Senior Engagement & Onboarding Manager

Job Title: Senior Engagement & Onboarding ManagerLocation: Chennai (Onsite / Hybrid as applicable)Experience: 15+ yearsNotice Period: Immediate to 15 days onlyRole OverviewThe Senior Engagement & Onboarding Manager is a consulting-style project leader and senior individual contributor who owns the end-to-end client journey-from discovery and scoping, through resourcing and onboarding, to steady-state handoff.This role serves as the single point of accountability for high-profile client engagements, working closely with OpCo CEOs, Product Leaders, and senior stakeholders. The individual establishes early clarity, momentum, and operating rhythm, then sequences the right resources at the right time to ensure a seamless transition to long-term ownership.The role begins like a high-impact consulting Program Manager, driving structure, governance, and execution in the onboarding phase, and then transitions to enabling stable, long-running service ownership.This position requires a highly seasoned professional (15+ years) with the credibility, maturity, and influence to operate confidently with senior business leaders and manage complex, long-running client relationships.Key ResponsibilitiesClient Engagement & OwnershipOwn the client journey end-to-end: discovery, scoping, onboarding, delivery alignment, and steady-state handoffAct as the single point of accountability for external client stakeholdersEstablish and run stakeholder cadences (weekly, monthly, QBRs, MBRs)Translate business objectives into clear execution plans, including milestones, RACI, SLAs, risks/issues, and success metrics Program & Onboarding LeadershipLead engagements like a consulting program manager-creating early clarity, momentum, and governanceBuild and maintain onboarding playbooks, checklists, runbooks, and operating modelsEnsure India-based OpCo teams are fully operational by Day 1, with no critical gapsDrive predictable execution across onboarding, integration, and transition phases Cross-Functional OrchestrationCoordinate and unblock dependencies across TA, IT, HR, Security, Finance, Legal, Engineering, and Delivery teamsManage cross-time-zone teams across India, the U.S., and global stakeholdersSequence the right resources at the right time to support onboarding and scaleEnsure a clean, well-documented handoff to long-term service owners once steady state is achieved Governance, Reporting & ToolsOwn governance forums, dashboards, and reporting structuresTrack KPIs, SLAs, escalations, risks, and outcomes using tools such as ATS, ServiceNow, SR tools, and PPM dashboardsProvide clear, proactive, executive-level communication to holding companies and senior leadership What Success Looks LikeIndia-based OpCo teams are fully operational from Day 1Holding companies feel confident, informed, and supported throughout onboardingClear accountability, governance, and predictable execution are established earlySmooth transition from onboarding to steady-state operations Required Experience & Skills15+ years of experience in program management, engagement management, or consulting-style client leadership rolesProven experience managing external customer engagements (not internal IT or internal business units)Demonstrated ability to influence senior client stakeholders, including budget owners, decision-makers, CEOs, and Product LeadersExperience owning and orchestrating long-running services (1-2+ years), not just short-term projectsStrong background in cross-functional coordination across multiple business functionsExcellent executive communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skillsComfortable operating as a senior individual contributor with managerial maturity