Account Executive - Architecture

Cisco•San Jose, CA

About The Position

The Account Executive will lead security transformations for enterprise customers by developing resilient, AI-powered strategies to support business continuity and protect against sophisticated cyber threats. The role builds executive relationships with CISOs and CTOs, positions Cisco as a partner for secure AI transformation and adversarial threat mitigation, and drives significant AI security engagements through the full sales lifecycle, from technical proposals and complex negotiations to closing deals and acquiring clients. The Account Executive also synthesizes market intelligence and customer feedback to refine go-to-market strategies and guide Engineering teams on security offerings, while overseeing threat-modeling narratives and long-range security forecasting to provide customers with proactive visibility and autonomous protection. The Cisco AI Defense team is a specialized group of trusted advisors focused on building intelligent, automated infrastructure to secure the AI era. It works at the intersection of networking and machine learning, delivering defensive strategies to global organizations and sharing front-line insights that influence Cisco product roadmaps.

Requirements

At least 7 years of overall sales experience.
At least 3 years of experience specifically selling security solutions.
Experience selling network security solutions, such as intrusion detection, firewall, or VPN, or SaaS security offerings.

Nice To Haves

A proven record of consistently exceeding sales targets and leading large, multi-territory deals.
Proficiency with the MEDDPICC sales methodology.
Comprehensive knowledge of the AI Security market, including adversarial AI and secure model deployment.
Experience building and implementing account plans that incorporate a total systems-based security approach.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills for solution-selling methodologies.
A bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Responsibilities

Lead enterprise customers’ security transformation by architecting resilient, AI-powered strategies.
Cultivate executive-level relationships with CISOs and CTOs to position Cisco as a partner for secure AI transformation and adversarial threat mitigation.
Drive the full sales lifecycle for AI security engagements, including developing technical proposals, managing negotiations, closing deals, and acquiring clients.
Synthesize market intelligence and customer feedback to refine go-to-market strategies.
Guide Engineering teams on the evolution of security offerings using real-world customer insights.
Oversee threat-modeling narratives and long-range security forecasting for customers.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance, subject to plan eligibility rules.
A 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability coverage.
Basic life insurance.
Cisco restricted stock unit grants may be available, subject to eligibility and vesting terms.
Paid holidays and, for non-exempt employees, one floating holiday.
A paid day off for the employee’s birthday, a paid year-end holiday shutdown, and four paid personal wellness days.
Paid vacation: non-exempt employees receive 16 days per full calendar year; exempt employees participate in a flexible vacation time-off program with no defined usage limit, subject to availability and business limitations.
80 hours of sick time off provided on hire and each January 1, with up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward.
Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues.
Optional 10 paid volunteer days per full calendar year.
Sales-plan employees earn performance-based incentive pay in addition to base salary, subject to the applicable Cisco plan; quota-based incentive compensation has no cap.