Strategy & Operations Controller: Budget, Growth & Talent

020 Cisco Systems, Inc.; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 178,000 - 234,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. in the United States is seeking a Strategy & Operations Controller to lead the Corporate Controllers Group (CCG) planning, budgeting, and execution.

You will own the CCG budget, guide requisitions, and build programs to develop people while turning data into actionable insights for leaders. You will drive talent development, succession planning, and the modernization of finance processes, partnering with People & Communities and other finance teams to ensure alignment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in finance operations, financial analysis, or process improvement with 5+ years in a management or leadership role.
• Experience with financial planning, analytics, or business intelligence tools; Proficiency with Microsoft Office and enterprise systems.
• Experience supporting or leading talent development initiatives.
• Validated ability to influence and collaborate in a cross-functional, matrix organization with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the CCG budget, including allocating quarterly commits to each team and tracking performance against plan.
• Coach team leaders on managing their budgets and forecasting accurately.
• Run the requisition approval process, ensuring hiring decisions align with CCG’s budget strategy.
• Build reporting and insights that give leadership clear visibility into spend, headcount, and trends.
• Design and run talent development programs tied to career growth and CCG’s business needs.
• Lead succession planning to protect leadership continuity and critical capabilities.
• Develop training on emerging finance technologies and professional skills.
• Partner with P&C on recruiting strategies that attract and retain top talent.
• Support engagement and retention initiatives, and help foster a culture of continuous learning and collaboration.

Skills

Financial planning

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Accounting/Business Administration

MBA or Master’s degree (preferred)

CPA/CFA/CIA/FP&A (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

BI/Analytics tools

Enterprise systems

Job description

Cisco Systems, Inc. in the United States is seeking a Strategy & Operations Controller to lead the Corporate Controllers Group (CCG) planning, budgeting, and execution.

You will own the CCG budget, guide requisitions, and build programs to develop people while turning data into actionable insights for leaders. You will drive talent development, succession planning, and the modernization of finance processes, partnering with People & Communities and other finance teams to ensure alignment