Program Director-Banking & FS

Banking & Payments Program Director

Cognizant Technology Solutions is currently seeking a highly skilled Program Director – Banking & Payments, who will be responsible for leading Transition of Professional Services work for several products in Banking and Payments space from the client to Cognizant and ensuring seamless delivery post-transition. The associate will be responsible for client engagement, governance, and operational leadership to manage complex service portfolios, talent movement, and process integration while maintaining business continuity and client satisfaction.

• Professional services transition
  • Develop and own the transition roadmap for Professional Services, including timelines, milestones, and risk mitigation plans.
  • Lead knowledge transfer sessions, process documentation, and operational readiness activities.
  • Manage rebadging and onboarding of client resources, ensuring compliance with labor laws and contractual obligations.
  • Coordinate with offshore and nearshore teams for smooth handover and ramp-up.
• Client Engagement
  • Act as the primary onsite liaison for client Professional Services SBU owners.
  • Facilitate workshops, alignment meetings, and executive reviews to ensure stakeholder buy-in.
  • Influence client decisions on process standardization, automation, and managed services adoption.
  • Identify risks related to transition complexity, talent retention, and regulatory compliance.
  • Keep client abreast of mitigation strategies with progress and ensure adherence to client standard of security, privacy, and contractual requirements.
• Operational Integration & Talent Transformation
  • Align transitioned services with Cognizant’s delivery model, SLAs, and compliance standards.
  • Implement process harmonization across geographies and service lines.
  • Ensure operational stability during and after transition, minimizing disruption to client business.
  • Oversee resource movement, including rebadging, hiring, and onboarding.
  • Drive upskilling and cross-skilling programs for rebadged employees to align with Cognizant’s operating model.
  • Foster cultural integration and employee engagement during transition.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Post-transition, lead initiatives for process optimization, automation, and cost efficiency.
  • Monitor service performance and drive improvements to meet evolving client needs.

• 20+ years in IT Industry with strong capability in client facing program management for large professional services transformation.
• Proven track record in professional services stakeholder management, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Experience of managing $50M+ transformation programs involving professional services for applications cutting across various Banking and Payments domains.
• Deep understanding of Professional Services delivery models and client engagement.

Senior leadership role in project & program management, experienced in managing large global teams. Domain expertise across Banking vertical. Track record of delivering complex programs, as well as leveraging organizational capabilities to support offers/solutions

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.

The annual salary for this position is between $175,000-$220,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual bonus program, based…