Ad Operations Operations Manager (SDM)

Cognizant; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 329,000 - 412,000; Full time

Job summary

A global technology services provider in Kuala Lumpur seeks an Ad Operations Operations Manager (SDM) to lead strategic client governance and operational transformation. The ideal candidate will possess deep knowledge of the digital advertising ecosystem, manage large teams, and utilize data-driven insights for client presentations. This role offers an opportunity to drive process innovation and oversee delivery metrics while ensuring effective client relationships. The position demands both leadership and technical project management skills.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing client relationships and technical projects.
• Expert-level understanding of the programmatic ad ecosystem.
• Certifications in PMP/Prince2 and agile methodologies are a plus.
• Experience managing large teams across multiple locations.
• Ability to use data visualization tools for client presentations.

Responsibilities

• Manage client relationships and lead business reviews.
• Oversee delivery metrics and implement recovery plans.
• Lead technical project migrations with zero disruption.
• Analyze workflows and implement process optimizations.
• Forecast staffing needs for global operations.

Skills

Client Relationship Management

Project Management

Ad Tech Knowledge

Leadership

Data Analysis

Tools

Salesforce

Jira

Tableau

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Title: Ad Operations Operations Manager (SDM)

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Work from office)

24/7 Rotational project

Preferred Immediate or Short Notice period

Role Summary

This leadership role combines strategic client governance with rigorous operational project management. You will own the overall health of the engagement—managing the client relationship, financial outcomes, and service levels (Program)while simultaneously driving process innovation, platform migrations, and workflow efficiency (Project). You are the bridge between the client's executive team and our 24/7 delivery hubs.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Client Governance (Program Focus):
  • Relationship Management: Serve as the primary strategic partner for client stakeholders. Lead Monthly and Quarterly Business Reviews (MBR/QBRs), translating operational data into business insights.
  • SLA & KPI Ownership: Accountable for the overall delivery metrics (Accuracy, TAT, Campaign Performance). Proactively identify risks to SLAs and implement recovery plans.
  • Financial Oversight: Oversee billing reconciliations and margin management. Resolve complex billing disputes and identify opportunities for account growth.
  • Escalation Management: Act as the final escalation point for critical incidents, ensuring swift resolution and transparent communication with the client.
• Operational Execution & Transformation (Project Focus):
  • Workflow Optimization: Continuously analyze the end-to-end campaign lifecycle. Implement Agile/Lean methodologies to remove bottlenecks in the handoff between Sales, Planning, and Ad Ops.
  • Migration Leadership: Lead complex technical projects, such as migrating campaign data to proprietary ad servers or integrating new CRM tools (Salesforce/Jira), ensuring zero disruption to live operations.
  • Resource & Capacity Planning: Manage global staffing requirements for 24/7 operations. Forecast capacity needs for peak seasons (Q4) and ad-hoc project spikes.
  • Process Standardization: Enforce global consistency in SOPs and tool usage across all delivery centers.

Required Skills & Experience

• Dual Competency: Proven experience managing both client relationships (Account/Program Mgmt) and technical projects (Project Mgmt) in the Digital Advertising sector.
• Ad Tech Depth: Expert-level understanding of the programmatic ecosystem (SSP, DSP, DMP) and Order Management Systems (OMS).
• Certifications: PMP/Prince2 (for process rigor) and agile experience are desired.
• Leadership: Experience managing large, matrixed teams (50+ FTEs) across multiple geographies.
• Data-Driven: Ability to use data (Tableau, Excel, Power BI) to build compelling narratives for client presentations.

About Cognizant

 
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) engineers’ modern businesses. We help our clients modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast-changing world. Together, we're improving everyday life. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant.