Senior Director, Demand Generation Strategy

Cisco Systems; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 285,000 - 391,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Paid parental leave

Stock grants

Job summary

Cisco Systems is seeking a senior marketing leader to own high-volume B2B demand generation for the Duo product, focusing on SMB and lower-mid-market segments. You will work cross-functionally with Sales, SDR, Product Marketing, and Content to scale demand generation and drive bookings.

You will lead funnel optimization, ABM programs, and portfolio strategy while managing budgets and agency partners. Expertise in AI-enabled marketing and a hands-on leadership style are essential.

Qualifications

• 12+ years owning high-volume B2B SaaS demand generation for SMB or lower-mid-market.
• 5+ years measurable marketing-generated pipeline or bookings.
• 5+ years of people-management leading 3–5 marketers.
• 5+ years partnering with Sales/SDR to improve lead quality and results.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end strategy for high-volume B2B demand generation for Duo in SMB/lower-mid-market.
• Build and optimize the full funnel from acquisition to sales-accepted opportunities and bookings.
• Partner with Sales/SDR leaders to refine lead routing, follow-up speed, and conversion quality.
• Set digital marketing strategy across Cisco Security portfolio and align audiences, channels, and investments.
• Coordinate with Product Marketing and Content for integrated programs across the customer journey.
• Lead ABM programs with account insights to improve targeting and measurement.
• Manage budgets and agency partners to drive efficient, measurable results.
• Lead and coach a hands-on team with a focus on performance and experimentation.
• Apply AI to marketing workflows and measure improvements in effectiveness.
• Communicate results and strategic recommendations to cross-functional partners and senior leadership.

Skills

B2B SaaS demand gen

Leadership & people mgmt

Cross-functional collaboration

ABM & digital marketing

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 11/10/2026

Meet The Team

You will be joining the Cisco Security organization, focusing on the Duo product. This team operates at the heart of a high-growth, software-led business model. You will work cross-functionally with Sales, SDR, Product Marketing, and Content teams to drive demand generation, focusing on scaling our reach and impact within the SMB and lower-mid-market segments.

Your Impact

• Strategy & Execution: Own the end-to-end strategy for high-volume B2B demand generation for Duo, focusing on SMB and lower-mid-market audiences.

• Funnel Optimization: Build and optimize the full funnel, managing the transition from acquisition through to sales-accepted opportunities and bookings.

• Sales Alignment: Partner closely with Sales and SDR leaders to refine lead routing, follow-up speed, and conversion quality, directly impacting acquisition economics.

• Portfolio Strategy: Set digital marketing strategy across the broader Cisco Security portfolio, ensuring that audiences, channels, and investments are aligned with core business priorities.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinate with internal stakeholders—including Product Marketing and Content—to execute relevant, integrated programs across the customer journey.

• ABM Integration: Partner on digital ABM programs, utilizing account and buying-group insights to enhance targeting and measurement.

• Operational Excellence: Manage budgets and agency partners, directing investment toward initiatives that deliver efficient, measurable results.

• Leadership: Lead and coach a hands-on team, setting clear priorities while maintaining a focus on performance, experimentation, and execution.

• AI Integration: Apply practical AI to marketing workflows and measure the resulting improvements in effectiveness, efficiency, and business outcomes.

• Reporting: Communicate results, performance insights, and strategic recommendations to cross-functional partners and senior leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience owning high-volume B2B SaaS demand generation for SMB or lower-mid-market customers, using scalable digital acquisition and lifecycle programs.

• 5+ year track record of measurable marketing-generated pipeline or bookings, with clear personal accountability across the funnel.

• 5+ years of direct people-management experience leading at least 3–5 marketers, with a hands-on player-coach approach.

• 5+ years of experience partnering with Sales and SDR/inside-sales teams to improve lead quality, follow-up, conversion, and results.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience setting digital strategy across a multi-product portfolio and allocating significant budgets across channels and agencies.

• Experience coordinating digital ABM or account-based programs with sales and account teams.

• Strong commercial and analytical judgment, including ROI-based decisions, experimentation, and practical use of AI in marketing work.

• Experience in B2B SaaS, cybersecurity, or enterprise technology; security experience is helpful, but not required.

• Demonstrable examples of AI-enabled marketing workflows that improved effectiveness, efficiency, or business outcomes.

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 $284,700.00 to $390,900.00 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:

$284,700.00 - $449,500.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$272,000.00 - $398,000.00

• 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.

Cisco is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.

Cisco will consider for employment, on a case by case basis, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.