Senior Corporate Counsel, Public Sector Compliance

020 Cisco Systems, Inc.; Washington; Hybrid; USD 228,000 - 288,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid parental leave

Disability coverage

Life insurance

Paid time off

RSU grants

Job summary

The Regulatory Affairs & Compliance team within Cisco’s Legal department seeks a Senior Corporate Counsel, Public Sector Compliance to advise on compliance with public sector laws and regulations in the U.S. This role requires deep knowledge of public sector compliance principles and strong analytical skills.

Responsibilities include developing policies, monitoring for issues, and partnering with cross-functional teams to operationalize contractual and regulatory obligations.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and licensed in good standing.
• 10+ years in-house or law firm experience in U.S. public sector compliance.
• Strong FAR/DFARS understanding and regulatory experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on compliance with laws and regulations, including FAR and supplements.
• Develop policies to foster trust and mitigate public sector risks.
• Assess internal issues and monitor compliance, suggesting pragmatic solutions.
• Collaborate with sales, finance, and operations to implement regulatory obligations.
• Partner with Government Affairs to shape evolving regulations.

Skills

Public sector compliance

FAR/DFARS knowledge

Regulatory program development

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 11/20/2026 “Members of the Legal organization at select locations will generally be expected to follow a hybrid work model, which includes two days of in-office attendance each week, with limited exceptions.”

Meet the Team

The Regulatory Affairs & Compliance team within Cisco’s Legal department is comprised of lawyers, program managers, operational specialists, engineers, and subject matter experts focused on topics including compliance and ethics (anti-bribery and anti-corruption), global trade, cybersecurity, telecom, environmental sustainability, and various other regulatory practice areas and programs. We partner with colleagues in Legal and functional teams across the company to drive compliance and impact. Cisco’s Regulatory Affairs, Legal team is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Corporate Counsel, Public Sector Compliance to advise on compliance matters, laws, and regulations governing public sector business in key markets, including the U.S. This role requires a deep understanding of public sector compliance legal principles, strong problem-solving and analytical skills, and the ability to work collaboratively.

Your Impact

Providing legal advice and support on compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and its supplements, and relevant statutes. Developing policies and guidelines crafted to foster a culture of trust and mitigate and address risks inherent to the public sector. Conducting internal assessments, and monitoring for potential compliance issues and recommending pragmatic solutions. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including sales, finance, and operations functions, to operationalize compliance with contractual obligations and regulatory requirements. Partnering with Cisco’s Government Affairs team to help shape evolving regulations in a dynamic regulatory landscape.

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school and licensed in good standing.
• 10+ years of relevant in-house legal and/or law firm experience, with a focus on U.S. public sector compliance and government contracts.
• Strong understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and relevant statutes.
• Consistent track record of developing and implementing compliance programs and policies and working with varying business units to develop, deliver, and guide effective, efficient regulatory compliance strategies and programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with national regulations and legal principles applicable to public sector business in the EU, LATAM, and Canada.
• Eligibility and willingness to obtain a U.S. government security clearance.

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 $227,500.00 to $288,400.00 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.
• 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
  • 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.

Applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:

• New York City Metro Area: $255,900.00 - $373,100.00
• Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $227,500.00 - $331,700.00

* 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.

Cisconians power the future. We make impact as a team, innovating fast and fearlessly to create meaningful solutions on a large scale. The depth and breadth of our technology doesn't just benefit our customers – it also means limitless opportunities for us to experiment and learn. We understand the power each of our unique backgrounds bring when we work together. Because of that, we have a global network of thinkers, doers, experts, and curious creators who help one another do their life’s best work.