Santosh Nair
Navi Mumbai
Summary
Dynamic Deputy General Manager at Cognizant Technologies Solutions with expertise in strategic planning and client relationship management. Proven track record in enhancing service delivery and financial performance, driving operational efficiencies, and fostering high-performance teams. Adept at risk management and resource allocation, consistently exceeding client expectations and achieving significant business improvements.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Deputy General Manager
Cognizant Technologies Solutions
01.2023 - Current
- Strategic Leadership & Business Development:
- Strategic Planning and Execution: Contributing to the development and implementation of the strategic direction by setting goals, defining objectives, and ensuring their execution
- Developing and Maintaining Client Relationships: Cultivating and nurturing strong relationships with key client stakeholders, acting as a trusted advisor and ensuring high levels of client satisfaction
- Identifying and Developing New Service Offerings: Contributing to the development of new service offerings and solutions that meet evolving client needs and market demands
- Operational Management & Delivery
- Overseeing Service Delivery: Ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of services to clients, meeting quality standards, and adhering to SLAs (Service Level Agreements)
- Managing Profitability and Financial Performance: Monitoring and managing the financial performance, including budgets, revenue, and profitability
- Identifying areas for cost optimization and revenue enhancement
- Resource Management: Planning and managing resources (people, budget, infrastructure) effectively to meet project and client requirements
- Risk Management and Issue Resolution: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with projects and client engagements
- Proactively addressing and resolving critical issues and escalations
- Process Improvement and Optimization: Identifying opportunities to improve operational efficiency, streamline processes, and enhance service delivery methodologies
- People Leadership & Talent Management:
- Leading and Mentoring Teams: Providing leadership, guidance, and mentorship to a team of managers, project leads, and other professionals
- Fostering a high-performance culture and encouraging professional development
- Talent Management and Development: Participating in talent acquisition, performance management, and career development initiatives of the team members
Service Delivery Manager
Cognizant Technologies Solutions
10.2020 - 12.2022
- Ensuring Smooth and Efficient Service Delivery: Overseeing the entire service delivery lifecycle, from planning and implementation to monitoring and continuous improvement
- Client Relationship Management: Developing and maintaining strong relationships with clients to understand their needs and expectations, acting as a primary point of contact for escalated issues
- Team Leadership and Management: Leading and motivating a team of professionals, providing guidance, mentorship, and support to enhance individual and team performance
- Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management: Ensuring that services meet quality standards and service level agreements
- Process Optimization: Managing and optimizing service delivery processes to ensure efficient and effective delivery of services
- Quality Control: Implementing quality assurance processes to monitor the effectiveness of service delivery and technical solutions
- Project Management: Managing and overseeing the end-to-end delivery of projects, ensuring alignment with client objectives and adherence to methodologies
- Performance Management: Monitoring and analyzing service delivery metrics to identify trends, make data-driven decisions, and ensure team productivity targets are met
- Continuous Improvement: Identifying areas for improvement and implementing solutions to enhance service delivery processes and procedures
- Reporting and Analysis: Preparing and presenting reports on service delivery performance to stakeholders and senior management
Team Manager
Cognizant Technologies Solutions
11.2017 - 09.2020
- Team Leadership and Management: Leading and guiding a team of individuals, providing direction, setting goals, and ensuring the team works effectively towards common objectives
- Performance Management: Monitoring and evaluating the performance of team members, providing feedback, conducting performance appraisals, and identifying areas for improvement
- Talent Development: Identifying training and development needs for team members, facilitating their growth, and fostering a learning environment
- Resource Management: Planning and allocating resources effectively to meet project or client requirements
- Project/Task Execution Oversight: Overseeing the execution of projects, tasks, or service delivery activities assigned to the team, ensuring they are completed on time and to the required quality standards
- Client Interaction: Interact with clients to understand requirements, provide updates, and address concerns
- Process Adherence: Ensuring that the team follows established processes, methodologies, and quality for client engagements
- Communication and Reporting: Facilitating effective communication within the team and with other stakeholders
- Providing regular updates on team progress, challenges, and achievements
- Issue Resolution: Identifying and resolving issues and roadblocks that hinder the team's progress
- Escalating complex issues to higher management when necessary
- Team Morale and Motivation: Fostering a positive and motivating work environment, encouraging teamwork, and addressing any team-related issues
Manager
Wipro Ltd.
10.2016 - 11.2017
- Collaborated with clients to understand needs and challenges, delivering value-added solutions and projects through analytical problem-solving and effective implementation
- Identified and implemented business improvement opportunities, leading to tangible enhancements
- Drive Business Value Management (BVM) initiatives, including Continuous Improvement Projects (CIP), Lean, and Green Belt projects, in partnership with the Process Excellence Team
- Executed automation initiatives to enhance process/product efficiency in collaboration with relevant teams
- Support the Process Excellence Team in conducting FMEA, developing Process Maps & VSM, and reviewing SOPs bi-annually
- Represented Operations during ISO, CMS, and CMMI certification audits
- Evaluate Team Leads/Group Leads performance, provide constructive feedback and support, and monitor progress to drive improvements
Deputy Manager
Wipro Ltd.
