Cognizant
Account Executive (New Business Sales) – Banking & Financial Services (BFS) - UK

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Leading at Cognizant
Role
This is a Leadership role at Cognizant. We believe how you lead is as important as what you deliver. Cognizant leaders at every level:
- Drive our business strategy and inspire teams around our future.
- Live the leadership behaviours, leading themselves, others and the business.
- Uphold our values, role modelling them in every action and decision.
- Nurture our people and culture, creating a workplace where all can thrive.
At Cognizant, leadership transcends titles and is embodied in actions and behaviours. We empower our leaders at every level to drive business strategy, inspire teams, uphold our values, and foster an inclusive culture.
About The Role
As an Account Executive (New Business Sales), Banking & Financial Services, you will make an impact by opening new logo accounts and selling the full suite of Cognizant's services and solutions, including our market-leading capabilities in Digital, Data, AI and Cloud, to create value and drive business outcomes. You will be a valued member of the BFS (Banking & Financial Services) new business sales team and work collaboratively with the UK&I Head of Sales, Client Partners, Sales Support teams and an offshore team providing targeted marketing into designated accounts.
In this role, you will
- Pursue and win new business across 10-15 targeted Banking & Financial Services accounts as an enterprise sales professional opening new logo accounts.
- Sell the full suite of Cognizant's services and solutions, including Digital, Data, AI, Cloud, Consulting and application modernisation, to create value and drive business outcomes.
- Build and deepen relationships within major Banking & Financial Services organisations to develop and convert a strong pipeline.
- Work alongside a Client Partner and supporting team on all sales pursuits, leveraging an offshore team's targeted marketing into designated accounts.
- Consistently demonstrate the Cognizant Way to Lead, which means operating with Personal Leadership (building trust, collaboration, and inclusion), Organizational Leadership (driving vision and purpose, demonstrating a strategic and enterprise mindset, and creating and communicating a bold direction that inspires purpose), and Business Leadership (exemplifying client focus, managing ambiguity with accountability and results, and operating with financial acumen)
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
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Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Work model
We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring a minimum of 2 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in London. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs.
The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you're engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.


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What You Need To Have To Be Considered
- A demonstrable track record in new business / net new logo sales for a large Tier 1 or Tier 2 Global Systems Integrator (GSI).
- Experience working alongside and building relationships within major Banking & Financial Services organisations.
- Experience of working for a Global Services firm with onshore, nearshore and offshore capabilities, selling services including Digital, Data, Cloud, Consulting and application modernisation.
- Demonstrable success selling deals in the $5M to $50M range.
- Demonstrable consecutive quarterly and yearly quota achievement in complex selling environments using a solution-selling model.
- Embodiment of the Cognizant Way to Lead: Leading Self, Leading Others, & Leading the Business
- Embodiment of Cognizant's Values: Work as One, Dare to Innovate, Raise the Bar, Do The right Thing, & Own It
These will help you stand out
- Wide exposure to industry, product and functional best practices across banking and capital markets.
- Experience selling within an onshore, nearshore and offshore delivery model.
We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.
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