Communications Manager (Remote)

Cisco Systems, Inc.; San Jose (CA); Remote; USD 145,000 - 184,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. seeks a Communications Manager to advance Customer Experience (CX) internal communications enterprise-wide.

You will lead strategic initiatives, partner with senior leaders, and translate complex business ideas into clear, engaging messages for Cisco employees. In a fast-paced, matrixed environment, you will steer editorial planning, content creation, and stakeholder collaboration to drive alignment and growth.

Qualifications

• Experience in corporate/internal communications within large tech or software organizations.
• Ability to translate complex business ideas into clear internal messages for senior leaders.
• Proven track record in stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience supporting executive leaders and leading omnichannel editorial planning.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute internal communication strategies aligned with key FY27 actions and company priorities.
• Serve as liaison between CX and Cisco to drive alignment and understanding of CX priorities.
• Translate CX initiatives and success stories into compelling narratives for the wider Cisco organization.
• Lead editorial planning, content flow, channels, and timing for internal audiences.
• Build cross-functional relationships to identify opportunities and prevent silos in communications.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to produce talking points, presentations, and digital content.
• Manage ad hoc content requests and ensure timely delivery of communications materials.
• Demonstrate strategic, analytical thinking and the ability to convey complex data clearly.

Skills

Corporate communications

Internal communications

Change management

Enterprise transformation

Executive storytelling

Stakeholder management

Editorial planning

Cross-functional collaboration

AI fluency

Influencing without authority

Tools

SharePoint

Slido

Eloqua

Poppulo

Job description

Meet the Team

The Customer Experience (CX) Executive Communications team is a dynamic group dedicated to driving strategic internal communications that engage and advise Cisco employees. We partner closely with senior leadership to craft clean, compelling narratives that align with Cisco's priorities and culture, playing a pivotal role in boosting employee engagement and supporting the company's growth.

Role Overview

The Communications Manager plays a critical role in advancing Customer Experience (CX) as an enterprise-wide growth priority at Cisco. You will lead and execute strategic internal communications initiatives in a fast-paced, matrixed environment, and be a vital liaison between the CX organization and Cisco. You will act as a strategic partner to senior leaders, simplifying complex business ideas into clear, engaging messages - ensuring organizational alignment and driving the efficiency of our communication programs.

Core Responsibilities

• Proactively develop and execute communication strategies that support Cisco's key FY27 actions and financial objectives, positioning CX as a core driver of enterprise-wide growth.


• Serve as the primary communications liaison CX and other Cisco business units and functions to drive alignment and understanding of CX priorities.


• Translate complex CX strategic initiatives and customer success stories into compelling narratives that resonate across the broader Cisco organization.


• Lead editorial planning, managing content flow, channels, and timing for internal audiences.


• Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain cross-functional relationships to proactively identify enterprise communication opportunities and prevent silos.


• Develop, manage, and deliver communications collaboratively with stakeholders and subject matter experts, including talking points, presentations, organizational announcements, and digital content


• Content creation and management / execution of ad hoc requests as needed


• Strategic, analytical and strong communication skills, as well as being able to relay technical information/data/results

Preferred Qualifications

• 6+ years of corporate communications, internal communications, or change management experience, preferably within a large, matrixed global technology or software organization.


• Experience working within enterprise-wide transformation initiatives.


• Hands-on experience using standard employee communications platforms and tools including SharePoint, Slido, Eloqua, Poppulo or similar


• Proven ability to translate complex, high-level business strategies (such as financial and strategic milestones) into clear, engaging, and actionable internal communications narratives.


• Demonstrated experience supporting executive leaders and driving alignment across cross-functional stakeholder groups.


• Strong editorial judgment with hands-on experience leading omnichannel editorial planning, managing content flows, and using internal communication channels effectively.


• High degree of AI fluency and able to use technology to reimagine processes and drive positive outcomes


• Experience representing functional teams on cross-organizational or global editorial steering committees.


• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence without authority and build trusted partnerships across diverse business units.

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 $145,200.00 to $184,100.00 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:

$145,200.00 - $212,100.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$129,100.00 - $188,300.00

* 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.