Client Relationship Manager

Cognizant; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays + PTO

401(k) plan

Long-term Disability

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant in Chicago, IL is seeking a Client Relationship Manager to own and nurture strategic client partnerships. You will act as the business owner for assigned accounts, guiding day-to-day activities, managing P&L, and collaborating with delivery teams to optimize backlog and renewals.

The role emphasizes executive communication, cross-functional leadership, and the ability to drive growth across renewals, extensions, and expansions while maintaining a top-tier client experience.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years in a client-facing role in IT services or consulting.
• Experience managing Client P&L of $15M+ including reporting and metrics.
• Excellent oral and written communication and executive presentation skills.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with client stakeholders
• Understand the client environment, issues, and priorities
• Define problems with clients and co-create solutions
• Drive renewals, extensions and expansion through RFPs
• Track industry trends and propose proactive ideas
• Serve as day-to-day contact for clients
• Responsible for backlog growth including renewals and extensions
• Lead onsite project teams and align with client environment
• Increase Cognizant visibility in the account and LS industry

Skills

Client relationships

P&L management

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Presentation skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

MS or MBA

Job description

Client Relationship Manager

Location: Chicago, IL

About Cognizant

Cognizant is one of the world’s leading professional services companies, helping clients become data-enabled and data-driven in the digital era. Our industry-based, consultative approach helps companies evolve into modern businesses. By leading clients in using technologies crucial to modern enterprises such as IoT, artificial intelligence, digital engineering & cloud, we enable new business and operating models that unlock new value in markets around the world. Cognizant’s unwavering focus on our clients is led by over 350,000 associates, who deliver services and solutions tailored to specific industries and the outstanding needs of the organizations we serve.

Overview

Client Relationship Managers are key contributors to commercial side of Cognizant IT and Consulting Business. They support the Client Partner and act as business owners for assigned accounts, leading the day-to-day activities and P&L of these accounts. The CRM works with delivery teams to enhance backlog, optimizing the resource mix and navigating scope changes to ensure client expectations are met. They work towards establishing a positive client experience. A CRM's shared measures are margin, revenue, client satisfaction & employee retention. CRM role-specific measures are renewal win rates, revenue, and margin.

Key Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with client stakeholders
• Understand the client environment, issues, and priorities
• Work with clients to define their problems and co-create solutions
• Drive RFPs / proactive bids with regards to renewals, extensions, and expansion
• Track of industry trends relevant to client business and bring forth proactive ideas and solutions
• Serve as the day-to-day point of contact for the clients
• Responsible for backlog growth including renewals and extensions of current engagements
• Lead the onsite project teams and ensure they understand the client environment
• Focus on developing a plan to increase the visibility of Cognizant in the account relationship and in the LS industry

Required Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in a client facing role in a consulting firm or an account/engagement management role in the IT professional services offshore/outsourcing industry
• Experience managing Client P&L of $15 + Million dollars including reporting and metric assessment for the account
• Excellent ability and aptitude to influence and communicate effectively with business stakeholders up to the C-Suite
• Ability to interface at all levels of an organization
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and executive presentation and persuasion skills are required
• Bachelor’s degree

Preferred Experience

• MS or MBA degree
• Strong background in a project environment and application development
• Proven ability to contribute to new business development efforts and to lead and manage multiple tasks in a dynamic environment
• Must be detail oriented and able to manage and maintain all facets of complex assignments.
• Demonstrable problem-solving abilities with the aptitude to identify strategic solutions to business problems with enterprise-wide implications
• Demonstrate the flexibility to work among diverse corporate environments, industries, and technical and non-technical audiences

Top Reasons to Join Our Team

Excellent compensation/benefits. A strong financial incentive package that includes a solid base salary with a highly attractive commission's plan. Further incentives include award programs, club trips, and excellent benefits package. Wide exposure to industry, product, and functional standard methodologies; as well as outstanding teams supporting your sales pursuits. Encouraging management team that rewards initiative & success. Exciting, industry leading practice where you can truly build a long-term career. Congenial, collaborative, and goal-oriented environment; the opportunity to work with and learn from a diverse, highly experienced team of business professionals. Tremendous opportunities for growth with a real career path promoting career advancement.

Salary and other Compensation

The annual salary for this position is between $150,000- $170,000 depending on the experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

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
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, based on applicable law.