Cognizant

Consulting Principal- Program Director, Healthcare (Payer)

Cognizant$122K — $194K *
Healthcare
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 12+ years leading large-scale healthcare payer transformation programs
  • Deep functional expertise in payer operations (claims, provider, benefits, enrollment, utilization management)
  • Proven experience driving enterprise transformation programs across multi-vendor and multi-system environments
  • Strong understanding of enterprise integration, data flows, and cross-functional impacts
  • Demonstrated ability to lead complex, matrixed teams and influence senior stakeholders
  • Exceptional communication skills and strong executive presence

Responsibilities

  • Lead large-scale healthcare transformation programs across claims, provider, member, billing, and operational domains
  • Define and execute program roadmaps and governance models
  • Serve as a functional leader across payer operations
  • Drive cross-layer integration connecting business processes and applications
  • Engage executive stakeholders and lead governance forums to ensure program success

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
  • 401(k) plan and contributions
  • Employee stock purchase plan
  • Employee assistance program
  • 10 paid holidays plus PTO
  • Paid parental leave and fertility assistance
  • Learning and development certifications and programs
Full Job Description
About the Role

As a Consulting Principal: Program Director - Healthcare Payer Transformation, you will make an impact by leading complex, enterprise-wide transformation programs across healthcare payer organizations.

You will be a valued member of the Healthcare Consulting team, working closely with senior client stakeholders, business and technology leaders, and cross-functional teams to deliver integrated transformation outcomes.
In this role, you will:
  • Lead large-scale healthcare transformation programs across claims, provider, member, billing, and operational domains, driving strategy through execution.
  • Define and execute program roadmaps and governance models, ensuring alignment across business, IT, operations, and external partners.
  • Serve as a functional leader across payer operations, translating business requirements into scalable operating models and transformation strategies.
  • Drive cross-layer integration, connecting business processes, applications, data flows, APIs, and vendor solutions to ensure end-to-end delivery integrity.
  • Engage executive stakeholders and lead governance forums, steering decision-making, managing vendor performance, and ensuring program success across multiple workstreams.
Work Model

We strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a remote position open to qualified applicants in the United States with some travel involved.

Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our wellbeing programs.
What you must have to be considered:
  • 12+ years of experience leading large-scale healthcare payer transformation programs
  • Deep functional expertise in payer operations (claims, provider, benefits, enrollment, utilization management)
  • Proven experience driving enterprise transformation programs across multi-vendor and multi-system environments
  • Strong understanding of enterprise integration, data flows, and cross-functional impacts across systems and operations
  • Demonstrated ability to lead complex, matrixed teams and influence senior stakeholders
  • Exceptional communication skills with strong executive presence and stakeholder management capabilities
These will help you succeed:
  • Experience leading national or multi-plan healthcare programs
  • Exposure to payer core platforms such as FACETS, QNXT, HealthEdge, or similar
  • Experience in digital transformation, modernization, or cloud initiatives
  • Certifications such as PMP, SAFe, or equivalent

Compensation

$122,400-$194,000

This position is eligible for Cognizant's discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant's applicable plans
Benefits
  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
  • 401(k) plan and contributions
  • Employee stock purchase plan
  • Employee assistance program
  • 10 paid holidays plus PTO
  • Paid parental leave and fertility assistance
  • Learning and development certifications and programs

About Cognizant

TriZetto is Powering Integrated Healthcare Management. With technology solutions touching more than half the U.S. population today, TriZetto is uniquely positioned to drive the convergence of core benefit administration, care management and constituent engagement. TriZetto provides premier information technology solutions that enable payers and other constituents in the healthcare supply chain to improve the coordination of benefits and care for healthcare consumers.

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Learn more about Cognizant
Size
340,400 employees
Market Cap
$28.7 billion
Industry
Net Income
$1.3 billion
Founded
1994
5 Year Trend
+6.5%
Revenue
$16.6 billion
NASDAQ

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