Leader, Solutions Engineer, Splunk

Cisco•Rtp, NC

3d•Remote

About The Position

The Partner Solutions Engineering Leader will lead a team of Partner Solutions Engineers (PSEs) who act as the primary technical liaison between Splunk/Cisco and our partner ecosystem (System Integrators, Resellers, MSP, Service Providers, and Consultants). The mission is to mature our partners' technical practices, driving their progression through the Cisco Partner 360 program and ensuring they are fully equipped to deliver Splunk and Cisco solutions that drive revenue and customer outcomes. To build and lead a high-performing Partner Solutions Engineering function that transforms our partners into independent, technically proficient authorities. Act as a force multiplier, turning ad-hoc partner support into a repeatable operating system of enablement, reference architectures, and joint-solution development that accelerates pipeline conversion and reduces technical risk in the field. Be the technical champion for Cisco’s Data Fabric strategy, using Data Intelligence and AI to help partners build differentiated, high-value practices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree + 8+ years demonstrated ability; OR Master’s degree + 5 years.
5+ years of broad/deep technical knowledge in Security, Observability, Event, or Network Management.
3+ years of people management experience leading technical pre-sales or partner-facing engineering teams.
Consistent track record of building high-performing teams and developing talent across different career stages.
Strong operational acumen, including experience with partner capacity planning, enablement roadmaps, and measuring business impact.

Nice To Haves

Understanding of the Cisco Partner technical enablement to partner program requirements.
Experience articulating the value of Cisco Data Fabric, AI-driven observability, and Data Intelligence to partner leadership.
Demonstrable experience in driving technical certification programs and badge attainment within a channel or partner organization.
Experience leading Partner Solutions Engineering teams within the software or technology industry.
Solid understanding of data platforms, SIEM, observability, security operations, or related technologies; Splunk/Cisco ecosystem experience is a strong plus.
Ability to translate complex technical concepts for both C-Level executives and technical practitioners.
Experience leading organizational change and driving adoption of new strategies, processes, and technologies.

Responsibilities

Partner Program Advancement: Act as a technical catalyst to help partners move up the Cisco Partner 360 tiers. Lead initiatives to ensure partner sales, SE, SA, SP, and MSP staff achieve required Splunk Certifications and badges, directly influencing the partner’s Partner Value Index (PVI) score.
Strategic Technical Focus: Drive the adoption of Cisco’s Data Fabric strategy, using Data Intelligence and AI to help partners build differentiated practices.
Partner Practice Maturity: Assess partner technical capabilities and gaps; design multi-quarter enablement roadmaps to build partner capacity and technical maturity around Splunk/Cisco portfolios.
Strategic Enablement: Lead the design and delivery of technical training, workshops, and labs to accelerate partner readiness. Develop technical playbooks, reference architectures, and demo assets tailored to partner-led GTM priorities (Security, Observability, Cloud, Network, and AI).
Joint Solution Development: Collaborate with partner engineering and product teams to co-develop joint solutions. Ensure these solutions align with platform strategies, security frameworks, and industry-specific compliance requirements.
Technical Advocacy & Liaison: Serve as the main technical point of contact for strategic partners, helping them navigate product roadmaps, resolve complex integration challenges, and advocate for partner-specific requirements back to internal Product and Engineering teams.
Sales & RFP Support: Partner with the channel sales team to provide technical input for RFPs and support high-stakes partner-led demonstrations or Proof of Concepts (POCs).
Operational Governance: Document partner engagements, track key performance metrics (e.g., partner technical maturity, PVI impact, solution deployments, and pipeline influence), and standardize enablement methodologies to ensure scalable support.
Leadership & Culture: Hire, coach, and develop a team of PSEs. Foster a culture of technical excellence, customer-first empathy, and partner-centric growth.

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, and 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, and 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
Employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies (for non-sales roles).
Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan.