely and effective resolution of client issues and concerns to maintain high levels of client satisfaction.
• Portfolio management: Apply disciplined account management practices to manage the ~5-account portfolio and prioritize effectively across concurrent pursuits.
• Reporting & executive communication: Prepare and present detailed reports on account performance and sales activity to senior management and the Industry Lead.
• Continuous learning: Engage in continuous learning and development to stay current with BFS industry best practices, emerging technologies and AI-led offerings.
• Culture & collaboration: Foster a collaborative and inclusive working environment across virtual and cross-functional teams that encourages innovation and teamwork.

Job description

Leading at Cognizant

This is a Leadership role at Cognizant. We believe how you lead is as important as what you deliver. Cognizant leaders at every level: Drive our business strategy and inspire teams around our future. Live the leadership behaviors, leading themselves, others and the business. Uphold our Values, role modeling them in every action and decision. Nurture our people and culture, creating a workplace where all can thrive.

At Cognizant, leadership transcends titles and is embodied in actions and behaviors. We empower our leaders at every level to drive business strategy, inspire teams, uphold our values, and foster an inclusive culture.

About Cognizant Consulting

Cognizant Consulting is more than Cognizant’s consulting practice—we’re a global community of 5,000+ experts dedicated to helping clients reimagine their business. Blending our deep industry and technology advisory capability, we create innovative business solutions for Fortune 500 clients. And now, we’re looking for our next colleague who’ll join us in shaping the future of business. Could it be you?

About the role

The AVP, Client Partner – BFS is responsible for driving new business and growing a portfolio of strategic accounts across the Banking & Financial Services sector in Australia, This is a hunter-led growth mandate — backfilling an existing AVP, Client Partner role — requiring strong new-logo acquisition capability, consultative selling and senior client and partner relationships to win net-new business and expand existing accounts.

Reporting to the VP, Industry Lead – BFS Australia, the role carries a TCV target of $100M in FY26 with $40M in revenue generation across a portfolio of approximately five strategic accounts. The AVP, Client Partner is an individual-contributor role with no direct reports, and works closely with capability-led Service Lines, pre-sales and delivery to close strategic opportunities and meet revenue, TCV and margin targets — extending Cognizant’s positioning as an AI Builder and technology services provider into the BFS client base.

Key responsibilities:

• Account strategy & planning: Lead the development and execution of strategic account plans across the assigned BFS portfolio to achieve sales targets and business objectives.

• New business & client relationships: Own senior client relationships and drive net-new logo acquisition alongside expansion of existing accounts, hunting rather than farming for growth.
• Sales forecasting: Provide accurate sales forecasts using Cognizant’s Winzone sales forecasting tools to inform business planning and leadership decision-making.
• Solutioning & cross-functional collaboration: Collaborate with capability-led Service Lines, pre-sales and delivery teams to shape and deliver tailored, AI-enabled solutions that meet client needs and position Cognizant as an AI Builder and technology services provider, not just a delivery vendor.
• Business reviews & account governance: Conduct regular business reviews with clients to assess performance, deepen relationships and identify opportunities for account growth.
• Market expansion & revenue growth: Develop and implement strategies to expand Cognizant’s market presence and increase revenue, TCV and margin across the BFS sector.
• Market & competitive intelligence: Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments and competitor activity within Banking & Financial Services to stay informed and maintain a competitive edge.
• Client issue resolution: Ensure timely and effective resolution of client issues and concerns to maintain high levels of client satisfaction.
• Portfolio management: Apply disciplined account management practices to manage the ~5-account portfolio and prioritize effectively across concurrent pursuits.
• Reporting & executive communication: Prepare and present detailed reports on account performance and sales activity to senior management and the Industry Lead.
• Continuous learning: Engage in continuous learning and development to stay current with BFS industry best practices, emerging technologies and AI-led offerings.
• Culture & collaboration: Foster a collaborative and inclusive working environment across virtual and cross-functional teams that encourages innovation and teamwork.

Role Requirements

This is a senior, individual-contributor hunter role; candidates should bring direct IT services sales leadership experience rather than a general program, account or non-IT sales management background. The following are essential:

• Minimum 10+ years in a senior client leadership role, with direct IT services sales and delivery experience — distinct from general program management, account management or non-IT sales backgrounds.
• Minimum 15+ years of experience selling into strategic accounts within the Banking & Financial Services sector.
• Minimum 15+ years of experience in the assigned functional/technology area, with applicable market-standard certifications preferred, not required.
• Proven track record of business development, with a track record of acquiring new business and winning large deals and net-new logos.
• Thorough working knowledge of the latest digital and AI innovations relevant to the Banking & Financial Services domain.
• Interest and passion for engaging senior client executives (C-level) in transformation conversations through a consultative approach.
• Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to plan ahead, set direction and stay the course in complex, competitive environments.
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to structure and close large, complex deals.
• Ability to navigate a large, multi-dimensional matrix organization and persuade through content and confidence.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to tell strong stories and deliver impactful presentations.
• Ability to work with multicultural, geographically distributed teams and lead them toward a common goal.
• Preferred background: prior senior leadership experience managing large client teams, with domain expertise across BFS sub-verticals and a track record of selling large deals by leveraging C-level relationships across the industry.