Agile AI Transformation Lead

Cognizant; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 68,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Paid Parental Leave

Disability Coverage

Paid Holidays and PTO

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

EAP

Wellbeing Programs

Tuition Reimbursement and Learning

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking an experienced Agile AI Transformation Lead to accelerate Agile delivery and embed AI-enabled engineering practices across the software lifecycle.

You will guide Scrum, Kanban and Lean initiatives, coach cross-functional teams, and drive improvements in delivery predictability and release quality in a regulated environment. Hybrid work in Toronto with visa sponsorship not available.

Qualifications

• 9+ years of overall experience with at least 4 years in Agile delivery leadership (Scrum, Kanban, Lean).
• At least 1 year hands-on experience leading AI-driven or agentic SLDC transformations.
• Strong knowledge of SDLC governance, release management, quality gates, engineering metrics.

Responsibilities

• Lead Agile delivery across Scrum, Kanban and Lean-based initiatives.
• Drive AI-driven transformation initiatives and promote AI-enabled engineering practices.
• Facilitate Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews, Retrospectives and PI activities.
• Coach delivery teams, Product Owners and engineering leaders on Agile practices and Jira usage.
• Track and improve engineering metrics, delivery predictability, release quality and delivery excellence.
• Manage risks, dependencies and impediments with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Partner with architects, engineering leads, QA teams and business stakeholders to improve outcomes.
• Act as a trusted Agile advisor and support organizational change.

Skills

Agile delivery leadership

Coaching Agile teams

Stakeholder management

Strong communication

Tools

Jira

Job description

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Agile AI Transformation Lead to drive Agile delivery and advance the adoption of AI-enabled engineering practices across the software development lifecycle. In this role, you will lead Scrum, Kanban and Lean initiatives, guide cross-functional teams, and help improve delivery predictability, release quality and continuous improvement within a regulated enterprise environment.

In this role, you will

• Lead Agile delivery across Scrum, Kanban and Lean-based initiatives.
• Drive AI-driven and agentic software development lifecycle transformation initiatives and promote AI-enabled engineering practices.
• Facilitate Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews, Retrospectives and Program Increment activities.
• Coach delivery teams, Product Owners and engineering leaders on Agile practices and effective use of Jira and related delivery tools.
• Track and improve engineering metrics, delivery predictability, release quality and overall delivery excellence.
• Manage risks, dependencies and impediments while maintaining clear communication with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Partner with architects, engineering leads, quality assurance teams and business stakeholders to improve outcomes.
• Act as a trusted Agile advisor, supporting organizational change and continuous improvement.

Work Model:

Hybrid

We strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring a minimum of two days per week in a client or Cognizant office in Toronto, ON. Regardless of your working arrangement, we support a healthy work-life balance through our wellbeing programs.

The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.

Please note that Cognizant cannot provide visa sponsorship now or in the future.

What you need to have to be considered

• 9+ years of overall experience, with at least 4 years of Agile delivery leadership experience using Scrum, Kanban and Lean methodologies.
• A minimum of one year of hands-on experience leading or supporting AI-driven or agentic software development lifecycle transformation initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of software development lifecycle governance, release management, quality gates, engineering metrics and delivery excellence practices.
• Advanced proficiency with Jira and Agile management platforms.
• Demonstrated success coaching Agile teams and enabling organizational transformation.
• Strong stakeholder management experience with Product Owners, engineering leaders, architects, quality assurance teams and senior leadership.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, conflict-resolution and leadership skills.

These will help you stand out

• Experience working in a regulated industry such as insurance, financial services, banking or healthcare.
• A track record of improving engineering delivery through measurable Agile practices and AI-enabled ways of working.

We’re excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. 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.

Applications will be accepted until October 14th, 2026

Salary and Other Compensation

The annual salary for this position is $68,000 CAD - $125,000 CAD, depending on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors.

In addition to salary, this role is eligible for Cognizant's discretionary annual incentive program, subject to individual and company performance.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Coverage.
• Paid Holidays and Paid Time Off (PTO).
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (where applicable).
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Wellbeing and Mental Health Programs.
• Tuition Reimbursement and Learning Resources.
• Career Development and Certification Opportunities.