Ad Operations Operations Manager (SDM) (contract)

Ad Operations Operations Manager (SDM) (Contract)

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Work from office)

24/7 Rotational project

Preferred Immediate or Short Notice period

Role Summary: This leadership role combines strategic client governance with rigorous operational project management. You will own the overall health of the engagement—managing the client relationship, financial outcomes, and service levels (Program) while simultaneously driving process innovation, platform migrations, and workflow efficiency (Project). You are the bridge between the client's executive team and our 24/7 delivery hubs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Client Governance (Program Focus):
• Relationship Management: Serve as the primary strategic partner for client stakeholders. Lead Monthly and Quarterly Business Reviews (MBR/QBRs), translating operational data into business insights.
• SLA & KPI Ownership: Accountable for the overall delivery metrics (Accuracy, TAT, Campaign Performance). Proactively identify risks to SLAs and implement recovery plans.
• Financial Oversight: Oversee billing reconciliations and margin management. Resolve complex billing disputes and identify opportunities for account growth.
• Escalation Management: Act as the final escalation point for critical incidents, ensuring swift resolution and transparent communication with the client.
• Operational Execution & Transformation (Project Focus):
• Workflow Optimization: Continuously analyze the end-to-end campaign lifecycle. Implement Agile/Lean methodologies to remove bottlenecks in the handoff between Sales, Planning, and Ad Ops.
• Migration Leadership: Lead complex technical projects, such as migrating campaign data to proprietary ad servers or integrating new CRM tools (Salesforce/Jira), ensuring zero disruption to live operations.
• Resource & Capacity Planning: Manage global staffing requirements for 24/7 operations. Forecast capacity needs for peak seasons (Q4) and ad-hoc project spikes.
• Process Standardization: Enforce global consistency in SOPs and tool usage across all delivery centers.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Dual Competency: Proven experience managing both client relationships (Account/Program Mgmt) and technical projects (Project Mgmt) in the Digital Advertising sector.
• Ad Tech Depth: Expert-level understanding of the programmatic ecosystem (SSP, DSP, DMP) and Order Management Systems (OMS).
• Certifications: PMP/Prince2 (for process rigor) and agile experience are desired.
• Leadership: Experience managing large, matrixed teams (50+ FTEs) across multiple geographies.
• Data-Driven: Ability to use data (Tableau, Excel, Power BI) to build compelling narratives for client presentations.

About Cognizant:

Cognizant engineers modern businesses. We help our clients modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast-changing world. Together, we're improving everyday life.

What we offer:

• The chance to work with impact. Here, you're empowered to bring your biggest thinking to help our company and clients improve everyday life.
• Ownership over your career. Stay at the top of your game through our award-winning learning and development ecosystem. And when your ambitions change or we offer new opportunities, we help you pivot by providing reskilling, on-the-job learning and guidance to find new roles that might be a better fit.
• The opportunity to thrive on a high caliber team with heart. We celebrate each other's experiences and perspectives and promote a sense of belonging through our affinity groups and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• A comprehensive total rewards package, including a competitive salary and pension plan with matching contributions.
• Flexible health and financial benefits to support you and your eligible dependents —from day one.
• True work-life balance. Be at your best through paid time off, flexible work arrangements, volunteering opportunities, social events, and so much more.

Other employment-related information:

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, provincial or local laws.

If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email CareersNA2@cognizant.com with your request and contact information.

Language requirements vary depending on roles, but we ask that all candidates have basic English proficiency for company-wide communications purposes. For roles based in Quebec, professional English proficiency is required, as you'll deliver services to and collaborate with stakeholders outside the province who may not speak French.