EMEA Business Development Manager

Cisco; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco, in collaboration with Splunk, seeks a seasoned National Security Business Development Manager to drive growth across the EMEA region. You will shape market strategy, build trusted relationships with senior government and defence stakeholders, and coordinate cross-portfolio opportunities in a sovereign context.

You will lead a networked, cross-functional effort to translate security capabilities into mission-critical outcomes, ensuring compliant delivery and sustained market penetration

Qualifications

• 8+ years' experience in business development, strategic partnerships, defence, government affairs, or related roles.
• Deep understanding of National Security markets across EMEA.
• Experience working with cleared partners and restricted environments.
• Proven success developing go-to-market strategies.
• Strong executive communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
• High levels of integrity, judgement, and discretion when handling sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the EMEA National Security go-to-market strategy across Cisco and Splunk portfolios.
• Identify emerging market trends, sovereign requirements, and mission-critical customer needs.
• Align regional sales and specialist teams to drive consistent execution and market penetration.
• Build an informal ‘proxy’ network of nationally cleared account managers in Cisco and within system integrators to enable more effective sales and delivery in restricted environments.
• Enable and position ecosystem partners to support business development.
• Coordinate complex Cisco and Splunk opportunities, including joint tenders and strategic pursuits.
• Act as a trusted adviser to customers, either directly or through the ‘proxy’ network on cybersecurity, digital transformation, observability, and secure infrastructure.
• Translate technology capabilities into operational outcomes for national security organisations.
• Develop trusted relationships with senior government, intelligence, defence, and partner stakeholders.
• Bridge customer requirements with internal product, engineering, and specialist teams.

Skills

Business development

Strategic partnerships

Defence & national security

Executive relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

National Security | Strategy, GTM & Partner Ecosystem (Cisco + Splunk)

About The Team

The EMEA Defence & National Security specialist team focuses on mission-critical customers across defence, and national security agencies. Leveraging the combined capabilities of Cisco and Splunk, the team drives growth through strategic go-to-market execution, sector expertise, and trusted partner ecosystems within highly regulated and sovereign environments. The team works in direct support of the sales teams and it focuses on accelerating sales in the defence and national security vertical.

Role Overview

The EMEA Business Development Manager for National Security will lead the growth of Cisco and Splunk's presence across the EMEA national security sector. This strategic role combines market development, ecosystem leadership, executive relationship management, and coordination of complex multi-portfolio opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

National Security Strategy & Go-to-Market:

• Develop and execute the EMEA National Security go-to-market strategy across Cisco and Splunk portfolios.
• Identify emerging market trends, sovereign requirements, and mission-critical customer needs.
• Align regional sales and specialist teams to drive consistent execution and market penetration.

Build An Informal Network

• Build an informal ‘proxy’ network of nationally cleared account managers in Cisco and within system integrators to enable more effective sales and delivery in restricted environments.
• Enable and position ecosystem partners to support business development.

Business Development & Strategic Opportunities

• Coordinate complex Cisco and Splunk opportunities, including joint tenders and strategic pursuits.
• Act as a trusted adviser to customers, either directly or through the ‘proxy’ network on cybersecurity, digital transformation, observability, and secure infrastructure.
• Translate technology capabilities into operational outcomes for national security organisations.

Executive Engagement

• Develop trusted relationships with senior government, intelligence, defence, and partner stakeholders.
• Bridge customer requirements with internal product, engineering, and specialist teams.

Success Measures

• Growth of the National Security pipeline across EMEA.
• Establishment and activation of a high-performing ‘proxy’ network.
• Increased win rate on strategic Cisco and Splunk opportunities.
• Strong executive-level engagement across key National Security accounts.
• Expansion of sovereign-ready solution adoption within the sector.

Qualifications & Experience

• 8+ years' experience in business development, strategic partnerships, defence, government affairs, or related roles.
• Deep understanding of National Security markets across EMEA.
• Experience working with cleared partners and restricted environments.
• Proven success developing go-to-market strategies
• Strong executive communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
• High levels of integrity, judgement, and discretion when handling sensitive information.

Additional Information

Knowledge of Cisco networking and security technologies and Splunk observability and analytics solutions is advantageous. Regular travel across EMEA is expected.

If not already held, candidates must be prepared to undertake Public Sector (National Security) related background checks at high levels to fulfil this role. This role is contingent on the clearance holder maintaining and retaining their clearance.

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.