PROJECT DIRECTOR Mainframe Exit · SM / SPM Role · Legacy-to-Cloud Data Migration Leadership Programme / Context Mainframe Exit / AI Accelerated Legacy Exit, supporting delivery with emphasis on data migration from legacy mainframe systems into an AWS-aligned target state. Primary Location India. ABOUT THE ROLE The Project Director will lead delivery with a specific focus on data migration and the transition of legacy application data into an AWS-aligned target state. The role will integrate programme governance with migration strategy, database modernisation, ETL/data-pipeline delivery, data quality, reconciliation, trial migrations, equivalence testing, cutover and stabilisation. The Project Director will coordinate data, application, architecture, testing, cloud, mainframe, security and business stakeholders while maintaining transparent control of scope, milestones, RAID, readiness and production-transfer decisions. Migration Leadership ETL & Data Pipelines Quality & Reconciliation AWS Target State Cutover & Equivalence Programme & Migration Leadership Lead delivery planning and governance for the assigned Project Director scope, integrating data migration with application modernisation and cloud-target activities. Maintain clear accountability for migration milestones, dependencies, decisions, risks, environments, data readiness and stakeholder approvals. Provide programme leadership with concise status, decision asks and escalation summaries across migration, build, testing, cutover and stabilisation. Data Migration Strategy & Planning Translate the common mainframe data-migration strategy into application-wave execution plans. Coordinate source-data analysis, migration scope, historical-data decisions, mapping, sequencing, migration rehearsals and production cutover planning. Ensure data migration is integrated with the activity lanes for data migration, parallel run/equivalence testing, deploy/go-live, warranty and MIPS reduction. ETL, Data Pipeline & Database Modernisation Oversight Oversee delivery of extraction, transformation and loading work needed to move legacy data into approved cloud databases and application target structures. Coordinate schema conversion, target database creation/configuration, capacity planning, data loading, trial migrations and cutover support. Ensure ETL and migration pipelines have defined controls for data validation, exception handling, restart/recovery, traceability and operational handover; these control expectations are role-design requirements derived from the requested focus and should be validated against the programme migration strategy. Legacy Data Discovery & Mapping Drive understanding of mainframe data sources and structures across DB2, VSAM and other technologies present in the estate. Coordinate source-to-target mapping, business-rule and dependency validation with mainframe SMEs, domain architects,



data architects and application teams. Ensure migration planning reflects application treatment, interfaces, batch behaviour, retention requirements, security constraints and downstream dependencies. Data Quality, Reconciliation & Equivalence Establish governance for data quality assessment, cleansing decisions, reconciliation and audit evidence across trial and production migrations. Coordinate functional and operational equivalence evidence before production authority transfers from the mainframe to the AWS solution. Ensure migration readiness includes test-data setup, migration rehearsals, volume/performance validation and closure of material defects or reconciliation gaps. Dual Run, Cutover & Stabilisation Coordinate one-way synchronisation and dual-run considerations documented and ensure the detailed approach is agreed for each application. Lead migration cutover readiness, go/no-go inputs, rollback/back-out coordination, business validation, hyper-care and post- cutover stabilisation. Protect business continuity and current security posture while migration, production transfer and legacy-exit activities progress. Multi-Workstream Governance Coordinate Data Principal Architect, migration architect/technical lead, data engineers, data-quality engineers, solution architects, testing, AWS/cloud and mainframe teams. Manage Client, Cognizant, incumbent and third-party dependencies, including access, environments, tooling, SMEs, approvals and application-wave sequencing. Maintain RAID, decision logs, milestone reporting and delivery evidence through the relevant programme governance forums. REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS Delivery Leadership Senior experience leading complex data migration, application modernisation or cloud-transformation programmes across multiple workstreams. Strong programme control across scope, schedule, cost, quality, risks, dependencies, readiness, cutover and executive reporting. Experience managing distributed, multi-vendor teams and senior client stakeholders. Data Migration & ETL Demonstrated experience leading legacy-to-cloud data migration, including source assessment, source-to-target mapping, ETL/data pipelines, data loading, trial migrations, reconciliation and cutover. Experience governing data profiling, cleansing, transformation, validation, exception management and audit traceability. Experience coordinating migration of data from legacy mainframe stores into relational or cloud database target states.



Legacy & Cloud Technology Context Working understanding of legacy mainframe data technologies, including COBOL/DB2 and portfolio complexity involving IMS, VSAM, NATURAL and SAS. Experience with AWS-aligned data and database modernisation, including target database setup, schema conversion, capacity planning, data loading and migration-wave support. Ability to work with architects and engineers on performance, batch, integration, security, IAM, connectivity and operational- readiness considerations. Testing, Reconciliation & Cutover Experience governing data-migration testing, reconciliation, equivalence, performance/volume testing, rehearsal and production cutover. Ability to coordinate parallel/dual-run, go/no-go criteria, rollback or back-out planning, business verification, hyper-care and handover. Strong evidence-based decision making, with clear separation of confirmed facts, assumptions, dependencies and open risks. PROGRAMME-SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE AREAS This is a 15-application legacy mainframe portfolio supporting Copper, fixed-line, billing, credit-management and reporting functions; the baseline is predominantly COBOL/DB2 with IMS, VSAM, NATURAL and SAS complexity. The programme plan includes explicit lanes for Data Migration, Parallel Run & Equivalence Testing, Deploy & Go-Live, Warranty and MIPS Reduction. The SOW requires modernised applications to align to TRAM and target AWS, and explicitly includes AI/reverse-engineering support for data migration while maintaining business continuity and security posture. The state dual run is expected to use one-way synchronisation to the cloud and does not require bidirectional synchronization. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Programme or project management certification such as PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, MSP or SAFe is desirable AWS, cloud architecture, data engineering or database certification is desirable for this migration-focused role. Telecommunications experience and exposure to billing, service-order, fixed-line, credit-management or reporting platforms. Experience with mainframe-to-cloud database modernisation, ETL tooling, data-quality frameworks and large-volume migration orchestration. Experience with AI-assisted modernisation or migration accelerators is desirable where governed and approved by the programme. PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES & SOFT SKILLS Outcome-focused leader who can balance migration speed with data integrity, operational continuity and evidence-based readiness. Explicit executive communicator who converts technical migration issues into decisions, risks and actions. Structured and analytical, with strong attention to reconciliation, traceability and control evidence. Collaborative across data, application, architecture, test, cloud, security and business teams. High ownership of migration outcomes, dependency closure, cutover readiness and post-migration stability. .

📌 Project Director - Migration - SM Level (India)
🏢 People First Consultants
📍 India