Head of Public Relations, AI Software & Platform

Cisco•San Francisco, CA

22h•Remote

About The Position

The PR team is responsible for leading Cisco's corporate and technology PR programs, as well as crafting and delivering clear and compelling narratives that grab the attention of media and influencers. As Head of PR for AI Software + Platform, you’ll strengthen Cisco’s reputation as critical infrastructure for the AI era and position Cisco Cloud Control as the industry standard for AI-native IT operations. In partnership with the broader Product PR team, you’ll lead launches for major product innovations, keep Cisco visible in the fast-moving AI news cycle, and work closely with the AI Threat Intelligence and Security Research team to bring new research and security innovations to market—reinforcing Cisco’s role as a trusted voice in AI security. In this role, you'll operate like a founding communications leader within a startup-velocity team that sits at the center of Cisco’s AI product and platform strategy. You’ll translate our product vision and platform strategy into compelling external stories that resonate with both enterprise C-suite and practitioner audiences. You'll serve as a trusted advisor to communications leadership, product marketing, and product management—trying new approaches, challenging assumptions, and bringing sharp editorial judgment. You'll move at speed, understand how to mobilize stakeholders to be able to seize fast-moving windows of opportunity, and build differentiated narratives that capture Cisco's unique position as the critical infrastructure for the AI era.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in public relations or communications.
Strong domain knowledge of relevant enterprise B2B technologies including networking, SaaS platforms, cybersecurity, open source, and AI.
Proven ability to synthesize competitive landscape, industry trends, analyst sentiment, and media narratives into sharp, strategic recommendations and storytelling.
Demonstrated ability to navigate complexity and thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities shift quickly.
Bias toward action and iterating in real time based on internal and external feedback.
Strong track record building trust with C-level and senior product leadership.
Ability to be a thought partner, not just an executor.
Proven skill at managing up, across, and down in matrixed environments.
Demonstrated expertise managing external PR and agency partners.

Nice To Haves

Background at a high-growth tech company, startup, or early-stage venture-backed business—where you've worn multiple hats, moved fast, and navigated rapid pivots.
Strong use of AI in day-to-day operations with a hunger to always be learning more; early-adopter mentality.
Well-networked with a finger on the pulse of daily news cycles and a strong sense of who carries narrative influence.
Extreme bias for action and willingness to be scrappy.
Active on X.

Responsibilities

Own positioning development and go-to-market communications for Cisco Cloud Control and platform innovations.
Work closely with product marketing and product management to shape launch narratives, messaging architecture, and media strategy.
Move quickly, iterate based on competitive and market signals, and land differentiated positioning.
Proactively build and nurture relationships with top-tier business, technology, trade and new media covering AI, enterprise networking, security and SaaS.
Pitch stories with conviction, secure high-impact coverage, and drive message pull-through.
Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to product, product marketing, and executive leadership.
Bring external market perspective (competitive moves, media sentiment, industry trends) to internal decision-making.
Develop narratives that connect product innovation to broader industry transformation.
Focus on securing profiles and transformation storytelling.
Build strong partnerships with regional communications teams.
Balance centralized strategy with local market nuance.
Deeply understand the value of partner and customer storytelling, and work hard to create storytelling leverage through these valuable extended networks.
Own end-to-end communications campaign execution—from strategy through measurement.
Manage timelines, vendor relationships, and multi-channel delivery.
Leverage AI tools and automation to accelerate workflows without sacrificing quality or editorial judgment.

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
10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 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 determined by Cisco
16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees (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 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 (non-sales roles)
performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary (sales roles)