Strategy & Planning Manager - Enterprise AI Programs & Governance, Hybrid

020 Cisco Systems, Inc.; North Carolina; Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 192,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking an experienced leader to shape and govern its AI programs across the enterprise. The role anchors policy, standards, and platform adoption, balancing rapid innovation with risk management.

You will drive governance across security, legal, and platform teams, ensuring scalable, compliant AI deployments that support Cisco’s business objectives.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Product Management, Technical Program Management, or a related field.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business strategies and outcomes.
• Experience establishing operating models, governance frameworks, or enterprise processes for AI/emerging tech.

Responsibilities

• Operationalize AI policies and standards with Security and Legal to define governance policies and standards.
• Evolve governance for evaluating and onboarding third-party AI tools with cross-functional teams.
• Align partners across business and technology functions to drive enterprise-wide AI governance execution.
• Increase adoption of the enterprise platform and translate capabilities into measurable business outcomes.
• Accelerate the delivery of technical capabilities to automate AI governance at scale.
• Monitor regulatory developments and industry best practices to strengthen Cisco's AI governance strategy.

Skills

Technical leadership

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive storytelling

Governance

Education

MBA or advanced degree

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 10/08/2026 The preferred location for this position is North Carolina, operating under a hybrid work model, though we are open to flexible, US-based hybrid arrangements for the right candidate.

Meet the Team Join the Cisco AI & Automation Center, a team at the heart of Cisco's operational strategy.

Our mission is to drive a step-change in internal efficiency by embedding AI and automation across all business processes and functions.

As part of Cisco Operations, this Center designs and executes an enterprise-wide AI strategy, accelerating adoption while ensuring alignment with our business objectives.

This role is embedded within the AI Programs and Enablement team - providing strategic direction and trusted frameworks for responsible AI adoption across the company.

Your Impact

You will play a foundational role in scaling Cisco’s AI Programs & Governance function. You will operate at the intersection of strategy, technology, and policy, shaping the path for responsible AI innovation at scale. Your work will enable enterprise teams across Cisco to move fast and innovate safely, balancing business acceleration with risk management.

• Operationalize AI Policies & Standards: Partner with Security and Legal to define and operationalize clear, practical governance policies and technical standards for building, deploying, and scaling Enterprise AI Applications.
• Strengthen AI Tool Governance: Evolve the end-to-end process for evaluating and onboarding third-party AI tools in partnership with cross-functional teams - balancing innovation, risk management, speed, and cost discipline.
• Orchestrate Cross-Functional Engagement: Align partners across business and technology functions to drive decisions and coordinate enterprise-wide execution of AI governance priorities.
• Champion Enterprise Platform Adoption: Partner with Platform and Enablement teams to increase adoption and translate platform capabilities into tangible business outcomes, bringing technical fluency to business engagements.
• Accelerate AI Governance Technical Roadmap: Partner with Platform, Security, and IT teams to accelerate the delivery of technical capabilities required to automate AI governance at scale.
• Shape the Future of AI Governance: Monitor emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and industry best practices to continuously strengthen Cisco's enterprise AI Programs & Governance strategy and operating model.

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Product Management, Technical Program Management, Management Consulting or a related field.
• Strong technical foundation, with the ability to engage credibly with both technical and business partners and translate complex technical concepts into clear business strategies and outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience establishing operating models, governance frameworks, or enterprise processes for AI / emerging technologies.
• Proven track record leading complex, cross-functional initiatives in a large enterprise environment, from solution design through execution.
• Experience developing executive-level narratives, recommendations, and presentations that drive decisions and advance strategic initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA, advanced degree, or equivalent combination of technical background and practical business experience.
• Experience operating within a centralized AI Center of Excellence (CoE), Enterprise Transformation Office, or Chief Strategy/AI Organization.
• Working knowledge of enterprise AI governance standards, ethical AI frameworks, and regulatory landscapes (e.g., ISO/IEC 42001, EU AI Act, AIUC-1).

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 $128,400.00 to $191,600.00 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: $173,400.00 - $265,200.00 Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $161,300.00 - $235,500.00 * 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.

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.