Account Executive - Portfolio

Cisco Systems, Inc.; Glendale (CA); On-site; USD 269,000 - 361,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking an Account Executive-Portfolio in the Los Angeles area to lead strategic sales engagements with named customers.

You will build and nurture customer relationships, collaborate with services, partnerships, and product teams, and execute short- and long-term strategies aligned with client objectives. The role requires 5+ years in sales or customer-facing IT solutions, a track record of closing deals, and strong executive presence.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in sales or customer-facing roles handling IT solutions for large enterprise, service provider, or hyperscale accounts.
• Demonstrated ability to build customer relationships, articulate product/service value, create demand, and close deals.
• 5+ years of experience providing thought leadership and communicating a clear vision both verbally and in writing.
• 5+ years demonstrating executive presence and business acumen.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.

Responsibilities

• Sell to named customers using a Go to Market/Value Selling approach and drive large strategic wins.
• Forecast monthly, quarterly, and annual revenue accurately and manage resources.
• Collaborate with services, partnerships, and product teams to align on business priorities.
• Leverage AI tools to learn about customers, Cisco’s portfolio, and competitive dynamics.
• Build executive relationships and articulate Cisco's product and business strategies.

Skills

Sales experience

Customer relationships

Executive presence

Strategic account planning

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Job description

The application window is expected to close on:

Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Required location is Los Angeles, California.

Meet the Team

Join a transformative team driving strategic change and innovation for some of the world's leading global clients. As an Account Executive-Portfolio, you will lead sales engagements, build and nurture customer relationships, and collaborate with internal teams—including services, partnerships, and product leaders—to define and execute both short- and long-term strategies aligned with evolving client business objectives.

Our team's mission is to deliver profitable growth by fostering a culture of high performance and ensuring customer success. We work in a dynamic and engaging environment where teamwork, both internally and externally, is key to our collective achievements. Success in our matrixed sales environment requires a customer-focused approach and a strong partnership mindset. We value passion, integrity, trust, leadership, discipline, and execution in all that we do.

Your Impact

We change the World, you will become passionate about your employer and the brand you represent. Everything is converging on the Internet, making networked connections more meaningful than ever before in our lives. Our employees' groundbreaking ideas impact everything imaginable. Here, that means we will take creative ideas from the drawing board to dynamic solutions that have real world impact. Cisco is evolving a rich solution portfolio of next generation software, hardware, and services to meet customers' changing business requirements in the digital economy.

The Account Executive will be responsible for effectively selling to named customers. Your background and experience will enable you to deliver large strategic wins, offer an expertise working with a diverse partner base and achieve a consistent track record of exceeding goals.

You will be using a Go to Market Sales Model- Driving Business Relevant /Customer Value Selling (engaging line of business and gaining sponsorship outside of IT), Strategic Account Planning, Business Disciplines and Challenger Sales strategies while ensuring alignment of current Area and Theater priorities. Driving Sales Achievement - Focusing on account and resource planning and allocation to drive sales attainment numbers. Accurately forecasting your monthly, quarterly and annual revenue streams; driving profitable growth. Financial Acumen & Performance - Analyzing your customer's priorities to understand their pain points. Assessing consumption models needs per customer. Driving business planning and goal attainment.

Account Executives are expected to leverage AI tools to be more productive in role. This includes using AI to continuously learn about your customers, Cisco's portfolio, and the competition—staying current on industry trends, account priorities, and competitive dynamics so you can engage customers with greater relevance and speed.

A successful Account Executive will be:

• An aggressive self-starter with the ability to build executive relationships, articulate Cisco's product and business strategies, create demand and close deals.

• Demonstrated knowledge of working with complex technical solutions including calling on key decision makers and all other technical and business influencers.

• Have the ability to negotiate solutions and resolve issues with peers, partners and customers employing a Win/Win philosophy.

• Have an ability to work with Product Engineering Teams in creating integrated solutions that address complex problems with a focus on the Cisco value proposition.

• Must have keen ability to position turnkey solutions and articulate primary vendor strategies to senior customer Executives.

• Proven experience in processes for successful account management including forecasting, quota over achievement, sales presentations, short term, mid-term and long term opportunity management.

• Comfortable using AI tools to accelerate research, preparation, and learning—continuously building knowledge of customers, Cisco's portfolio, and the competitive landscape.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years in sales or customer-facing roles, focused on IT solutions for large enterprise, service provider, or hyperscale accounts

• Demonstrated ability to build customer relationships, articulate product and service value, create demand, and successfully close deals

• 5+ years experience providing thought leadership and communicating a clear vision both verbally and in writing

• 5+ years demonstrating executive presence and business acumen

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to advocate for customers with internal stakeholders, aligning on priorities and positioning for mutual success

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to convey complex concepts in a concise, compelling, and creative manner

• Skilled at balancing immediate demands with long-term strategic goals

• Experience using AI tools to support account research, competitive analysis, and ongoing learning about Cisco's portfolio and market trends

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 $269,300.00 to $360,800.00 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:

$292,000.00 - $440,900.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$269,300.00 - $411,100.00

* 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.