Director Strategic Alliances

Cisco • San Jose, CA

2d • $244,200 - $375,900 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Strategic Alliances team is part of Cisco’s Corporate Strategy organization, and defines the company’s global strategy for our most critical partnerships. You will operate as a key strategic bridge to our Alliance Partners, to understand their priorities and capabilities and align them with Cisco’s alliance strategy. You will work with teams across Cisco including product leaders, sales leaders, CTOs, systems architects and marketing professionals to ensure that our global go-to-market and technical integration efforts are synchronized to drive mutual growth.

Requirements

• BA/BS degree with 10+ years of experience in business development, product management, or high-level partner management, specifically within the global cloud or networking ecosystem.
• Proven track record of managing large-scale, complex technology partnerships with significant strategic impact.
• Deep technical fluency in cloud-native architectures, including hybrid/multi-cloud, containerization, SaaS, and the security requirements of large-scale cloud environments.
• Expert-level communication and influence skills, with a demonstrated ability to align diverse, global stakeholders and senior executives toward a unified vision without direct line authority.
• Strong grasp of the strategic and competitive dynamics of the cloud industry, with the ability to translate technical concepts into high-level business strategy.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Management Consulting
• Extensive experience working with U.S.-headquartered hyperscale cloud providers.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate the organizational complexities of a large-scale multinational technology conglomerate.
• Advanced proficiency in data-driven decision-making and the ability to articulate innovative thought leadership to both technical and business audiences.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the multi-year global alliance strategy for our most significant cloud partners.
• Serve as the primary architect for joint initiatives that span multiple geographies and business units.
• Drive complex initiatives by influencing senior leaders across Cisco’s product, engineering, and sales teams.
• Ensure that internal stakeholders prioritize the partnership’s objectives.
• Incubate and manage high-stakes, cross-functional programs that require deep collaboration to ensure successful product integration and market adoption.
• Act as a primary point of contact for executives at both Cisco and our partner.
• Navigate the "coopetition" landscape to secure long-term commitments and strategic alignment.
• Provide actionable intelligence to Cisco’s leadership team regarding the partner’s strategic direction, competitive positioning, and emerging technology trends, directly shaping Cisco’s executive-level decision-making.

Benefits

• medical, dental and vision insurance
• a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution
• paid parental leave
• short and long-term disability coverage
• basic life insurance
• grants of Cisco restricted stock units
• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year
• 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
• 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday
• paid year-end holiday shutdown
• 4 paid days off for personal wellness
• 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year (non-exempt)
• flexible vacation time off program (exempt)
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter
• up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward
• Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
• annual bonuses (for non-sales roles)
• performance-based incentive pay (for sales roles)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director