Program Manager - Contract Management & Procurement

Cognizant is a large IT Consulting Firm that leverages modern technologies to transform a variety of business operations. We are seeking an experienced Contract Management Program Manager to oversee and optimize our end-to-end contract lifecycle and procurement support processes. In this role, you will serve as the strategic bridge between internal stakeholders, vendor partners, and cross-functional teams such as Legal, Finance, and Risk. You will be responsible for reviewing contract terms, managing renewals and amendments, ensuring strict compliance, and administering agreements from initial request through termination or expiration. The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in procurement workflows, strong commercial acumen, and exceptional stakeholder management skills.

Please note that this is a hybrid role in San Jose, CA. Only local candidates will be considered.

Key Responsibilities

Contract Lifecycle Administration & Oversight

• Manage and administer contracts through all stages of their lifecycle (intake, drafting review, execution, performance monitoring, renewal, and closure).

• Review contract terms, scope of work (SOWs), amendments, and addendums to ensure alignment with business objectives and operational standards.

• Proactively track critical contract milestones, expiration dates, renewal deadlines, and key deliverables.

Stakeholder & Vendor Coordination

• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal business owners and external vendors regarding contractual rights, obligations, and deliverables.

• Partner closely with Legal to align on risk mitigation, standard terms, and non-standard clause approvals.

• Collaborate with Finance and Procurement teams to ensure contract terms align with budget allocations, invoicing terms, and purchase orders.

Procurement Support & Process Management

• Support end-to-end procurement workflows, including intake documentation, vendor evaluation, and internal approval routing.

• Maintain a centralized, audit-ready contract repository, ensuring accurate data entry, proper metadata tagging, and record completeness.

• Monitor vendor compliance against contractual obligations, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and regulatory guidelines.

• Drive process improvements across the contract intake and procurement pipelines to increase efficiency and reduce cycle times.

Qualifications & Key Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years of dedicated experience in contract management, procurement administration, or commercial operations.

• Core Skills :

• In-depth understanding of standard contract structure, commercial terms, vendor agreements, and compliance frameworks.

• Proven track record of managing cross-functional workflows involving Legal, Finance, Tax, and Executive teams.

• Strong familiarity with modern Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platforms, procurement tools, and ERP systems (e.g., Ironclad, SAP Ariba, Coupa, DocuSign).

• Soft Skills: Exceptional organizational habits, high attention to detail, strong negotiation support skills, and excellent written and verbal communication.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Legal Studies, or a related field. At least a High School Diploma is required.

• Professional certifications in contract management (e.g., CCMP, CPCM, or IACCM/WorldCC certification) are a plus.

Salary and Other Compensation:

The annual salary for this position is between $110,000 - $134,500 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, 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

Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits 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.

LA County (only): Qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring company sponsorship now or at any time in the future.

Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.