Global Operations Strategic Initiative leader

Lead for Global Operations Strategic Initiatives: VP Level

COGNIZANT OVERVIEW

Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ: CTSH) is one of the world’s leading professional services companies, transforming customers’ business, operating, and technology models for the digital economy. With annual revenues of $18 billion and a market value of $41 billion, we help global corporations adapt to market disruptions and build stronger, more agile, and innovative businesses.

At Cognizant, we give organizations the insights to anticipate what customers want and act instantly to deliver on those demands so our clients can achieve the goal of every modern business: staying one step ahead of a fast-changing world. In addition to honors such as being listed #185 on the 2021 Fortune 500, Cognizant was again named on Fortune’s List of the Global Most Admired Companies for 2022.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Global operations function in an ongoing basis will design and deliver strategic initiatives to streamline, improve efficiencies or reduce time to market of operations and supply chain functions including recruitment periodically. The Lead for these initiatives will assist Head of Global operations with strategy and advisory inputs to develop a best-in-class operations excellence ecosystem The activities will be including but not limited to re-imagining and re-engineering operations processes, designing an operations tools & systems transformation roadmap, identifying strategic opportunities for investment and delivering on the company’s strategic objectives. In this role, the incumbent will partner with the EC and the ELT to deliver outcomes for the Organization. Key interfaces with, but not limited to, CEO, EC and their teams, OE Leadership, Corporate functions as well as BU leaders and their teams. This critical, trusted leadership role serves as the strategy & transformation officer to the Global Head of Operations. Reporting to the Global Head of Operations, the Lead for Global Operations Strategic initiatives is a full-time assignment requiring a strong commitment to mission in a highly matrixed and complex global Fortune 200 organization.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assists the Global Head of Operations with strategic input & advisory on operations excellence initiatives from development through successful execution under the guidance of senior leadership and functional heads
2. Defines the policies and plans for using the organization’s talent resources to support its long-term competitive strategy
3. Stimulates strategic thinking in support of business direction – and engages in constructive brainstorming and other problem-solving forums with function heads - Central Ops, Talent Supply chain, Recruitment, Delivery excellence and colleagues across the enterprise to deliver solutions and drive higher efficiency
4. Builds an operations excellence process and tools roadmap that can be integrated with every stage of the sales motion and delivery cycle
5. Devises best in class methods and metrics for Operational excellence processes including the talent demand-supply chain ecosystem
6. Identifies opportunities to re-engineer processes, optimize talent allocation, and drive operational excellence
7. Recommends investment decisions on enhancing operations excellence processes, tools and technology infrastructure
8. Produces regular research reports and periodic analysis to identify potential areas of improvement. e.g., industry and/or competitor trends
9. Coordinates the development, content and follow-up for senior level meetings and events with key stakeholders, including staff meetings, operational reviews, and off-site meetings
10. Preparing BoD and EC level papers
11. Managing information flow, review, and decision-making processes. Ensuring that teams deliver in line with executive level commitments

EXPERIENCE

• 20-25 years professional experience preferably at the C-suite level and/or board related support.

• Highly professional – with demonstrated strength of business acumen, demeanor and temperament

• Experience managing multi billion-dollar budgets

• Evidence of strong interpersonal skills, with a demonstrable ability to lead productive collaborative meetings with senior-level executives and client-facing roles

• Exemplary analytical and judgement, tact, discretion, and integrity. Proven capability of discretely managing large – continuous amounts of sensitive information with strict (unquestionable) confidentiality.

• A proven effective communicator – succinct and concise by nature, and experienced/adept at working with and among executive-level (C-Suite) leaders (both verbally and in writing). Prefer a relaxed – confident (but not arrogant operating style).

• Experience leading a digital business (Interactive, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence or Connected Products)

• Prior experience in a head of function or business role

KEY COMPETENCIES

1. Financial Acumen: Strong business and financial acumen to manage multi billion-dollar budgets
2. Strategic Project Management and Planning: Proven experience, including managing multi-project engagements.
3. Storytelling: Ability to build a compelling and customized narrative for the company and offerings that address biggest pain points in industry markets
4. Workflow Management: Proven ability to effectively execute on a high volume of deliverables in a fast-paced and changing environment
5. Communication and Relationship Building & Management: Highly effective communication and influencing skills to build and maintain sponsor relationships
6. Agility: Ability to multi-task, adapt, improvise, think on the go, and lead many projects and tasks simultaneously
7. Drive and Instinct: Possesses high initiative, self-starting nature, with demonstrated ability to identify opportunities for improvement in uncertain contexts and act upon them without direction or direct oversight