Assistant Vice President - Retail Consumer Goods Consulting

Leading at Cognizant

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.

About The Role

Our Consulting Practice is looking for an AVP – Retail Consumer Goods Consulting leader to join us on our journey to become the preeminent technology services partner to the Global 2000. We engineer modern businesses to improve everyday life. Cognizant Consulting is the Cognizant business analytical and advisory group that drives Cognizant’s digital innovation and transformation strategy. Our consultants apply industry-specific domain knowledge and understanding of Cognizant’s horizontal solutions to address client needs and requirements, to advise on and shape client strategies, to deliver optimum solutions that delight clients, and achieve client business goals. We work on some of the most exciting projects in the marketplace across our 6 verticals and 3 horizontals. We are looking for pure-play management consulting leaders with expertise in Retail Consumer Goods.

This role exercises strategic practice oversight, practice-building, and overall consulting leadership responsibilities. To be successful, we’re looking for Management Consulting leaders who exemplify Cognizant’s Five Pillars of Consulting: 1) Project Execution, 2) Expertise, 3) Business Development, 4) Practice Development, & 5) People Development. At the VP Level, this means driving cost effective end-to-end execution of consultant engagements, cultivating practice innovations, achieving financial targets (utilization, expenditures, revenue, margin), promoting Cognizant Consulting’s vision & mission, and building high performing teams across the organization. In addition to enabling consulting excellence through the Five Pillars of Consulting, the specific requirements for this position are below.

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 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!

In This Role, You Will

• Serve as a Global Consulting Leader, bringing your areas of domain expertise to Cognizant’s clients, as we engineer modern businesses to improve everyday life
• Own and develop a book of business and actively engage in business development efforts, often owning quota for accounts, and ensuring profitable growth for the practice and for Cognizant
• Exercise quality assurance for all engagements within area of responsibility
• Engage in key account expansion, sales leadership, and internal executive stakeholder partnering based on an expert understanding of such things as emerging market trends, client business direction, client requirements, and the feasibility of transformation goals
• Establish and nurture relationships with client executives and strive to serve as their trusted advisor
• Leverage industry expertise and market sensibilities to propose a forward-leaning refinement or extension of Cognizant’s practice offerings, and leads in the management of strategic control points in the development of these offerings
• Develop a long-term vision for the practice, and works with others to standardize consulting tools, methods, curricula, and career development requirements
• Lead the recruitment of consulting talent and the creation of a strong talent pipeline
• Mentor and coach consulting associates, and lead people development and community-building activities
• Author thought leadership insights on behalf of the practice and advocate within Cognizant for the recognition of Consulting’s contribution to Cognizant’s profitability and market brand;
• Participate in industry panels and forums to promote Cognizant’s capabilities, and to gather insights on emerging business needs, requirements, technology, and competitive challenges
• Lead in the creation of robust IP repositories and knowledge-sharing strategies to enhance practice effectiveness and cross-practice community building.
• Lead in the creation of robust IP repositories and knowledge-sharing strategies to enhance practice effectiveness and cross-practice community building and act as a visible and respected spokesperson for Cognizant’s’ Advisory Practice
• Consistently demonstrate the Cognizant Way to Lead, which means operating with Personal Leadership (building trust, collaboration, and inclusion), Organizational Leadership (driving vision and purpose, demonstrating a strategic and enterprise mindset, and creating and communicating a bold direction that inspires purpose), and Business Leadership (exemplifying client focus, managing ambiguity with accountability and results, and operating with financial acumen)
  
  

What You Need To Have To Be Considered

• 20 years of experience in deep domain or extensive cross-sector business management, including the creation and go-to-market execution of practice offers (pricing, resourcing, marketing) in Retail Consumer Goods.
• A background of extensive management consulting leadership as a practice leader, or business or solution developer
• A successful track record of setting and achieving engagement targets, controlling budgets, managing forecasts, and driving an organization of professional consultants in winning business and achieving financial targets
• Possessing a robust network of contacts and presence in professional organizations and industry forums
• International experience supporting or driving global initiatives
• Experience in building results-oriented, high-performing consulting teams or organizations recognized for excellence
• Personal leadership and a desire to create a culture that enables exceptional outcomes; the embodiment of Cognizant’s Core Values of: Start with a point of view; Seek data, build knowledge; Always strive, never settle; Work as one; Create conditions for everyone to thrive; Do the right thing, the right way.
• Embodiment of the Cognizant Way to Lead: Leading Self, Leading Others, & Leading the Business
• The embodiment of Cognizant’s Values of: Work as One, Dare to Innovate, Raise the Bar, Do The right Thing, & Own It
  
  

These will help you succeed

• Consulting leadership experience in Retail Consumer Goods industry
• Known in the industry for the thought leadership and white papers specific to Retail Consumer Goods Domain
• Have strong interpersonal and leadership skills as you will coach and lead both consultants and client-side contributors
• Facilitating and driving co-innovation with clients and partners
• Ability to manage and execute large strategic deals, proposals and maintain a healthy pipeline of opportunities
• Ability to multitask and work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• People leadership experience, managing complex and high performing teams
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships at the executive level
• Flexibility to travel
  
  

Work model

At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible, and we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is an onsite position requiring 3 days a week in a client or Cognizant office.

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

We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.