Account Executive - Architecture

Cisco•Clayton, NC

About The Position

Cisco’s Architecture team serves as the strategic bridge between Cisco technology and customers’ complex business challenges. The team works with internal account teams and business units to position specialized solutions, collaborating with IT leaders and CXOs to develop architectural strategies that respond to market and technology changes. The role is based in the St. Louis, Missouri area; candidates must reside there or be able to commute or relocate. The Account Executive owns strategic customer relationships and influences buying decisions by positioning Cisco architectural solutions. The role leads customer-facing technical proof-of-concept and proof-of-value engagements, develops proposals and competitive intelligence, and collaborates with solution engineers and account teams on long-term strategy. It also provides direct customer feedback to engineering teams to help influence future product development. The application window is expected to close on November 22, 2026. The posted starting salary range for U.S. and/or Canada locations is $219,500 to $301,900, excluding incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. For quota-based sales roles, the ranges in the posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation. Individual pay varies based on location and other job-related factors.

Requirements

At least 7 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree.
Experience leading technical proof-of-concept and proof-of-value engagements in a customer-facing environment.
Experience developing technical bills of materials and architecture-specific business cases.
Experience with architecture-specific forecasting and triangulating technical projections with portfolio planning.
Experience managing sales cycles of 3 to 18 months, with typical deal sizes from $50,000 to $750,000 or more.

Nice To Haves

Deep technical and product knowledge in a specific Cisco architecture area or relevant industry vertical.
Experience interacting directly with CXOs, line-of-business leaders, and key IT decision-makers.
Proficiency conducting market research to develop detailed competitor profiles and integrated account plans.
Ability to translate complex architectural gaps into business-focused technical proposals.
Experience collaborating with product development teams to influence roadmap functionality based on market demand.

Responsibilities

Own strategic customer relationships and influence decisions within the customer’s buying center by positioning Cisco’s specialized architectural solutions.
Lead customer-facing technical proof-of-concept and proof-of-value engagements to demonstrate solution capabilities and business outcomes.
Collaborate with solution engineers and account teams to set long-term strategy and direction for architectural focus areas.
Develop comprehensive proposals and competitive intelligence profiles to position Cisco as a strategic partner.
Provide customer feedback to Cisco engineering teams to influence future product development and keep solutions aligned with technological advancements.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance, subject to plan eligibility.
401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability coverage.
Basic life insurance.
Paid holidays and a floating holiday for non-exempt employees.
Birthday day off, year-end holiday shutdown, and personal wellness days.
Vacation time or flexible vacation time off, depending on employee classification.
Sick time off, with eligible unused time carried forward.
Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues.
Optional paid volunteer days.
Sales-plan employees may earn performance-based incentive pay; eligible employees may also receive Cisco restricted stock unit grants.