VP, Strategic Value Creation, BFSI

VP, STRATEGIC VALUE CREATION - BFSI BANKING, FINANCIAL SERVICES, INSURANCE

Cognizant is one of the world's leading professional services companies, transforming clients' business, operating, and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build, and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant, a member of the NASDAQ-100, is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at www.cognizant.com.

This is a leadership role at Cognizant. We believe how you lead is as important as what you deliver. Cognizant leaders at every level : drive our business strategy and inspire teams around our future. Live the leadership behaviors, leading themselves, others, and the business.

Uphold our values, role modeling them in every action and decision. Nurture our people and culture, creating a workplace where all can thrive. At Cognizant, leadership transcends titles and is embodied in actions and behaviors. We empower our leaders at every level to drive business strategy, inspire teams, uphold our values, and foster an inclusive culture. We invite you to see how you can contribute to our story.

The Role

Cognizant helps companies modernize technology, reimagine processes, and transform experiences so they stay ahead in a fast-changing world, and every choice we make aligns with our vision : to become the pre-eminent technology services partner to the world's top companies. Our Banking Financial Services & Insurance group is looking for a Vice President, Strategic Value Creation to join us on that journey. We're looking for someone who is commercially motivated, collaboratively minded, and wants to grow their career through shaping the future of the industry. Specifically, this position sits within our BFSI Practice, with a concentration on the Banking industry and the goal of creating strategic value across our portfolio. You'll need to leverage your subject matter knowledge of the complex BFSI industry with your passion for designing and supporting clients as they work to transform and keep up with this modern world. Where others see the way things have always been done, you see potential. When others are uncertain, you are bold. To be successful, you'll need to have breadth and depth in the industry, the right connections, a mind for thought leadership, and commercial focus that can inspire innovative outcomes at some of the world's most influential companies. If that sounds like you, we invite you to reach out to learn more. At Cognizant, we are a high-performing team with heart. Our solutions are in demand and we're passionate about making a difference. If you have experience with the above, are a selfless leader, and are committed to a client-facing environment; if you want to grow your career with a team that wants to build something great together, we want to hear from you! Apply now!

Responsibilities

Deal Origination and Pursuits :

Engage with CXOs and senior stakeholders across the business and technology functions at BFSI clients, as well as third party advisors, private equity firms, industry analysts and sourcing advisors, eco-systems partners to create the mindshare and spot large, strategic deal ideas that unlock exceptional value for clients

Collaborate with the market commercial and sales teams, in engaging client stakeholders define the business case, strategic options, roadmap and articulate the business value of the strategic ideas to help shape client opportunities

Provide independent perspectives on sizing client opportunities, profiling deals, and potential win probabilities of perspective deals to sales and delivery leaders

Work with market commercial and sales teams on qualified proactive opportunities to define solutions and take them to closure

Executive Engagement and Relationship Management :

Establish regular connections with the client CXOs and their executive leaders during the pursuits and beyond as required

Share thought leadership and deep industry knowledge with C-level staff, architects, senior leaders, and prospects at industry conferences, user groups, and partner events

Leverage advisory relationship to channel formal and informal feedback to clients in advisor led deals via active engagement during joint collaborative sessions, client Q&A sessions, solution validation, orals, due diligence, and BAFO meetings

Collaborate with external entities including industry and sourcing analysts, consulting firms, design agencies, and eco-systems partners particularly hyper scalers and platform firms for defining compelling joint-go-to-market win-win-win proposals for Cognizant, the client, and the partner(s)

Connect regularly with partners to understand their offerings and how they can best be applied to the Banking industry

Solution Development :

Champion and lead the end-to-end solutioning of large, multi-service line technology pursuits ensuring the completeness of offerings, optimal leverage of platforms and partners, and modern capabilities

Define the win strategy, solution strategy, and pricing strategy based on the client's sourcing objectives, IT priorities, and business strategy, along with extended Cognizant teams

Provide independent perspective on opportunity size, deal profiling, and win probability to sales and delivery leaders

Work towards developing unified Banking-specific solutions that leverage Cognizant unique offerings and capabilities in all stakeholder interactions

Engage with business heads, service line leaders, finance teams to finalize solution estimates and overall deal commercials

Lead communication with Cognizant and client senior management teams at appropriate junctures during the pursuit and facilitates strategic pursuit decisions to improve win probability

Proposal Defense, Negotiation & Closure :

Define orals plan and lead / support solution presentation with relevant artifacts such as solution decks, proof of concepts, interactive demos, and show cases the right client references with relevant past case studies to support the proposals

Work with sales and service line leaders to plan due diligence where needed and participates in the due diligence on a case-by-case basis for critical engagements

Align and coordinate with internal teams and pursuit leaders during BAFO phase to lead / participate resubmissions as per client feedback and requirements to ensure maximum value for the clients and Cognizant

Collaborate with unit teams and large deal negotiations team to ensure successful conclusion of deal negotiation

Business Unit Leadership and Transformation :

Develop and execute integrated strategies and plans to effectively incorporate and introduce newly acquired businesses to service Banking clients, ensuring alignment with overall company goals and objectives. Lead and manage cross-functional integration global teams, to ensure smooth and efficient integration of acquired businesses

Work across the entire Banking team, providing thought leadership, supporting strategic customer and partner engagements, and actively providing input to service line teams to enhance offerings, driving new capabilities

Educate the sales organization on key components, trends, and capabilities of the Banking industry

Lead a team of high-performing individuals to build deep client relationships, source & win large multi-year deals, collaborate across Cognizant's delivery, integrated businesses, and corporate functions to deliver consistently on the Americas 5 Key Priorities : people, clients, pricing, accelerating revenue and bookings, and profitable growth

Continuous coaching and sponsoring of commercial leaders ensuring career discussions and growth

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Computer Sciences, or equivalent work experience. Advanced degree (MBA or Masters) is a plus.

Executive / CIO / CTO level candidate who has experience engaging, advising, and / or directly leading complex technology organizations including C-suite interaction

Proven strong functional and technology background and ability to deliver technology transformation in Fortune 500 organizations

Minimum of 15+ years of industry experience in a client facing role or account leadership role in the IT professional services or management consulting firm or as a technology leader

Prior experience at VP equivalent level in relevant companies

Desired strong Banking industry expertise as an executive who has acted as a C-suite advisor for large enterprises

Experience of leading diverse teams, experience of cultivating and collaborating in a multi-cultural environment - Strong experience with the global service delivery model

Embodiment of our Leadership Competencies and the Cognizant Way to Lead : Leading Self, Leading Others, & Leading the Business

Executive leadership and a desire to create a culture that enables exceptional outcomes; the embodiment of Cognizant's Core Values of : Work as One, Dare to Innovate, Raise the Bar, Do The Right Thing, & Own It

Compensation

Applications will be accepted until December 15th, 2025. The annual salary for this position is between $300,000 - $350,000 depending on the experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cogn