Director Strategic Alliances

About the role

The Strategic Alliances team is part of Cisco’s Corporate Strategy organization, defining the company’s global strategy for its most critical partnerships. You will operate as a key strategic bridge to our Alliance Partners, understanding their priorities and capabilities and aligning them with Cisco’s alliance strategy.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the multi-year global alliance strategy for our most significant cloud partners.
• Serve as the primary architect for joint initiatives that span multiple geographies and business units.
• Drive complex initiatives by influencing senior leaders across Cisco’s product, engineering, and sales teams.
• Incubate and manage high-stakes, cross-functional programs that require deep collaboration to ensure successful product integration and market adoption.
• Act as a primary point of contact for executives at both Cisco and our partner, navigating the "coopetition" landscape to secure long-term commitments and strategic alignment.
• Provide actionable intelligence to Cisco’s leadership team regarding the partner’s strategic direction, competitive positioning, and emerging technology trends, directly shaping Cisco’s executive-level decision-making.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of experience in business development, product management, or high-level partner management, specifically within the global cloud or networking ecosystem.
• Proven track record of managing large-scale, complex technology partnerships with significant strategic impact.
• Deep technical fluency in cloud-native architectures, including hybrid/multi-cloud, containerization, SaaS, and the security requirements of large-scale cloud environments.
• Expert-level communication and influence skills, with a demonstrated ability to align diverse, global stakeholders and senior executives toward a unified vision without direct line authority.
• A strong grasp of the strategic and competitive dynamics of the cloud industry, with the ability to translate technical concepts into high-level business strategy.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Management Consulting.
• Extensive experience working with U.S.-headquartered hyperscale cloud providers.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate the organizational complexities of a large-scale multinational technology conglomerate.
• Advanced proficiency in data-driven decision-making and the ability to articulate innovative thought leadership to both technical and business audiences.

Benefits

At Cisco, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including:

• 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.

Employees may also be eligible for additional paid time off, grants of Cisco restricted stock units, and performance-based incentives based on individual performance and company goals.