Hardware Engineering Program Manager

Cisco•San Jose, CA

1d•$152,400 - $255,100•Onsite

About The Position

The Common Hardware Group (CHG) creates innovative hardware platforms central to the AI era, powering Cisco’s core Switching, Routing, and Wireless products for organizations globally. Within CHG, the Systems & Optics Team (SaO) serves as the execution engine for Cisco's most strategic hardware initiatives. We partner across silicon, engineering, product management, operations, supply chain, manufacturing, and executive leadership to transform technology strategy into successful product delivery. Our mission is to provide program leadership, governance, transparency, and execution rigor across highly complex system development programs, shaping the future of hyperscale infrastructure.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering such as electrical, industrial or mechanical or physics + 7 years of related experience in technical hardware program/project management or hardware/product development.
Experience handling end-end programs including budget oversight, schedule management, and breakthrough tracking.
Experience in advanced spreadsheet management, including the use of data modeling and visualization to track project metrics.
Experience in action tracking, executive updates, dashboards and organizational communications.
Experience with managing cross-functional dependencies in engineering environments with focus on time-to-market.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in non-program management NPI development roles.
In-depth knowledge of hardware manufacturing environments and production workflows.
Background in supply chain operations or procurement strategies for complex hardware programs.
Experience in utilizing Codex and other AI tools/agents for productivity enhancements.
Experience applying Jira, Confluence and SharePoint to track project dependencies, risks, and issue resolution.
Demonstrated experience with Design Verification Testing (DVT) processes within hardware development lifecycles.
Proven ability to navigate and influence outcomes in a highly matrixed, globally distributed organization.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end Data Center Switching hardware program development from initial concept through customer release, defining clear priorities, breakthroughs, and comprehensive execution plans.
Orchestrate complex, multi-functional programs by aligning hardware and software engineering, product management, operations and other multi-functional teams to ensure cohesive delivery.
Proactively monitor program health, identify risks and dependencies, and drive timely issue resolution through actionable recommendations to partners.
Champion continuous process improvements, governance frameworks, and the integration of automation and AI-enabled tools to enhance operational efficiency.
Manage financial integrity and resource allocation, ensuring that budgets are tracked accurately and projects remain within scope and on schedule.
Facilitate seamless collaboration between internal teams, manufacturing partners, and external suppliers while providing transparent status updates to leadership.
Work independently but receive minimal guidance and direction from leader then determine the best approach to accomplish work.

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 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
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 (for sales roles)