Strategy & Planning Manager

Cisco Systems, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 324,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401(k) with company matching

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. seeks a regional readiness and governance lead within the Security Trust & Organization to drive cloud compliance strategy, cross-functional execution, and regulatory readiness across multi-cloud and SaaS environments.

You will partner with Engineering, Product, Security, Legal, and GTM teams to scale operations, deliver data-driven insights, and advance program maturity while maintaining executive-level communication and accountability.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in cloud security, compliance, or strategic operations.
• Proven ability to drive enterprise transformation and governance across complex environments.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management at executive levels.

Responsibilities

• Define and operationalize long-term compliance and cloud assurance strategies.
• Lead governance, portfolio visibility, and roadmap alignment across regions.
• Partner with Engineering, Product, Security, Legal, and GTM teams to remove blockers and improve execution.
• Develop executive-ready dashboards and metrics to inform decision-making.

Skills

Cloud security

Program leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA preferred

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 08/17/2026

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

Meet the Team

You will be a key leader within the Cisco Security Trust & Organization, reporting directly to the Senior Director of Trust & Compliance. You are responsible for driving strategy, operational scale, and cross-functional execution across the enterprise compliance portfolio.

• Strategy & Execution: Define and operationalize long-term compliance and cloud assurance strategies, ensuring efficient regional market access and regulatory readiness.
• Operational Excellence: Drive standardization, automation, and portfolio governance across multi-cloud, SaaS, and hybrid environments.
• AI & Automation: Lead initiatives to scale compliance operations through AI and intelligent workflow integration, reducing manual effort and enhancing audit readiness.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with Engineering, Product, Security, Legal, and GTM teams to improve execution and remove blockers.
• Data-Driven Insights: Develop executive-ready dashboards and metrics to support data-driven decision-making and program maturity.

Regional Readiness, Governance & Cross-Functional Operations

• Operational Planning: Support the planning and execution of regional cloud compliance availability, certification expansion, and regulated market readiness.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Lead initiatives across Product, Engineering, Security, Infrastructure, PMO, and GTM teams to improve execution, alignment, and operational scalability.
• Governance Frameworks: Contribute to governance models that improve prioritization, dependency management, portfolio visibility, and roadmap alignment.
• Stakeholder Influence: Influence stakeholders through strong collaboration and data-driven insights to remove operational blockers and improve organizational communication.
• Market Enablement: Assist with market access impact analysis and certification prioritization to support global business growth and customer trust.
• Market Monitoring: Develop and enhance monitoring processes to identify emerging compliance and regulatory trends, enabling proactive risk management and supporting competitive advantage.

Your Impact

• A strategic systems thinker who can build scalable frameworks and influence cross-functional executives.
• You possess a passion for operational transformation and have a demonstrated ability to navigate complex challenges to achieve business results.
• A leader who thrives in a dynamic, matrixed environment and drives operational rigor without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• You have an analytical mindset with experience leveraging metrics and automation to drive scalable outcomes.
• A trusted advisor who can communicate effectively at all levels, from technical engineering teams to executive leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in cloud security, compliance, strategic operations, or technical program management.
• 3+ years leading cross-functional programs or strategic projects in cloud/enterprise technology environments.
• Deep expertise in cloud security and compliance frameworks (e.g., FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, SOC 2, CSA STAR).
• Proven ability to drive enterprise transformation and operational maturity.
• Strong executive presence with exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Relevant industry certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, PMP, CISA, CRISC) are highly preferred.

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 $155,500.00 to $226,800.00 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 ofunused sick timecarried forwardfrom one calendar yearto 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:

$198,500.00 - $324,100.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$180,200.00 - $278,600.00

* 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.