Infrastructure Program Manager

Cognizant; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

401(k) plan

Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off

Long-term/Short-term Disability

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking an experienced Infrastructure Program Manager in Charlotte, NC, to lead and govern complex infrastructure, business, and application technology programs in a hybrid environment.

The role demands 20+ years of experience, strong governance, risk, and stakeholder management, and a track record of delivering measurable business outcomes across large-scale programs in enterprise settings. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing large-scale infrastructure, business, or technology transformation programs.
• Experience coordinating multiple projects and managing cross-functional stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level reporting.

Responsibilities

• Define program scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and success criteria in alignment with business goals.
• Partner with business stakeholders, infrastructure teams, and technology partners to ensure successful program execution.
• Establish and manage program governance, communication plans, reporting structures, and stakeholder engagement.
• Coordinate and manage multiple projects and dependencies within the program portfolio.
• Drive program priorities and strategic objectives while ensuring alignment with business outcomes.
• Ensure consistency in processes, methodologies, tools, and governance practices across all projects within the program.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive program plans, schedules, and milestones.
• Identify resource requirements and coordinate appropriate skills and expertise required for program delivery.
• Track program progress, monitor KPIs, and ensure timely delivery of milestones and commitments.
• Manage program communications and provide regular status updates to leadership and stakeholders.
• Support project teams and project managers in achieving program objectives.
• Identify, assess, and proactively manage program risks, issues, dependencies, decisions, and action items.
• Implement mitigation strategies and escalation processes to ensure successful program outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with organizational, security, regulatory, and governance requirements across all program components.
• Monitor program controls and quality standards throughout the program lifecycle.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with business leaders, project managers, infrastructure partners, and key stakeholders.
• Clearly communicate program expectations, priorities, risks, and business impacts.
• Facilitate governance meetings, status reviews, and executive communications.
• Ensure business value realization is defined, communicated, measured, and tracked throughout the program lifecycle.
• Project management deliverables as required
• Governance reviews and reporting
• Portfolio and dependency management activities

Skills

Program Management

Infrastructure Program Delivery

Project & Portfolio Management

Project Planning & Scheduling

Stakeholder Management

Scope Management

Risk & Issue Management

Governance & Reporting

Change Management

Resource Management

Executive Communication

Compliance & Security Governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field

Job description

Infrastructure Program Manager

Location: Charlotte, NC (Hybrid)

Experience: 20+ years

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

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead and govern infrastructure, business, and application-related technology programs. The ideal candidate will be responsible for defining program strategy, coordinating multiple interdependent projects, managing governance, mitigating risks, ensuring compliance, and delivering measurable business outcomes.

This role requires strong leadership, stakeholder management, portfolio governance, and program delivery expertise in complex enterprise environments.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Governance

• Define program scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and success criteria in alignment with business goals.
• Partner with business stakeholders, infrastructure teams, and technology partners to ensure successful program execution.
• Establish and manage program governance, communication plans, reporting structures, and stakeholder engagement.
• Coordinate and manage multiple projects and dependencies within the program portfolio.
• Drive program priorities and strategic objectives while ensuring alignment with business outcomes.
• Ensure consistency in processes, methodologies, tools, and governance practices across all projects within the program.

Program Planning & Execution

• Develop and maintain comprehensive program plans, schedules, and milestones.
• Identify resource requirements and coordinate appropriate skills and expertise required for program delivery.
• Track program progress, monitor KPIs, and ensure timely delivery of milestones and commitments.
• Manage program communications and provide regular status updates to leadership and stakeholders.
• Support project teams and project managers in achieving program objectives.

Risk, Compliance & Quality Management

• Identify, assess, and proactively manage program risks, issues, dependencies, decisions, and action items.
• Implement mitigation strategies and escalation processes to ensure successful program outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with organizational, security, regulatory, and governance requirements across all program components.
• Monitor program controls and quality standards throughout the program lifecycle.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with business leaders, project managers, infrastructure partners, and key stakeholders.
• Clearly communicate program expectations, priorities, risks, and business impacts.
• Facilitate governance meetings, status reviews, and executive communications.
• Ensure business value realization is defined, communicated, measured, and tracked throughout the program lifecycle.

Key Deliverables

Ownership

• Program Plan
• Program Governance Framework
• Program Communication & Coordination
• Executive Status Reports
• Risk & Issue Logs
• Change Logs
• Decision Logs
• Action Trackers
• Program Performance Reports

Contribution / Validation

• Project management deliverables as required
• Governance reviews and reporting
• Portfolio and dependency management activities

Required Skills

• Program Management
• Infrastructure Program Delivery
• Project & Portfolio Management
• Project Planning & Scheduling
• Stakeholder Management
• Scope Management
• Risk & Issue Management
• Governance & Reporting
• Change Management
• Resource Management
• Executive Communication
• Compliance & Security Governance

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Proven experience managing large-scale infrastructure, business, or technology transformation programs.
• Strong experience coordinating multiple projects and managing cross-functional stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level reporting.
• Ability to manage program governance, risks, schedules, dependencies, and business outcomes.
• Experience working in global enterprise environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent certification.
• Experience with infrastructure modernization, cloud transformation, or digital transformation programs.
• Experience working with PMO and portfolio governance frameworks.

Mandatory Skills

• Project Stakeholder Management
• Project Scope & Risk Management
• Project Planning
• Project & Portfolio Management

Applications will be accepted until 10/15/2026

The annual salary for this position is between $110,000- $160,000 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 is subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

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 contribution
• 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.

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