01.2015 - 09.2016
- Lead a team of 50-60 associates and indirect reports, including 4-5 Team/Group Leads and Team Coaches
- Collaborate with the Capacity Workforce Management (CWFM) team to review and optimize monthly capacity plans, ensuring successful delivery
- Consistently ensure the achievement and exceeding of key performance metrics and Client Performance Measures (CPMs) to meet and surpass client expectations
- Engage with clients to understand requirements and challenges, providing effective solutions related to capacity, value add, and project delivery through analytical problem-solving and strong implementation
- Manage people and performance through initiatives including Employee Engagement, Quartile Management & Stacks
- Effectively communicate and collaborate across all levels of the organization to meet business needs
- Drive talent engagement and development through targeted training, skill-up programs, and empowerment initiatives
- Demonstrate expert knowledge of service procedures
Group Leader/Assistant Manager
Wipro Ltd.
04.2013 - 12.2014
- Spearhead Quality Performance for operations across India and the Philippines, ensuring the achievement of established goals
- Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, representing the Quality Team in discussions regarding performance, enhancements, and innovations to elevate quality and customer service
- Effectively communicate all client updates and process changes to Operations and Training teams, ensuring timely and accurate implementation
- Monitor and evaluate Quality Performance and call handling skills through internal audits conducted by the Quality Team
- Manage the scheduling and successful completion of process-related training programs as mandated by clients and processes
- Identify performance outliers and implement targeted Training Needs Identification (TNI)-based development plans in collaboration with supervisors and managers
- Proactively identify and communicate Quality/Process risks to clients, offering strategic solutions
- Lead and manage a team of 35-40 Quality Analysts, driving standardization and process improvement methodologies
Team Leader
Wipro Ltd.
10.2009 - 03.2014
- Lead and manage a team of 16-20 Customer Resolution Specialists
- Motivate and direct the team to achieve and exceed individual and team targets
- Enhance team knowledge and provide support to direct reports to deliver exceptional customer service and meet quality metrics
- Mentor and develop team members for career advancement
- Drive performance improvements through process knowledge upgrades, enabling the team to consistently meet and surpass Client Performance Measures (CPMs)
- Maintain and utilize team data within the CMS Avaya application
Subject Matter Expert
Wipro Ltd.
12.2008 - 09.2009
- Leverage subject matter expertise to provide guidance and support to Resolution Specialists on complex customer issues
- Effectively handle and resolve escalated customer calls
- Provide real-time support and guidance to agents during live customer interactions
- Reduce knowledge gaps within the team by proactively conducting knowledge-sharing sessions
- Collaborate with the Team Leader in the onboarding and training of new hires (OJT batches)
Associate
Wipro Ltd.
10.2007 - 11.2008
- Began my career at Wipro as a Customer Care Professional, specializing in supporting clients within the Health Insurance sector
- Provided clear and concise explanations of insurance policy benefits to medical professionals (doctors and nurses)
- Effectively resolved issues related to the processing of insurance claims and ensured timely payments to healthcare providers
Education
Bachelor of Commerce -
Dr. C.V Raman University
Skills
- Strategic planning
- Service delivery
- Client relationship management
- Financial management
- Risk management
- Resource allocation
Languages
- English
- Hindi
- Marathi
- Malayalam
Accomplishments
- Led and successfully closed a Green Belt (DMAIC) project, delivering a substantial $1 million annualized Business Value Management (BVM) saving for the client.
- Spearheaded a significant reduction in rework from 61% (Jan-Apr 2016) to 27% (by Sept 2016).
- Implemented process automation, eliminating human errors and reducing cycle time.
- Drove a reduction in rework costs and enhanced transaction accuracy through rigorous performance reviews.
- As a Green Belt Team Member, contributed to a project focused on reducing infant attrition, resulting in an estimated $35,000 in annualized cost savings.
- Achieved a marked increase in quality scores, improving them from 96% to 99% over a three-month timeframe.
- Awarded the Wipro BPO Excellence Award for Outstanding Employee.
References
References available upon request.
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 09/24/83
- Marital Status: Married
Timeline
Deputy General Manager
Cognizant Technologies Solutions
01.2023 - Current
Service Delivery Manager
Cognizant Technologies Solutions
10.2020 - 12.2022
Team Manager
Cognizant Technologies Solutions
11.2017 - 09.2020
Manager
Wipro Ltd.
10.2016 - 11.2017
Deputy Manager
Wipro Ltd.
01.2015 - 09.2016
Group Leader/Assistant Manager
Wipro Ltd.
04.2013 - 12.2014
Team Leader
Wipro Ltd.
10.2009 - 03.2014
Subject Matter Expert
Wipro Ltd.
12.2008 - 09.2009
Associate
Wipro Ltd.
10.2007 - 11.2008
Bachelor of Commerce -
Dr. C.V Raman University
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