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 modelling 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 behaviours. We empower our leaders at every level to drive business strategy, inspire teams, uphold our values, and foster an inclusive culture.
The Role
The Corporate Real Estate and Workplace Services (CREWS) organization enables Cognizant’s business growth through the planning, development, delivery and management of world-class workplace environments. As Cognizant continues to expand and modernize its workplace portfolio, CREWS plays a critical role in ensuring safe, scalable, sustainable and employee-centric facilities across India.
We are seeking a Senior Director – Architecture & Interior Design Management to provide enterprise-level leadership across large-scale construction, redevelopment, workplace transformation and fit-out programs. This role will lead the execution of strategic real estate investments while ensuring alignment with business priorities, operational readiness, employee experience, sustainability objectives and governance requirements.
The role is pivotal in ensuring that all projects are delivered with rigorous controls across scope, cost, schedule, quality, statutory compliance, risk management and operational handover readiness. The successful candidate will combine technical expertise, commercial acumen and executive leadership to deliver transformational workplace infrastructure programs across India.
Every choice we make aligns to our vision: to become the pre-eminent technology services partner to the world’s top companies.
At Cognizant, we are a high-performing team with heart. Our workplaces are designed to enable collaboration, innovation and growth. If you are a strategic construction leader who thrives in complex environments, values operational excellence and is passionate about delivering high-impact workplace programs, we want to hear from you.
In this role, you will:
Lead multi-location greenfield, redevelopment, interior fit-out, workplace transformation and Design & Build design programs from initiation through handover and operational stabilization.
Own design brief, scope alignment, quality, stakeholder approvals, digital workplace integration, statutory compliance, cost alignment, schedule support, risk governance and executive reporting.
Define design delivery strategy, consultant engagement model, procurement support, stage-gates, review cadences, documentation standards, decision logs and escalation mechanisms.
Govern architects, interior designers, PMCs, specialist consultants, Design & Build contractors, workplace strategists and technology design partners through clear performance expectations.
Embed authority inputs, respective State and NBC compliance, fire and life safety, accessibility, local regulations, environmental obligations and design approval dependencies into the design process.
Lead integrated design management across master planning, architecture, interiors, workplace strategy, structural coordination, MEP, facade, landscape, sustainability, IT/AV, security, fire and life safety, smart building and building technology systems.
Drive design-to-brief, constructability, value engineering, design-to-budget discipline, lifecycle cost, maintainability, operational efficiency, user experience, brand alignment and future flexibility.
Establish review cadences, technical risk registers, interface matrices, change control protocols, mock-up approvals, material workflows and stage-gate sign-offs to protect design quality and compliance.
Integrate physical workplace planning and digital workplace capabilities from concept stage, including IT infrastructure, IDF/MDF rooms, structured cabling, Wi-Fi, AV, hybrid rooms, room booking, access control, visitor management, digital signage, BMS, CAFM/IWMS, smart building platforms and workplace analytics.
Partner with IT, AV, Network, Security, Facilities, Smart Building, Workplace Operations and Business teams on technology standards, mock-up validation, commissioning, user acceptance testing and operational handover.
Ensure collaboration spaces, meeting rooms, training areas, command centers, reception, client experience spaces and employee amenities are designed for usability, acoustics, camera sightlines, lighting, maintainability and serviceability.
Partner with business leadership, CREWS, finance, procurement, legal, EHS, IT, security, facilities, real estate strategy, HR, branding, sustainability and workplace operations to align requirements and decisions.
Lead workshops, option analysis, steering committee updates, dashboards, decision notes and mitigation plans; serve as design escalation point for risks, dependencies, consultant performance, contractor submissions, authority matters and commercial trade-offs.
Govern design budgets, cost plans, contingencies, procurement packages, value engineering, change requests, consultant deliverables, milestone trackers, statutory inputs, procurement release dates and construction information requirements.
Mitigate risks across design completeness, statutory compliance, technology coordination, stakeholder decisions, cost escalation, constructability, consultant capability, procurement readiness and handover.
Champion design quality, safety, accessibility, sustainability, wellness, operational resilience and maintainability across architecture and interiors programs.
Ensure compliance with Indian statutory requirements, local authority conditions, fire and life safety, EHS standards, environmental permissions, workplace safety obligations and Cognizant governance expectations.
Embed energy efficiency, water management, waste reduction, responsible materials, indoor environmental quality, smart building readiness and long-term asset performance into design outcomes.
Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing consulting team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
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:
15+ years of progressive experience in large-scale construction management, real estate delivery or infrastructure program leadership, including at least 5 years as Project Director, Program Director or equivalent senior leadership.
Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Project Management or a related built-environment discipline.
- Master's degree or advanced qualification in Design Management, Interior Design, Workplace Strategy, Real Estate, sustainable architecture or equivalent preferred.
PMP/RICS/LEED/IGBC or equivalent credentials are advantageous.
Proven experience with corporate campuses, Grade-A offices, high-rise buildings, greenfield developments, complex fit-outs, Design & Build programs and multi-location design delivery in India.
Demonstrated ability to integrate workplace technology, IT/AV, smart building systems, hybrid work environments and operational readiness into the design lifecycle, while leading consultants, PMCs, D&B partners, contractors and stakeholders across geographies
Experience working on large-scale greenfield projects.
Executive presence, decision quality, commercial acumen, procurement orientation, risk discipline, contract administration, technical understanding, ethics, documentation rigor and ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams across geographies.
Demonstrated experience managing multi-location project portfolios and large capital expenditure programs in India.
Extensive knowledge of Indian building regulations, statutory compliance requirements, environmental regulations and workplace safety standards.
Experience managing relationships with consultants, contractors, developers, regulatory authorities and executive stakeholders.
Strong financial acumen with experience governing large project budgets, forecasts and capital investment programs.
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:
Experience delivering million-plus square foot developments and large integrated workplace campuses.
Strong expertise in project governance frameworks, construction delivery methodologies and operational readiness planning.
Deep understanding of sustainability, ESG, green building certifications and responsible construction practices.
Experience leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple geographies and stakeholder groups.
Strong contract administration, claims avoidance and commercial negotiation capabilities.
Proven ability to drive innovation through digital construction technologies, analytics and project management tools.
A commitment to continuous learning and staying current with workplace, construction, sustainability and real estate industry trends.
Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution while maintaining governance discipline and delivery excellence.
Work model:
Based on this role’s business requirements, the work model will be finalised once you join and may require working from a client or Cognizant office as needed. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs.
The working arrangements for the role 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.
Significant travel is required across active and planned project sites in India based on business priorities.
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.
