Business Operations Manager, Hyperscaler Data Center & Client Optics

Cisco; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 149,000 - 193,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco is seeking a Business Operations Manager to blend analytical, technical, and operational expertise to drive meaningful change. You will identify, triage, and drive strategic thinking on critical questions and roadblocks, delivering quantitative insights to engineering and leadership teams.

You will develop and track key operating metrics and lead cross-functional programs across departments and vendors.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience developing and implementing quantitative operational models, capacity frameworks, or forecasting methodologies using complex datasets.
• Designing, deploying, and managing operational workflows and governance with engineering leadership and technical stakeholders.
• Experience establishing and tracking operational KPIs, performance metrics, and executive reporting for large-scale organizations.
• Managing complex, cross-functional operational programs across multiple technical departments, vendors, or business units.

Responsibilities

• Identify, triage, and drive strategic thinking on key questions, issues, and roadblocks facing the organization.
• Conduct quantitative research and data retrieval to deliver compelling recommendations to engineering and leadership teams.
• Collaborate on operational excellence projects and develop and track critical operating metrics.
• Turn strategic recommendations into actions across engineering and leadership teams.

Skills

Quantitative modeling

Operational workflows

KPIs & reporting

Cross-functional programs

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field

Master's degree (or equivalent)

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 11/27/2026

The preferred location for this position is San Jose,California operating under a hybrid work model, though we are open to flexible, US-based hybrid arrangements for the right candidate.

Meet the Team

The Hyperscaler, Data Center and Client Optics Supply Chain team moves fast enabling growth for our organization and solve toughest cross-functional challenges. As a key member of our Business Operations team supporting the VP of Supply Chain, you will play a critical role in driving the overall strategies that enable the business to scale successfully. We offer a unique opportunity to work across teams to operationalize change at scale. You will join a dynamic group where success is measured by data-driven outcomes, and where you will have real ownership of business results.

Your Impact

As a Business Operations Manager, you will blend analytical, technical, and operational expertise to drive meaningful change. Each week will bring a new set of projects and challenges. You will identify, triage, and drive strategic thinking on key questions, issues, and roadblocks facing the organization. By conducting quantitative research and complex data retrieval, you will deliver compelling recommendations to our engineering and leadership teams. You will collaborate on critical operational excellence projects, turning strategic recommendations into reality while developing and tracking critical operating metrics.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline (or equivalent practical experience), plus 10+ years of professional experience in business operations, technical program management, or management consulting (or Master’s degree with 6+ years of relevant experience).
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience developing and implementing quantitative operational models, capacity frameworks, or forecasting methodologies using complex datasets.
• Proven experience designing, deploying, and managing operational workflows, processes, or governance frameworks in partnership with engineering leadership and technical stakeholders.
• Practical experience establishing and tracking operational KPIs, performance metrics, and executive reporting packages across large-scale technical or supply chain organizations.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, cross‑functional operational programs across multiple technical departments, vendors, or business units.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Cisco Product Development Methodology (CPDM) or similar product lifecycle frameworks.
• Experience driving process optimization and operational excellence initiatives within a large-scale supply chain or engineering environment.
• Strong project management skills with a track record of developing and tracking critical operating metrics for executive leadership.
• Ability to balance immediate daily operational needs with long‑term strategic capability building.

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 $148,500.00 to $193,300.00 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 of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to 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

$148,500.00 - $234,600.00

Non‑Metro New York State & Washington State

$135,400.00 - $215,200.00

• 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.