Director, Small Business Product Management

About the role

Meet the Team As the Director of Product Management for the Small Business (SMB) portfolio, you will serve as a pivotal strategic leader, driving the vision and execution for a global business unit. You will operate at the nexus of engineering, sales, and marketing to define and deliver simple, secure, and scalable networking solutions. In this Grade 13 leadership role, you will be responsible for shaping the long-term trajectory of the SMB portfolio, ensuring it remains a cornerstone of Cisco’s growth strategy while fostering an inclusive, high-performing culture.

Responsibilities

• Architect the long-term product vision and multi-year roadmap, ensuring rigorous alignment with Cisco’s corporate objectives and market evolution.
• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-caliber team of product managers. Cultivate a culture of accountability, innovation, and operational excellence, consistently driving the team toward high-impact outcomes.
• Maintain full lifecycle accountability for the SMB networking portfolio, including ethernet switching, wireless access, routing, and cloud-native management platforms. You will own the strategic business outcomes and financial performance of the unit.
• Partner with senior engineering leadership to prioritize development cycles and ensure high-quality, scalable delivery. Influence internal stakeholders and executive leadership to secure support and resources for key initiatives.
• Act as the primary spokesperson for the SMB business. Engage with industry analysts, customers, and partners to articulate Cisco’s market-leading value proposition and shape the competitive landscape.
• Drive complex, channel-driven go-to-market strategies by collaborating with global sales and channel leadership to maximize market penetration and customer lifetime value.

Requirements

• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in product management within the technology sector, with a proven track record of managing complex portfolios.
• 6+ years of extensive experience navigating and scaling channel-driven business models in a global context.
• 5+ years of experience in the SMB market, with a demonstrated ability to drive significant revenue growth and market share expansion.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of skills and experience.

Qualifications

• Prior experience in a sales or business development leadership role, providing deep insight into the customer journey and buying behavior.
• Direct experience managing a P&L for a business unit exceeding $100M+ in annual revenue.
• Advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) or equivalent executive industry experience.
• Technical fluency in networking architectures, specifically ethernet switching, wireless, routing, and cloud-based management ecosystems.
• Proven capacity to inspire and lead large, diverse teams, fostering professional growth and high-performance standards.
• Exceptional communication and executive presence, with the ability to influence at the highest levels of the organization and external partner ecosystem.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and visionary leadership.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to influence and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Experience in driving revenue growth and market share expansion.
• Technical expertise in networking architectures.

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.
• Up to 10 paid days off for volunteering.
• Flexible vacation time off program.
• Annual bonuses for non-sales roles.
• Performance-based incentive pay for quota-based sales roles.

Pay

The starting salary range posted for this position is $230,100.00 to $325,300.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training.

Schedule

Incumbent will need to be in the Bay Area (San Jose/ Milpitas) and be onsite in office 3-4 days per week.