Public Relations Lead: AI & People Transformation

Cisco Systems, Inc; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 129,000 - 188,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonuses

Comprehensive benefits

401(k) plan with Cisco matching

Paid parental leave

Volunteer time off

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a Public Relations Manager focused on People, Learning and AI Transformation to craft compelling narratives that align with business priorities and elevate Cisco’s reputation as an innovation leader and employer of choice.

You will partner with senior People executives to drive media coverage, bylines, and speaking opportunities, while guiding agency partners and leveraging AI tools to accelerate timelines and impact.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in public relations, corporate communications, or related field(s).
• Proven ability to build relationships with top-tier business, technology, HR or policy media and secure high‑impact coverage.
• Experience developing and executing communications strategies for a defined portfolio or business area; strong knowledge of competitive landscape and stakeholder needs.
• Crisis and issue management experience under tight deadlines.
• Experience leading cross-functional campaigns and multi-channel initiatives.
• Comfort with ambiguity and balancing global communications goals with regional needs.

Responsibilities

• Thought Leadership: Drive a consistent, high-impact media drumbeat to strengthen Cisco’s positioning across People priorities, AI transformation, and skilling initiatives.
• Executive Positioning: Advise key People executives and their teams, securing high-profile external platforms, bylines, awards, and speaking opportunities.
• Media Relations & Storytelling: Proactively pitch and secure feature stories and strong message pull-through across top outlets and emerging platforms.
• Issues Management: Counsel stakeholders and coordinate thoughtful communications strategies on sensitive topics.
• Agency Management: Direct external PR agency partners to translate strategy into high-impact results.
• Communicate Impact: Track and report results to leadership with emphasis on outcomes.
• AI Innovation & Workflow Automation: Optimize PR operations by adopting generative AI tools and automated workflows.

Skills

Media relations

Crisis management

Executive communications

Cross-functional collaboration

AI tooling familiarity

Job description

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a Public Relations Manager focused on People, Learning and AI Transformation to craft compelling narratives that align with business priorities and elevate Cisco’s reputation as an innovation leader and employer of choice.

You will partner with senior People executives to drive media coverage, bylines, and speaking opportunities, while guiding agency partners and leveraging AI tools to accelerate timelines and impact.