AVP-Enterprise AI Strategy & Governance

In this role, you will:

• Establish the enterprise-wide strategic direction for AI-augmented delivery initiatives or the AI-era operating model.
• Co-develop AI transformation strategies with C-suite client stakeholders and deliver enterprise transformation blueprints.
• Create evaluation frameworks for frontier-model deployment, including red-team protocols, safety benchmarks, and responsible-AI standards.
• Oversee adversarial-AI risk management and enterprise AI safety policy, and lead the incident-response approach at the enterprise perimeter.
• Own the strategic direction of the Frontier practice and support the development of outcome-based commercial models.
• Sustain the Frontier learning community, key methodologies, and gold standards while consistently demonstrating the Cognizant Way to Lead: Personal Leadership, Organizational Leadership, and Business Leadership.

What you need to have to be considered

• 20+ years of experience with proven enterprise AI leadership and established authority in AI delivery or AI-era operations.
• Advanced expertise in AI transformation strategy, frontier-model evaluation, red-team governance, adversarial machine learning, and AI safety policy.
• Shown capability to partner with C-suite and board-level stakeholders, and to convert complex AI concepts into actionable enterprise transformation strategies and clear business outcomes.
• Experience leading or shaping an advanced AI, frontier technology, delivery transformation, or AI-era operating model practice.
• Strong skills in multi-agent coordination strategy, influencing across business units, setting standards, and designing outcome-based commercial structures.
• Evidence of a track record building Frontier talent, establishing learning communities, developing methodologies, and creating reusable gold standards for enterprise-scale adoption.
• External recognition as a thought leader or domain authority in AI delivery, responsible AI, AI safety, or AI-era operations.
• Ability to earn and sustain the Frontier Principal designation through ongoing Frontier leadership, external credibility, and readiness to participate in the Principal panel.
• Embodiment of the Cognizant Way to Lead: Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading the Business.
• Demonstration of Cognizant’s Values: Work as One, Dare to Innovate, Raise the Bar, Do the Right Thing, and Own It.

These will help you succeed

• Experience building, delivering, and maintaining end-to-end AI-native systems within a small Frontier pod with long-term ownership.
• Capability to direct teams toward customer outcomes rather than focusing solely on technical throughput.
• Strong understanding of enterprise governance, safety requirements, and how frontier AI deployment affects operating models.
• A strategic, externally respected leader who can influence across service lines, clients, practices, and senior leadership communities.