Associate Director - Deputy Chief of Staff

About the role

As Deputy Chief of Staff – Office of the CEO, you will make an impact by serving as the operational backbone of the Office of the CEO, ensuring governance rigor, seamless information flow, high-quality executive briefings, and precise execution of leadership cadence. You will be a valued member of the Office of the CEO team and work collaboratively with the Chief of Staff, executive leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders to enable effective decision-making and delivery of CEO-sponsored priorities.

In this role, you will:

• Support and manage OCEO governance and operating cadence, including executive meetings, QBRs, board logistics, and initiative reviews

• Drive end-to-end executive information flow (intake, synthesis, prioritization, distribution, and follow-up) ensuring quality and timeliness

• Track and advance CEO-sponsored strategic initiatives through milestone management, risk identification, dependency tracking, and escalation

• Develop high-quality executive briefing and decision-support materials in partnership with senior leadership

• Drive continuous improvement of OCEO systems, including development of an AI-enabled OCEO Hub to streamline workflows, tracking, and decision management

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 a hybrid position requiring at least 3 days a week in a Cognizant office in New York City.

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 requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.

What you need to have to be considered

• 8+ years of experience in strategy, operations, consulting, or executive office roles

• Proven experience supporting senior executives and managing cross-functional initiatives

• Strong operational acumen with ability to design and run governance and operating cadences

• Exceptional executive communication and storytelling skills

• Collaborative, proactive self-starter with strong strategic instincts, innovative mindset, and a high degree of ownership

These will help you stand out

• Exposure to enterprise-level transformation or CEO-sponsored initiatives

• Experience building or leveraging AI-enabled tools, automation, or knowledge management platforms

• Strong systems-thinking mindset with ability to scale processes and workflows

• Advanced stakeholder management and influencing skills across global teams

• Endorsement from a VP+ executive demonstrating leadership trust and readiness for enterprise-level impact

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.

Salary and Other Compensation:

Applications will be accepted until September 1, 2026.

The annual salary for this position is between $98,550- $156,500 depending on the experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program and stock awards, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Additional employment information
Compensation information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government issued ID during each interview.

Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Applicants for US based positions must be currently authorized to work for any employer in the United States. The company is unable to provide employment-based immigration sponsorship for US based positions.

If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email CareersNA2@cognizant.com for roles based in the Americas or CareersIndia2@cognizant.com for roles based in India.

About Cognizant:
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, bridging the gap between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, drive tangible outcomes and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at cognizant.ai or @cognizant.