Director of Business Development User Protection Suite

Cisco Systems; United States; Remote; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems is seeking a Director of Business Development for their Security User Protection Suite. This strategic role involves developing partnerships, driving product innovation, and collaborating across teams to enhance Cisco’s offerings. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in business development and a strong understanding of security technologies.

Benefits

Dedicated paid time off to volunteer (80 hours annually)

Inclusive Communities for employee collaboration

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• 10+ years in Business Development, ideally with product management experience.
• Proven track record of developing partnerships in Security.
• Experience influencing senior leadership in a global ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Drive business growth through strategic alliances for the User Protection Suite.
• Lead business strategies and shape product direction for security.
• Negotiate and manage deals aligned with growth initiatives.

Skills

Business Development

Product Development

Corporate Strategy

Technical Proficiency in Security

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field

MBA or Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

The application window is reopened and is expected to close on: 6/16/2025.

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

Travel is expected and will be due to partner, Cisco-owned, and partner-owned events.

Location: US Remote, with a preference for West Coast/Bay Area.

Meet the Team

The Business Development & Partnerships team is a strategic function within Cisco’s central product organization, dedicated to encouraging innovation and driving growth through impactful technology partnerships. This team plays a critical role in:

• Developing technology partnerships to enhance Cisco’s product portfolio.
• Driving and enabling innovative customer-centric solutions in collaboration with technology partners.
• Supporting Cisco’s market expansion by leveraging partner ecosystems.
• Cross-functional collaboration across engineering, sales/GTM, corporate strategy, marketing, and legal to align business development efforts with overall company strategy and positioning.

The team thrives on crafting long-term, mutually beneficial relationships that deliver measurable business outcomes while maintaining agility and adaptability in the fast-evolving technology landscape.

Your Impact

Cisco Systems is seeking a Director, Business Development, focusing on Cisco’s User Protection Suite, to support a new Business Development & Partnerships practice for Security. This role will be embedded in and aligned with our Security Product Organization under the Chief Product Officer. The leader will drive business growth and product innovation via technology partnerships in close collaboration with the VP, Business Development, Security, Product Leaders, CMOs, Heads of Product Management, and Heads of Sales, as well as the central GTM and Alliances teams, and Corporate Strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Partnership Development: Establish and cultivate strategic alliances to boost product growth, unlock new markets, and build mutual value in the User Protection Suite.
• Thought Leadership & Innovation: Drive business strategies for Cisco Security growth, forecast trends, and shape product direction in strategic partner environments.
• Partnership Product/GTM Strategy: Collaborate across teams to redefine roadmaps, ensuring strategic alignment and market responsiveness.
• Deal Management: Structure and negotiate complex agreements, support due diligence for Security M&A targets, and align with strategic growth initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Facilitate partnership execution and represent senior product leaders in key meetings across the ecosystem.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field.
• 10+ years in Business Development, Product Development, or Corporate Strategy & Planning roles, ideally with direct product management experience.
• Proven technical proficiency in Security technologies and current/future-forward technology landscapes.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or Master’s degree.
• Track record of developing new partnerships or alliances with industry-leading customers and partners in Security.
• Experience influencing senior leadership-level partners in a complex, matrixed, and global ecosystem.
• Experience designing and implementing go-to-market strategies for growth and success.
• History of operational excellence with the ability to link strategy to execution.
• Thorough understanding and enthusiasm for Cisco’s product portfolio and User Protection Suite, with deep market intelligence and a comprehensive view of Cisco’s current and future market direction.
• Skilled in collaborating with cross-functional teams to align Cisco User Protection Suite roadmaps with strategic objectives and market demands.

#WeAreCisco, where every individual brings their unique skills and perspectives to pursue our purpose of powering an inclusive future for all.

Our passion is connection—we celebrate our employees’ diverse backgrounds and focus on unlocking potential. Cisconians often experience one company, many careers, where learning and development are encouraged at every stage. Our technology, tools, and culture pioneered hybrid work trends, allowing all to give their best and be their best.

We understand our opportunity to bring communities together, and at the heart of that is our people. One-third of Cisconians collaborate in our 30 employee resource organizations, called Inclusive Communities, to connect, foster belonging, learn to be informed allies, and make a difference. We also offer dedicated paid time off to volunteer—80 hours each year—allowing us to give back to causes we care about, and nearly 86% of employees participate.

Our purpose, driven by our people, makes us the worldwide leader in technology that powers the internet. Helping our customers reimagine applications, secure enterprises, transform infrastructure, and meet sustainability goals is what we do best. Every step we take is toward a more inclusive future for all. Take your next step and be you, with us!