Senior Director - Service Line Sales Specialist (SLS) - Technology IOA/BPO (San Francisco, CA)About the Role Cognizant is seeking a top-tier sales executive to step into a prominent leadership role within our Intelligent Operations & Automation (IOA) / Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) practice. This role combines client relationship management, consultative selling, solution architecture, and specialized knowledge of the large Technology clients domain to uncover, structure, and secure deals within the operations of our Technology sector clients.
The successful candidate will bring together a strong background in BPO sales, a deep understanding of the Technology sector, and the capability to cultivate trusted partnerships with both corporate and technology leaders while driving deals from initial contact to formal closure.
In This Role, You Will: Core Duties - Accelerate top-line expansion and meet sales objectives across the large Technology or digital-native accounts (Google, Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Netflix, etc.).
- Discover, vet, and close commercial prospects.
- Formulate comprehensive account plans designed for expansion.
- Cultivate strong professional ties with corporate executives, business owners, and technology leaders.
- Own the creation of proposal responses, presentations, RFP/RFI submissions, and solution designs.
- Partner with solution architects, delivery and industry leaders to design unique and competitive service offerings.
- Direct the end-to-end sales cycle, starting from initial lead generation down to contractual signing.
- Offer expertise regarding trends in the Technology sector, digital transformation, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, interoperability, and regulatory compliance frameworks.
- Develop and sustain a robust pipeline of opportunities along with precise business forecasts.
- Supervise internal sales governance protocols, ensuring deal evaluations and risk assessments are properly executed for the business unit.
Work model For hybrid roles We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring a presence in a client or Cognizant office in San Francisco, CA . We prioritize results over "desk time" and are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs and flexible scheduling.
The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you're engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.
What You Need to Have to Be Considered - 18 to 20+ years of professional experience covering Account Management, Sales, or Consulting inside the IT Services/BPO sector, complemented by a documented history of meeting or surpassing large-scale revenue goals.
- A minimum of 8+ years focused in the Technology vertical or digital-native accounts (Google, Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Netflix, etc.)., showcasing clear literacy of industry-specific workflows.
- Past background operating at a Senior Director or equivalent leadership tier, steering cross-functional initiatives and large, varied employee teams.
- Thorough understanding of varied BPO operational delivery frameworks, specifically including global shoring setups (such as APAC, India, LATAM, and US delivery operations).
- Background collaborating with major enterprise accounts in the Technology sector.
- Established skill in developing C-suite relationships and navigating intricate commercial pursuits.
- Competency in connecting and coordinating with both operational and technology stakeholders.
- Exceptional skills in communication, formal presentation, commercial negotiation, and consultative client engagement.
These Will Help You Stand Out Preferred Industry Expertise - Strong preference for direct experience leading commercial deals or managing accounts for prominent firms within the Autonomous Vehicle market (such as Waymo, Zoox, or Tesla).
- Familiarity with functional demands specific to AV organizations, covering data labeling/annotation pipelines, software optimization, and localization practices.
- Knowledge of compliance requirements and rules governing Autonomous Vehicles.
Preferred Skills - Experience steering "Mega-Deals" containing a Total Contract Value (TCV) scaling from $50M to upwards of $100M+.
- Highly developed capabilities in formal pitching and proposal formulation.
- Aptitude to successfully operate inside a matrixed, international organizational framework.
- Functional baseline familiarity with automation tools, AI, Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Agentic AI solutions.
Success Metrics - Total annual contract bookings and expansion of absolute revenue.
- Growing commercial scope within established client portfolios.
- Pipeline cultivation along with conversion effectiveness.
- Client satisfaction scores and the depth of enterprise partnerships.
SALARY AND OTHER COMPENSATION The annual salary for this position is between $245,000 and $265,000, depending on the experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
This position is also eligible for Cognizant's discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant's applicable plans.
Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
- Medical / Dental / Vision / Life Insurance
- Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
- 401(k) plan and contributions
- Long-term / Short-term Disability
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Disclaimer: 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.
