Strategy & Planning Manager - Bay Area
About The Position
The Strategy & Planning Manager supports Cisco’s Hyperscale & AI (HAI) Solutions Engineering organization and is required to live in or relocate to the Bay Area. The role partners with the VP of Engineering to translate business objectives into actionable engineering strategies that support HAI growth. It drives operational efficiency through data-informed decisions and cross-functional coordination, and connects sales priorities with day-to-day engineering execution. The position also supports a high-performing, enabled, and engaged Solutions Engineering team by improving operations, developing talent, advocating for the HAI SE community, and encouraging continuous improvement. The role coordinates with HAI Sales Engineering, Americas SE leadership, Global SE, Sales, and Marketing.
Requirements
- At least 5 years of experience in strategy, operations, program management, or pre-sales engineering.
- Bachelor’s degree in a technical or business-related field.
- Proficiency in Salesforce, data analysis, and modern AI-driven productivity platforms.
- Experience defining KPIs, monitoring performance, and executing strategic planning in large organizations.
Nice To Haves
- Knowledge of AI tools.
- Field experience as a Solutions Engineer, with an understanding of the HAI or SP business landscape and portfolio.
- Experience fostering a high-performance culture through mentorship, team recognition, and professional development.
- Experience aligning engineering teams with global sales and marketing objectives through cross-functional collaboration.
- Critical thinking skills and a track record of driving innovation and change management in complex environments.
- Executive presence and strong verbal and written communication skills for high-level storytelling and presentations.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement strategies for the Solutions Engineering team that support HAI growth and align with broader sales, marketing, and product strategies.
- Create and execute operational strategies supporting Solutions Engineering and Architecture team objectives.
- Identify potential risks, develop mitigation plans, and present insights to leadership.
- Define success metrics, track progress toward strategic objectives, and monitor KPIs assessing pre-sales strategies and initiatives.
- Analyze performance metrics, identify improvement opportunities, implement corrective actions, and establish a framework for continuous feedback and iteration.
- Coordinate across the HAI Sales Engineering team, Americas SE leadership, Global SE, Sales, and Marketing to align goals and deliverables.
- Identify skill needs and implement training programs for the Solutions Engineering team.
- Mentor and guide team leaders to strengthen strategic thinking and technical capabilities.
- Foster a high-performance culture through inspiration and recognition.
- Advocate for the HAI SE community and represent its impact and requirements within the broader Americas and Global SE organizations.
Benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution
- Paid parental leave
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- Basic life insurance
- Paid holidays and floating holiday for non-exempt employees
- Birthday day off, year-end holiday shutdown, and personal wellness days
- Paid vacation or flexible vacation time off, depending on employee classification
- Sick time off
- Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues
- Optional paid volunteer days
- Annual bonuses for eligible non-sales roles
- Sales incentive compensation for employees on sales plans
- Potential Cisco restricted stock unit grants, subject to eligibility and vesting conditions
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
