Program Manager / Consultant

Program Manager / Consultant

Location: South-East Michigan

Type: Hybrid

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager / Consultant to join the Automotive Consulting team and lead complex programs aligned with strategic business objectives.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in program/project management, business analysis, and/or product ownership, preferably within the automotive or manufacturing industry.

This role requires a hands-on leader who can actively drive projects forward, resolve issues, coordinate stakeholders, and ensure successful delivery. The candidate should be someone who takes ownership and drives execution rather than simply sending emails or tracking action items.

The Program Manager will work closely with business, product, engineering, operations, and client stakeholders to ensure programs are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Program Management & Execution

• Define program goals, scope, deliverables, milestones, and success metrics in alignment with strategic business objectives.
• Lead the planning and execution of multiple projects within the overall program.
• Develop and maintain integrated program plans, schedules, roadmaps, and delivery milestones.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure timely delivery of program outcomes.
• Drive execution and actively remove roadblocks rather than relying solely on communication or status tracking.
• Monitor program progress, deliverables, timelines, resource allocation, and budget adherence.
• Ensure dependencies across projects and teams are identified, tracked, and resolved.

Risk & Issue Management

• Identify, assess, track, and mitigate program-level risks and issues.
• Establish appropriate escalation mechanisms for critical risks and delivery blockers.
• Develop mitigation and contingency plans where required.
• Drive issue resolution across business, technical, product, and operational teams.
• Communicate risks, impacts, and recommended actions clearly to leadership and clients.

Stakeholder & Leadership Management

• Serve as a key point of contact for program stakeholders and client leadership.
• Provide regular program updates through status reports, dashboards, and review meetings.
• Facilitate governance meetings, steering committees, and stakeholder reviews.
• Build strong relationships across product, engineering, operations, business, and client organizations.
• Influence stakeholders and drive decisions without relying solely on formal authority.
• Foster collaboration across geographically distributed and cross-functional teams.

Governance & Reporting

• Establish program governance processes, operating cadences, reporting structures, and performance metrics.
• Maintain accurate program documentation, decision logs, action trackers, RAID logs, and project plans.
• Track program KPIs and delivery metrics.
• Ensure alignment between program execution, business objectives, and change management activities.
• Provide executive-level reporting on program health, risks, dependencies, and milestones.

Business & Technology Alignment

• Bridge business objectives with technology and project execution.
• Work with product and engineering teams to understand requirements, dependencies, and delivery constraints.
• Support business analysis, requirements clarification, roadmap development, and prioritization as needed.
• Coordinate technology initiatives across multiple teams and workstreams.
• Ensure program outcomes deliver measurable business value.

Team Leadership & Development

• Coordinate and guide project managers, business analysts, product owners, and cross-functional team members.
• Mentor project managers and team members as required.
• Promote effective project management and Agile delivery practices.
• Support continuous improvement across program execution and delivery processes.

Cognizant Consulting – Five Pillars

Successful consultants are expected to contribute across Cognizant's five consulting pillars:

1. Project Execution – Deliver high-quality client engagements and take ownership of program outcomes.
2. Expertise – Build and demonstrate functional and industry expertise, including relevant certifications.
3. Business Development – Contribute to client satisfaction, proposals, and RFP activities.
4. Practice Development – Support development of consulting methodologies, assets, and service offerings.
5. People Development – Support team development, collaboration, mentoring, and leadership initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 7+ years of professional experience in Project Management, Program Management, Business Analysis, Product Ownership, or related roles.
• 3–5+ years of experience managing complex IT programs, including multiple projects, workstreams, teams, and resources.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams across business and technology organizations.
• Strong program planning, execution, governance, risk management, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to develop and execute program strategies aligned with business objectives and client needs.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to drive teams, influence stakeholders, and deliver results.
• Ability to actively drive project execution, resolve blockers, and make progress in ambiguous environments.
• Experience with project management and collaboration tools.
• Jira experience is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the automotive, mobility, manufacturing, or industrial sectors.
• Experience working with large automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, or manufacturing organizations.
• PMP certification preferred.
• CSM certification is a plus.
• CISSP certification is a plus.
• Knowledge of security frameworks and best practices such as:
• NIST
• ISO 27001
• Financial/industry regulatory frameworks
• Experience with Agile, Scrum, SAFe, or hybrid project delivery methodologies.
• Experience working in consulting environments and client-facing roles.
• Experience with Jira, Confluence, MS Project, Smartsheet, or similar project/program management tools.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a hands-on Program Manager/Consultant who can:

• Lead complex automotive or manufacturing programs.
• Manage multiple projects and workstreams simultaneously.
• Work directly with senior client stakeholders.
• Drive execution and accountability across teams.
• Manage risks, issues, dependencies, timelines, and resources.
• Translate business objectives into actionable program plans.
• Operate effectively in a fast-paced consulting environment.
• Take ownership and proactively solve problems rather than simply coordinate meetings or send status emails.