Operations Manager  Supplier Onboarding, TPRM & Contract Lifecycle -

About Cognizant Corporate

Cognizant Corporate is a global community united by a shared purpose: to make a meaningful impact. We are committed to excellence and driven by outcomes that matter. Collaboration is at the heart of how we work, and our forward-thinking mindset fuels continuous learning, innovation, and growth. At Cognizant, careers transcend titles. We empower our people to think strategically, inspire others, and lead with purpose – always guided by our core values. Join us in shaping the future of business. Could you be the one to make a difference?

About the Role

As an Operations Manager – Supplier Onboarding, TPRM & Contract Lifecycle (Manager), you will lead the Procurement Operations function responsible for Supplier Onboarding, Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM), and Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) within Cognizant's Global Procurement organization. You will provide leadership across globally visible procurement processes, ensuring operational excellence, governance, compliance, stakeholder satisfaction, and continuous improvement through effective utilization of SAP Ariba and ServiceNow (SNOW).

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity with significant visibility to the Procurement Leadership Team (PLT), allowing you to shape strategic procurement operations while delivering measurable business value through market-leading source-to-pay technologies.

In this role, you will:

• Lead end-to-end operations delivery across supplier onboarding, TPRM, and CLM processes.
• Own SLA, KPI, and OLA performance management while driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build, lead, mentor, develop, and retain a high-performing operations team while managing workforce capacity and resource planning.
• Own process governance and operational system ownership for SAP Ariba and ServiceNow (SNOW).
• Partner closely with Legal, risk stakeholders, and business teams to support TPRM and CLM governance activities.
• Drive automation, standardization, process optimization, and cost-efficiency initiatives across procurement operations.
• Manage stakeholder relationships and provide operational reporting, reviews, and governance updates to the Procurement Leadership Team.
• Govern data quality, operational controls, compliance requirements, and audit readiness activities.

What you must have to be considered

• Bachelor’s degree (mandatory).
• Strong leadership and people-management capability.
• Deep functional knowledge of SAP Ariba and ServiceNow (SNOW).
• Strong understanding of supplier onboarding, TPRM, and CLM operations.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and senior stakeholder-management skills.
• Proven ability to manage SLA, KPI, and operational performance frameworks while driving continuous improvement.
• Extensive experience in procurement or procurement operations, including strong people leadership across supplier onboarding, TPRM, and CLM functions.
• Strong analytical, governance, and operational decision-making capabilities.
• A strong sense of ownership, desire to create meaningful outcomes, and commitment to delivering high-quality results.

These will help you succeed

• Experience owning SAP Ariba and ServiceNow enhancements, governance processes, and user acceptance testing (UAT).
• Certified Third Party Risk Professional (CTPRP) or equivalent certification.
• Experience working within an IT services organization.
• MBA qualification.
• Strong change-management and transformation experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale process improvement and automation initiatives.
• Strong focus on operational controls, compliance, and audit readiness.

Work Model

At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible and support a healthy work-life balance through our wellbeing programs. The working model for this role will be determined based on business and client requirements and will be communicated during the hiring process. The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting and may change based on project, business, or client requirements.

Work Authorization

Must be legally authorized to work in the country without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.