Director, People and Communities

Cisco; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 2,200,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco is looking for an experienced HR leader to join their People & Communities team in Bengaluru, India. In this role, you will partner with business leaders to align people strategies with organizational objectives and ensure meaningful employee experiences.

The ideal candidate will have over 18 years in HR leadership, a master's degree, and a proven ability to drive large-scale transformations while leveraging data analytics. This strategic position is crucial for championing a culture of inclusion and success.

Qualifications

• 18+ years of proven experience in an HR leadership role.
• Experience in developing inclusive business strategies globally.
• Proven track record in leading people transformations.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leaders to align people strategies with business objectives.
• Leverage data and analytics to improve employee experience.
• Champion inclusive culture and lead transformation initiatives.

Skills

HR leadership

People strategies

Data-driven decision making

Stakeholder management

Agile operations

Education

Master’s degree in Human Resources or Business Administration

Job description

Meet the Team

The People & Communities (P&C) team partners closely with Cisco’s business and community leaders to bring our people strategy to life in a way that scales globally while remaining locally relevant. We act as trusted advisors, coaches, and change leaders—connecting business strategy, people priorities, and employee experience. The team is global, highly collaborative, and operates in a matrixed environment with deep partnerships across Growth, Solutions, and People Experience teams. Our vibe is strategic, curious, and impact-driven, with a strong focus on inclusion, conscious leadership, and transformation. What’s exciting is the opportunity to influence how people experience work at scale while shaping future‑focused people strategies.

Your Impact

Partner with business and community leaders to evangelize the P&C strategy and ensure people priorities are fully aligned with business objectives. Act as a strategic consultant and trusted advisor by translating short‑ and long‑term business imperatives into integrated people plans that drive measurable impact. Leverage data, analytics, and insights to inform people decisions, track success metrics, and improve employee experience across communities. Lead and enable transformation initiatives—such as Inclusion & Conscious Culture—by representing community voices and influencing cross‑community change. Champion adoption of the P&C portfolio, build leadership capability, and contribute to a strong One P&C culture where success is measured by sustained business outcomes and engaged, high‑performing teams.

Minimum Qualifications

• 18+ years of proven experience in an HR leadership or equivalent strategic HR role
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing people strategies aligned to inclusive business objectives in a global environment
• Proven track record of leading or contributing to large‑scale organizational or people transformations
• Experience operating effectively in agile, fast‑paced, matrixed organizations
• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience partnering with sales and/or technology organizations
• Strong executive presence with extensive experience advising senior leaders and leadership teams
• Ability to leverage people analytics and insights to drive data‑informed decision‑making
• High comfort navigating ambiguity, complexity, and competing priorities
• Exceptional communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills