IT consultancy Cognizant to create 1,000 jobs in Leeds as new centre opens

The company said it was making the move following rising demand from businesses across the public sector and in the health industry.

Cognizant first announced its intention to create more than 1,000 new jobs in Leeds over the next five years in September 2021, including at least 200 entry-level positions through its graduate and apprenticeship intake.

A spokesperson said Leeds was chosen as the location for the new Delivery Centre “due to its rich talent pool and proximity to local universities”.

Its entry-level hires will be supported by a long-term commitment to improving social mobility in the Leeds area through programmes that encourage STEM education in primary and secondary schools.

Rohit Gupta, Managing Director for the UK and Ireland at Cognizant, said: “For almost 20 years, Cognizant has had a presence in the UK&I, in that time we have grown to make it our second largest market by revenue and now our fastest growing globally.

“Our new Leeds delivery centre will enable us to continue to deliver exceptional work to clients across the UK’s public and private sector who already rely on Cognizant to help them modernise their business and keep up with the pace of digital transformation.

“Expanding our investment in the UK’s talent is another logical and necessary next step for Cognizant and is testament to the palpable energy and dynamism in the country’s tech sector and particularly the emerging workforce in the Leeds area.”

Employees in the new delivery centre will benefit from increased flexibility via hybrid working, enabling them to determine where and when they work as well as newly designed studios and facilities that offer a collaborative working environment.

Cognizant has appointed Sarah Tulip as Senior Director – Head of Northern Delivery Centres.

She said: Tulip comments: “This is a hugely exciting project both for Cognizant and for the growth of the digital ecosystem in the Leeds area.

“In particular, we are committed to supporting junior talent as they start their careers in the tech sector. At least a fifth of our new hires in Leeds will be graduates and apprentices and we hope these opportunities will help nurture the huge potential we know exists in this region.”