Job Description: Service Line Sales Director – AI & Data

Location: United Kingdom or Any Europe
Role Type: Leadership | Sales & Consulting | AI & Data
Business Unit: AI Readiness

Role Summary

The Service Line Sales Director – AI & Data is a senior sales and consulting leader responsible for accelerating growth for Cognizant’s AI Readiness Business Unit across the UK and Europe. This is a quota-carrying leadership role with hard annual revenue targets, responsible for building and maturing a high-quality pipeline, closing large and complex deals, and driving growth in both existing Cognizant accounts and new logo hunting.

The ideal candidate brings a strong blend of enterprise sales leadership, AI/Data technical depth, and an established market presence in the UK and Europe, with proven relationships across C‑suite and technology leadership. This role requires frequent travel across the UK and broader Europe to engage clients, partners, and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Leadership, Revenue & Pipeline Ownership

• Own and exceed hard revenue and margin targets for AI Training Data Services.
• Create, manage, and convert pipeline across existing Cognizant accounts and new logos in the UK and Europe.
• Drive end-to-end enterprise sales cycles: prospecting, qualification, proposal development, negotiation, and closure.
• Lead pursuit teams and coordinate with solution architecture, delivery, product, and offshore/nearshore teams.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to client CIOs, CDOs, CTOs, AI/ML leaders, and architecture teams.

Offering Evangelism & Market Expansion

• Represent Cognizant’s AI Readiness portfolio across UK & European markets through roadshows, workshops, and executive briefings.
• Expand and strengthen Cognizant’s market positioning in AI readiness, training data, DataOps, and GenAI enablement.
• Identify emerging opportunities, industry trends, and influence GTM and solution strategy.

Account Growth & Relationship Management

• Build and deepen relationships within Cognizant’s existing accounts; identify whitespace and grow share of wallet.
• Leverage strong market presence to open doors and accelerate entry into new client environments.
• Map and influence key decision-makers, stakeholders, and partners across the region.
• Build multi-year adoption roadmaps for AI/ML and training data modernization.

Collaborative Leadership

• Partner with vertical sales teams, delivery, product, CoE, and marketing to craft differentiated proposals and solutions.
• Mentor junior talent and contribute to the business unit’s long-term growth strategy.

Travel

• Frequent travel across the UK and Europe to meet clients, attend workshops, drive pursuits, and support executive engagements.

Experience

• Demonstrable experience in enterprise sales, consulting, or business development in AI, Data, or Digital Engineering.
• Proven track record as a quota-carrying sales leader meeting/exceeding hard revenue targets.
• Strong experience in both new logo hunting and scaling business within existing accounts across UK and Europe.
• Experience selling AI/ML services, data engineering, GenAI solutions, or data labeling/training data services.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence at CIO, CDO, and CTO levels.
• Well-established relationships and market credibility across the UK and Europe.
• Powerful communicator with strong storytelling, negotiation, and value articulation capabilities.
• Ability to balance technical depth with commercial acumen.
• High ownership mindset, resilience, and comfort operating in a quota-driven environment.

Performance Metrics

• Annual revenue and margin attainment
• Pipeline creation, health, velocity, and win rates
• New logos closed in UK & European markets
• Expansion within existing Cognizant accounts
• Client satisfaction and engagement longevity
• Growth of AI Training Data Services footprint
• Contribution to GTM, offerings, and solution innovation

The Cognizant community:
We are a high caliber team who appreciate and support one another. Our people uphold an energetic, collaborative and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

• Cognizant is a global community with more than 300,000 associates around the world.
• We don’t just dream of a better way – we make it happen.
• We take care of our people, clients, company, communities and climate by doing what’s right.
• We foster an innovative environment where you can build the career path that’s right for you.

About us:
Cognizant is one of the world's leading professional services companies, transforming clients' business, operating, and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build, and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant (a member of the NASDAQ-100 and one of Forbes World’s Best Employers 2025) is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at www.cognizant.com

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.

Disclaimer:
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.