Engagement Delivery Lead

Cognizant; Kentucky; Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance

Holidays & PTO

401(k) plan

Disability coverage

Parental leave

Employee stock plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking an Engagement Lead to drive successful client engagements, ensuring operational excellence and delivering business outcomes across complex programs.

You will own end-to-end delivery governance, lead revenue forecasting, profitability management, and collaborate with client executives, sales, and delivery teams to identify growth opportunities, support renewals, and push modernization through data, cloud, analytics, and AI initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Significant experience leading large-scale client engagements, programs, portfolios, or managed services environments.
• Proven ability to build relationships and influence executive-level stakeholders.
• Strong experience in delivery governance, operational management, KPI/SLA oversight, and risk management.
• Experience managing financial performance, including forecasting, revenue, margins, budgeting, and resource planning.
• Demonstrated success leading geographically distributed teams and driving cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for client executives and business stakeholders.
• Own end-to-end delivery accountability, including governance, service quality, risk management, and issue resolution.
• Lead account financial management activities, including revenue planning, forecasting, profitability management, resource planning, and governance.
• Drive transformation initiatives focused on modernization, automation, cloud, data, analytics, and AI-enabled outcomes.
• Partner with sales, solution, and delivery teams to identify growth opportunities, renewals, and expand strategic client relationships.

Skills

Client engagement

Executive influence

Delivery governance

Operational management

Forecasting revenue

Cross-functional

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

PMP

PgMP

Agile

SAFe

Job description

About The Role

As an Engagement Lead, you will make an impact by driving successful client engagements, ensuring operational excellence, and delivering business outcomes across complex programs and portfolios. You will be a valued member of the delivery leadership team and work collaboratively with client executives, business stakeholders, delivery teams, and cross-functional partners to drive customer success, innovation, and growth.

In This Role, You Will

• Serve as the primary point of contact for client executives and business stakeholders, building trusted relationships and aligning delivery outcomes with business objectives.
• Own end-to-end delivery accountability, including governance, service quality, risk management, operational performance, and issue resolution.
• Lead account financial management activities, including revenue planning, forecasting, profitability management, resource planning, and commercial governance.
• Drive transformation initiatives focused on modernization, automation, cloud, data, analytics, and AI-enabled business outcomes.
• Partner with sales, solution, and delivery teams to identify growth opportunities, support renewals, and expand strategic client relationships.

Work model

We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 3 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in Cincinnati, Ohio. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various 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.

What You Need To Have To Be Considered

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Significant experience leading large-scale client engagements, programs, portfolios, or managed services environments.
• Proven ability to build relationships and influence executive-level stakeholders.
• Strong experience in delivery governance, operational management, KPI/SLA oversight, and risk management.
• Experience managing financial performance, including forecasting, revenue, margins, budgeting, and resource planning.
• Demonstrated success leading geographically distributed teams and driving cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

These will help you stand out

• Experience delivering Data, Cloud, Analytics, AI, Digital Transformation, or Modernization initiatives.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience supporting account growth, renewals, and business development activities.
• Experience leading process optimization and continuous improvement programs.
• Knowledge of large-scale delivery models involving onsite, offshore, and global teams.
• Professional certifications such as PMP, PgMP, Agile, or SAFe.

We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. 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.

*Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*

Salary And Other Compensation

Applications will be accepted until September 13, 2026.

The annual salary for this position is between $ 135,000 - $ 155,000 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:

• 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, subject to applicable law.