Technical Activation Lead
About The Position
The Incubation Technical Activation Lead turns approved cross-product technical and architectural decisions into dated, owned workstreams that achieve demonstrable customer and field readiness. The role translates approved use cases and architecture into coordinated workstreams with accountable owners, dependencies, milestones, and acceptance criteria across AI Defense, Cloud Control, MCF, and future incubation offers. The lead maintains technical activation and decision-tracking resources, including an activation register, decision log, readiness checklist, partner-delivery tracker, use-case charter, and structured feedback register. The role surfaces unresolved dependencies and advances work using evidence, coordinating product, engineering, sales engineering, dCloud/demo, partners, CX/support, legal/security, and field execution. It also coordinates partner SOW deliverables and makes handoffs and test results reusable across teams. The position develops reference materials such as proof plans, deployment patterns, and field-readiness evidence, and runs readiness gates from concept through coordinated proof, pilot, launch readiness, and scale. Examples include orchestrating AI Defense competitive-proof readiness, Cloud Control onboarding procedures, and a partner Multi Cloud Fabric managed-service practice high-level design, with acceptance proof based on tangible results.
Requirements
- 12+ years of demonstrated expertise in network software and solutions.
- Strong architectural literacy and ability to create reference demos, proof plans, deployment patterns, and enablement materials for early-stage technology innovations.
- Experience maintaining technical registers, decision logs, and readiness checklists, identifying dependencies, and raising issues with data-driven evidence.
- 5+ years of experience driving rapid prototyping and Proof of Concepts (PoCs) from initial concept through pilot, launch readiness, and scale.
- Proven experience leading an engineering team aligned with sales counterparts.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced expertise orchestrating sophisticated technical proofs, such as AI Defense, Cloud Control, or similar emerging technology validations.
- Ability to handle ambiguity in fast-paced incubation environments and adapt to shifting priorities and early-stage Go-To-Market hypotheses.
- Deep understanding of product partnership dynamics, including building repeatable sales and partner playbooks for lighthouse customer wins.
- Strong background developing reusable results that streamline processes across cross-functional teams.
- Excellent communication and project management skills demonstrated through tangible technical milestones.
Responsibilities
- Translate approved use cases and architecture into coordinated workstreams with accountable owners, dependencies, milestones, and acceptance criteria.
- Maintain the technical activation register, decision log, readiness checklist, partner-delivery tracker, use-case charter, and structured feedback register.
- Identify unresolved dependencies and advance work using data-driven evidence.
- Coordinate product, engineering, sales engineering, dCloud/demo, partner, CX/support, legal/security, and field execution.
- Coordinate partner SOW deliverables and make handoffs and test results reusable across teams.
- Develop proof plans, deployment patterns, and field-readiness evidence.
- Run readiness gates from concept through coordinated proof, pilot, launch readiness, and scale.
- Orchestrate technical readiness work such as AI Defense competitive proofs, Cloud Control onboarding procedures, and partner MCF managed-service practice high-level designs.
- Lead an engineering team aligned with sales counterparts.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution
- Paid parental leave
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- Basic life insurance
- Paid holidays and a floating holiday for non-exempt employees
- Paid day off for employee's birthday
- Paid year-end holiday shutdown
- Paid personal wellness days
- Paid vacation time for non-exempt employees
- Flexible vacation time off program for eligible exempt employees
- Paid sick time
- Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues
- Optional paid volunteer days
- Annual bonuses for eligible non-sales employees
- Performance-based incentive pay for employees on sales plans
- Restricted stock unit grants may be available to eligible employees
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
