Transition Director w​/Production Support & Engagement

Overview

Join Cognizant as an inspiring leader within the Program & Project Management community. This key role is responsible to design transition solutions and to lead/drive transition of multi-service, multi-geo and multi-vendor transitions. Successful candidates will not only manage transition objectives but will also have responsibility for ensuring satisfaction of client stakeholders.

The Transition Director is accountable for planning governing and executing the transition of production support services from incumbent teams to Cognizant ensuring operational readiness and minimal disruption. This role drives transition strategy stakeholder alignment and readiness milestones across global delivery locations.

• Governance & Leadership:
  Establish and lead transition governance:
  Steering Committee (monthly), Transition Management Committee (weekly), Operational forums (daily) and act as the single point of accountability for transition execution risk management and client communications.
• Transition Planning & Execution:
  Define and manage transition phases:
  Planning/Readiness, Knowledge Acquisition, Shadow, Reverse Shadow and Go‑Live. Track readiness criteria: staffing access coverage breadth/depth and productivity targets.
• Ensure compliance with scope timelines and risk mitigation plans.
• Stakeholder & Change Management:
  Collaborate with client leadership and incumbent teams to secure approvals, infrastructure and SME bandwidth.
• Drive organizational change management (OCM) and communication plans.
• Financial & Contractual Oversight:
  Manage transition budgets, cost components and reporting against actual vs. target metrics.
• Enablement & Handover:
  Ensure knowledge transfer completion, runbook sign‑off and operational readiness for steady state.
• Align delivery teams for seamless handover post‑transition.

• 15+ years in IT delivery with multi‑service line transition experience.
• Proven track record in large‑scale transitions (100+ FTE) and governance leadership.
• Strong knowledge of ITIL processes, production support operations and managed services models.
• Expertise in risk management, stakeholder engagement and financial governance during transition.
• Success metrics:
  Transition completed within agreed timelines and cost.
• Readiness criteria met (staffing access coverage, productivity) with zero major service disruptions during transition.

• Experience across multiple industry domains.
• Experience in managing transitions larger than 500 FTEs across application support and application development services.
• Experience in designing transition solutions and in making oral presentations to clients as part of sales pursuits/RFP process.
• Experience with transition infrastructure services transition is desirable.
• 18+ years of experience.

MBA or Master’s degree strongly preferred;
Bachelor’s degree required.

Must be legally authorized to work in US without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.

The annual salary for this position is between $ – $ depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program and stock awards, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

• 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

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.