AI Strategist - Director

About the role

The AI Builder / Strategist is a senior client-facing advisor who helps clients identify, prioritise, justify and scale AI-led transformation initiatives. Acting as a bridge between business strategy and AI execution, the role engages C-suite executives to develop AI vision, operating models, investment roadmaps, business cases and transformation programmes. The role sits within Cognizant's AI Market Unit, which packages AI expertise into repeatable offerings across the APJ region.

Key responsibilities

• Engage CXOs, run AI strategy workshops and briefings, and translate AI capabilities into measurable business outcomes
• Assess AI maturity and readiness, define AI roadmaps, operating models, governance frameworks and adoption strategies, and prioritise initiatives by value, feasibility and risk
• Develop AI investment cases, ROI models and value-realisation frameworks, and quantify benefits such as productivity, cost reduction, revenue growth and customer experience
• Craft end-to-end AI solutions and commercial and pricing models for PoCs and RFPs, and lead small teams delivering PoCs and consulting assignments
• Produce client-ready materials such as business cases, value propositions and demo narratives
• Define the AI go-to-market plan for the assigned industry, research trends and pain points, and contribute to market thought leadership

Required profile

• Proven AI strategy expertise, including Generative AI, Agentic AI, AI operating models, governance, Responsible AI and enterprise adoption
• Extensive CXO engagement experience, including facilitating executive workshops and presenting complex AI concepts in business terms
• Strong business case and value-realisation skills, including ROI models, cost-benefit analyses and executive funding proposals
• Experience developing AI roadmaps and transformation strategies from opportunity identification to enterprise-scale implementation
• Dominant industry expertise in one or more sectors such as insurance, mining, telecommunications, financial services, retail, transport, hospitality, public sector or healthcare

Required skills

• Modern AI technologies: LLMs, GenAI, AI Agents, RAG
• AI platforms: Azure AI, OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, Google Vertex AI
• Enterprise data ecosystems