Senior Project Manager - Application Development

Cognizant; Peoria (IL); On-site; USD 103,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays plus PTO

401(k) plan and contributions

Long-term/Short-term Disability

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a Senior Project Manager for Application Development in Peoria, IL. You will lead multiple enterprise-grade development initiatives, guiding planning, budgeting, scheduling, risk management, and stakeholder communications to deliver business value.

You will collaborate with business stakeholders, vendors, and delivery teams, applying Agile and Waterfall methods, leveraging MPP, Azure DevOps, and Jira, and exploring GenAI-enabled practices to enhance delivery efficiency.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience managing enterprise application development projects.
• Experience delivering with both Agile (Scrum) and Waterfall methodologies.
• Demonstrated success managing projects in multi-vendor environments.
• Hands-on with MS Project Plan (MPP), Azure DevOps, and Jira.
• Strong planning, budgeting, scheduling, risk management, and stakeholder management.
• Excellent communication and leadership capabilities.
• Knowledge of GenAI tools in project management.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple application development projects simultaneously to ensure on-time delivery.
• Manage project planning activities including scope definition, scheduling, budgeting, forecasting, and resource management.
• Partner with cross-functional teams and external vendors to meet milestones and deliverables.
• Provide proactive stakeholder communication through status reporting, risk management, and issue resolution.
• Monitor project health, identify risks, and implement corrective actions to maintain delivery commitments.
• Leverage tools such as MS Project Plan (MPP), Azure DevOps, and Jira for execution and reporting.
• Support adoption of GenAI-enabled PM practices to improve delivery efficiency and customer experience.

Skills

12+ years PM experience

Agile & Waterfall

Multi-vendor management

MS Project Plan (MPP)

Azure DevOps

Jira

Communication & leadership

GenAI in PM

Tools

MS Project Plan (MPP)

Azure DevOps

Jira

Job description

About the role

As a Senior Project Manager Application Development, you will make an impact by leading complex application development initiatives that drive business outcomes and deliver value to our clients. You will be a valued member of the delivery team, collaborating with business stakeholders, development teams, vendors, and leadership to successfully execute projects in dynamic environments.

Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring Visa transfer or sponsorship now or at any time in the future.

In this role, you will:

• Lead multiple application development projects simultaneously, ensuring on-time delivery, quality execution, and alignment with business objectives.
• Manage projects using both Agile (Scrum) and Waterfall methodologies based on project requirements and organizational needs.
• Drive project planning activities including scope definition, scheduling, budgeting, forecasting, and resource management.
• Partner with cross-functional teams and external vendors to achieve project milestones and deliverables.
• Provide clear and proactive stakeholder communication through project status reporting, risk management, and issue resolution.
• Monitor project health, identify and mitigate risks, and implement corrective actions to maintain delivery commitments.
• Leverage project management tools such as Microsoft Project Plan (MPP), Azure DevOps, and Jira to manage execution and reporting.
• Support the adoption of GenAI-enabled project management practices and Portfolio & Project Management (PPM) best practices to improve delivery efficiency and customer experience.

Work model

At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible, and we are here to support a healthy work‑life balance through our various wellbeing programs. Based on this role's business requirements, this is an onsite position requiring 5 days a week in a client office in Peoria, Illinois.

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

• Proven experience of 12+ years managing application development projects and programs in enterprise environments.
• Strong experience delivering projects using both Agile (Scrum) and Waterfall methodologies.
• Demonstrated success managing projects within complex multi‑vendor environments.
• Hands‑on experience with Microsoft Project Plan (MPP), Azure DevOps, and/or Jira.
• Strong project planning, budgeting, scheduling, risk management, and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership capabilities with the ability to influence cross‑functional teams.
• Knowledge of GenAI tools and their application to project management and delivery operations.

These will help you stand out

• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
• Experience working in Manufacturing domain
• Experience implementing Portfolio & Project Management (PPM) best practices.
• Experience leading large‑scale digital transformation or application modernization initiatives.
• Strong customer‑centric mindset with experience improving project outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction.

Note: Certain roles may require candidates to attend in-person interviews at Cognizant offices or client locations, depending on project requirements.

Applications will be accepted until August 28th, 2026.

Salary and Other Compensation

The annual salary for this position is between $102,600 to $ 160,500 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

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, subject to applicable law.