CDA Country Lead

Cisco Systems, Inc.; Çankaya; On-site; TRY 6,431,000 - 11,576,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a CDA Program Leader for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to define, execute, and scale strategic digital initiatives.

You will lead a team of project managers and specialists, align with national digital agendas, and coordinate with Cisco's global CDA programs. This role requires 10+ years in program management, outstanding executive engagement, and proven delivery of complex, multi-stakeholder portfolios across government and enterprise contexts.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in program management, strategic consulting, or senior leadership roles, preferably in tech or public sector digital transformation.
• Proven track record delivering large-scale, multi-stakeholder programs from initiation to closure with measurable impact.
• Exceptional strategic planning, executive communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management at government and enterprise levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the CDA Country program for KSA, defining and executing the CDA strategy and aligning with Cisco's global objectives.
• Oversee a portfolio of CDA projects, ensure timely delivery within budget and scope, and coordinate with Global CDA initiatives.
• Mentor and develop a high-performance team of project managers and specialists.
• Engage high-level government officials, C-suite executives, partners, and Cisco leadership to secure buy-in and drive collaboration.
• Manage program-wide budgets, forecasting, revenues, and resource allocation for maximum impact.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Executive communication

Team development

Negotiation

Tools

Jira

Asana

MS Project

Smartsheet

Advanced Excel

Job description

Who We Are

At Cisco, we’re building the bridge to a digital future by investing in national digitization. Our Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program is a strategic partnership platform that drives innovation, builds digital skills, and accelerates the digital agenda of nations. The CDA Program Leader will be instrumental in defining, executing, and scaling our strategic initiatives in KSA, leading a team to achieve significant national impact.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Program Leadership & Portfolio Management: Lead the overall CDA Country program, defining, developing, and executing the CDA strategy for KSA, aligning with national digital agendas and Cisco's global objectives. Manage portfolio priorities and investments to maximize impact and alignment.
• End-to-End Program Management Oversight: Provide strategic oversight and direction for a portfolio of CDA projects, ensuring alignment with program goals, timely delivery, and adherence to budget and scope. Coordinate closely with Global CDA initiatives and lead Country Program Review Calls.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of project managers and specialists, fostering a high-performance culture and ensuring effective resource allocation across initiatives.
• Executive Stakeholder Engagement: Cultivate and manage strategic relationships with high-level government officials, C-suite executives, key partners, and internal Cisco leadership to secure buy-in, align objectives, and drive collaborative success.
• Financial Oversight & Management: Oversee CDA financials, including spending, forecasts, revenues, and linearity. Manage the strategic planning, allocation, and management of program-wide budgets and resources to maximize impact and efficiency.
• Risk, Compliance & Opportunity Management: Proactively identify strategic risks and opportunities across the program, developing comprehensive mitigation plans. Ensure program compliance with all relevant internal policies and external regulations.
• Performance Measurement & Reporting: Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) and impact metrics for the entire CDA program. Manage all program reporting, including biweekly updates, quarterly financial updates, forecasts, and bi-annual reviews. Prepare and deliver executive-level reports on program status, strategic milestones, and overall performance to internal and external stakeholders.
• Cross-functional Orchestration & Communication: Drive seamless collaboration and alignment across various Cisco functions (sales, engineering, marketing, operations, legal, finance) to ensure successful execution and integration of CDA initiatives. Align with Marketing and Communications for external program communication and with internal stakeholders for effective internal communication.
• Innovation & Thought Leadership: Champion innovation within the CDA program, identifying emerging trends and technologies to enhance program offerings and position Cisco as a leading digital transformation partner.
• Required Qualifications
  • 10+ years of experience in program management, strategic consulting, or a senior leadership role, ideally within a technology or public sector environment focused on digital transformation.
  • Proven track record of successfully leading and delivering large-scale, complex programs involving multiple stakeholders, from strategic initiation to successful closure and impact measurement.
  • Exceptional strategic planning, executive communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with experience engaging at the highest levels of government and enterprise.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
  • Proficiency in advanced program and project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, MS Project, Smartsheet, advanced Excel) and strategic planning frameworks.

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.