Global Head of Retail Vertical AI Sales
About The Position
Join our team and help shape a lasting impact on the world. Cisco is the engine of modern artificial intelligence—the most significant technology breakthrough of our time—and is redefining the Retail landscape. The Cisco Global AI Sales Team exists to build and drive a unified AI go-to-market strategy across Cisco’s global sales organization that will expand our customer base and exceed on-target revenue goals. We are seeking a Retail Vertical Leader to define, industrialize, and globally scale differentiated Retail solutions. Our focus is above the hardware — bringing together deep industry fluency and world-class Secure AI solutions that will help customers navigate the AI landscape with confidence, precision, and a decisive competitive edge. We drive AI-led growth by activating teams worldwide, delivering vertical expertise, and building the scalable tools and programs that empower every seller to win with AI. As the Global Retail Leader of AI Solutions, you will own the end-to-end strategy, pipeline, and revenue narrative for your vertical. You are the senior thought leader and primary cross-functional point of contact across GEO sales, Business Units, Channel, Marketing, and ISV / solution partners. You define how Cisco wins in your vertical — setting GTM direction, leading executive engagements, influencing investment decisions, and coaching a matrixed vertical team of “Peaked” sellers who execute in the field.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in vertical Business
- 10+ years of enterprise technology sales or go-to-market experience
- 5+ years working in senior roles in Retail market
- Demonstrated experience in the Retail ecosystem
- Demonstrated track record of owning revenue targets and building vertical sales strategies at scale
- Deep understanding of the Retail industry’s regulatory environment, buying dynamics, and technology priorities
- Executive presence, with the ability to operate and influence at C-suite level
- Proven ability to lead and align cross-functional, matrixed organizations without direct authority
- Comfort operating at a fast pace with ambiguity and driving alignment across global, matrixed teams spanning product, engineering, channel, delivery, and sales
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in Business, Computer Science, or a related field
- Hands-on experience with AI, ML, or data platform solutions in vertical context
- Background in full-stack technology solutions (networking, security, compute, observability)
- rack record of building and scaling new GTM motions in competitive markets
- Experience leading global or multi-region teams and programs
Responsibilities
- Develop, build and implement the vertical growth strategy
- Team Leadership & organizational alignment across global cross matrixed vertical team; Serving as primary thought leader and senior stakeholder across GEOs, Business Units, Channel, Marketing, and ISV/solution partners for your vertical
- Define, create and communicate the AI vertical strategy and GTM direction — the “what to sell and how to sell” for your vertical
- Own vertical P&L narrative, pipeline and bookings performance against vertical targets
- Create a strong vertical pipeline through solution-led motions including programs and sales resources. (use-case plays, co-sell with partners, executive value stories) rather than product-led selling
- Build and develop lighthouse customer relationships that serve as references and demand generators, value proof points, and reusable assets that make solutions easier to sell, deliver, and scale
- Lead executive-level customer and partner engagements, including competitive escalations and C-suite conversations
- Influence investment decisions and resource allocation across a matrixed organization without direct authority
- Translate AI market trends, customer signals, and competitive dynamics into actionable GTM plays
- Lead vertical QBRs and drive pipeline health reviews across the global team
- Coach and guide both the matrixed vertical team and “Peaked” GEO sellers assigned to your vertical
- Collaborate with Alliance and Channel teams to maximize ISV and partner co-sell value within the vertical
- Travel at >30% of time with focus on customer facing engagements
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
- 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 employees)
- flexible vacation time off program (exempt employees)
- 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 from one calendar year to the next
- Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
- Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
- annual bonuses (for non-sales roles)
- performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary (for sales roles)
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
