Account Executive - Architecture-IMI (Internet and Mass Infrastructure)

Cisco Systems, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 292,000 - 442,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company matching

Medical/dental/vision insurance

Paid parental leave

Cisco RSUs eligibility

Generous vacation/time-off

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. in San Francisco seeks a senior architectural specialist to drive revenue growth across the Americas, focusing on next-generation routing and optical technologies.

You will lead multi-year, multi-million dollar opportunities from technical discovery to closure, coordinating with sales, systems engineering, and product teams. The role demands deep Cisco platform knowledge, executive communication, and the ability to build strategic relationships with tier-1 partners while

Qualifications

• 8+ years of quota-carrying technology sales experience in high-end routing or optical infrastructure.
• 8+ years of technical fluency in SP/Enterprise routing architectures including Cisco 8000, NCS 5500/5700, and ASR 9000 platforms.
• Experience closing multi-million dollar infrastructure opportunities with large BOMs and multi-year refresh projects.
• Knowledge of IP-over-DWDM, SRv6/SR-MPLS, and 100G/400G/800G high-speed optics.
• Experience structuring Enterprise Agreements and navigating CAPEX/OPEX financial models.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sales strategy for Cisco's Internet Infrastructure portfolio across Enterprise, Commercial, and Service Provider accounts.
• Own and close multi-million dollar opportunities from discovery to executive presentation and final closure.
• Coordinate with systems engineering to deliver PoCs and network designs.
• Manage a robust multi-quarter pipeline in Salesforce to ensure forecast accuracy and deal velocity.
• Build strategic relationships with tier-1 Channel Partners to expand market reach.

Skills

Quota-carrying sales

Routing platforms

BOMs & CAPEX

IP-over-DWDM

SRv6/SRv-MPLS

Executive presence

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 10/23/2026

Application window expected to close on 10/24.

Location: West Coast, U.S., or Denver, Colorado

Meet the Team

Join our Internet Infrastructure (IMI) team as a senior architectural specialist driving revenue growth and market share across the Americas. We focus on Cisco's next-generation portfolio, including the Cisco 8000 Series, NCS platforms, and Routed Optical Networking solutions. Our team serves as the vital link between core sales, systems engineering, and product business units to capture major infrastructure buildouts. You will work in a high-energy environment alongside a cross-functional group of experts dedicated to leading the industry's shift to 400G/800G transitions and automated networks. This is a unique opportunity to lead high-impact sales motions during multi-year refresh cycles for our largest customers.

Your Impact

Drive the end-to-end sales strategy for Cisco's Internet Infrastructure portfolio across Enterprise, Commercial, and Service Provider accounts. Lead complex, multi-million dollar opportunities from technical discovery through executive presentation and final closure to secure market-leading deals. Orchestrate virtual teams and partner with systems engineering to deliver high-impact Proof of Concepts and network design validations. Manage a robust, multi-quarter pipeline within Salesforce to provide accurate forecasting and ensure high deal velocity. Build strategic relationships with tier-1 Channel Partners to expand market reach and accelerate customer adoption of next-generation routing and optical technologies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Attained 8+ years of success in quota-carrying technology sales with a record of exceeding goals in high-end routing or optical infrastructure.
• Achieved 8+ years technical fluency in SP/Enterprise routing architectures including Cisco 8000, NCS 5500/5700, and ASR 9000 platforms.
• Closed complex, multi-million dollar infrastructure opportunities involving large Bills of Materials (BOMs) and multi-year capital refresh projects.
• Experience with IP-over-DWDM, Segment Routing (SRv6/SR-MPLS), and 100G/400G/800G high-speed optics.
• Proficiency in structuring Enterprise Agreements (EAs) and navigating CAPEX/OPEX financial models.

Preferred Qualifications

• Generated a proactive sales pipeline through analysis of install-base data, LDOS timelines, and bandwidth demand trends.
• Securedcritical deals by leading cross-functional virtual teams across Sales, CX, Product Managers, and Finance.
• Strong executive presence with experience presenting architectural ROI and business impact to C-level stakeholders.
• Converted competitive accounts by articulating Cisco's silicon and routing advantages over competitors like Arista, Ciena, or Juniper.
• Bachelor's degree

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.

Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $292,100.00 to $384,200.00 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. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco's plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco's policies:

• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees

• 1 paid day off for employee's birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco

• Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees

• Exempt employees participate in Cisco's flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)

• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours ofunused sick timecarried forwardfrom one calendar yearto the next

• Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members

• Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer

For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco's policies.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:

• .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;

• 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;

• 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and

• Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.

For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:

New York City Metro Area:

$292,100.00 - $441,900.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$263,900.00 - $409,200.00

* For quota-based sales roles on Cisco's sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.

** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.