Strategy & Planning Manager (Remote US)

Cisco Systems, Inc; Denver (CO); Remote; USD 128,000 - 192,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. seeks a Strategic Planning Lead to drive AI-enabled initiatives within the Global Specialists org. You will partner with executive leadership to translate vision into actionable plans, leveraging data analytics and scenario modeling to optimize investments and resource allocation across the enterprise.

This role supports the Incubation team under Global Specialists, shaping the OneCisco AI strategy and guiding cross-functional programs toward measurable outcomes.

Qualifications

• Must be able to work in the US without sponsorship now or in the future.
• Experience in strategy, business planning, or management consulting.
• Proven ability to translate strategic direction into defined, measurable initiatives.
• Proficiency in data modeling and utilizing analytical tools to inform decision-making.
• Experience in cross-functional stakeholder management and facilitating alignment across complex organizational structures.

Responsibilities

• Translate long-term visions into actionable strategic goals, prioritizing initiatives that maximize impact and align with OneCisco priorities.
• Form insights from internal/external data and AI-driven signals to advise executives on investment strategies and resource optimization.
• Facilitate annual and multi-year planning processes, using scenario modeling and AI tools to evaluate feasibility, trade-offs, and outcomes.
• Oversee cross-functional improvements to simplify decision-making and ensure initiatives remain on track and aligned with business cycles.
• Create data-rich narratives that frame complex options, articulate risks, and build consensus across cross-functional leadership.
• Map market evolution and competitive landscapes to identify new opportunities, questioning commercial assumptions to drive growth.

Skills

Data modeling

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree + 8 years related experience

Master’s degree + 6 years related experience

PhD + 3 years related experience

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 11/12/2026

Meet the Team

We are the Global Specialists Strategy and Transformation team. Our small team of strategists advises on resource allocation, organization design, sales priorities, and process improvement. We support the Global Specialists Sales leadership team and work closely with peers in each of the geographies and the strategy organizations supporting Cisco's global head of sales. This role will be dedicated to supporting the newly established Incubation team within the Global Specialists org.

Your Impact

As a Strategic Planning lead, you will bridge the gap between high-level vision and measurable execution. You will act as an internal consultant, leveraging advanced analytics and AI-driven insights to shape enterprise-wide initiatives. This role is exciting because you will influence executive decision-making, optimize resource allocation, and directly drive the "OneCisco" AI strategy to transform how we approach global market opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Direction: Translate long-term visions into actionable strategic goals, prioritizing initiatives that maximize impact and align with "OneCisco" priorities.
• Data-Driven Decision Support: Form insights from internal/external data and AI-driven signals to advise executives on investment strategies and resource optimization.
• Planning & Forecasting: Facilitate annual and multi-year planning processes, using scenario modeling and AI tools to evaluate feasibility, trade-offs, and outcomes.
• Execution & Process Improvement: Oversee cross-functional improvements to simplify decision-making and ensure initiatives remain on track and aligned with business cycles.
• Storytelling & Stakeholder Alignment: Create data-rich narratives that frame complex options, articulate risks, and build consensus across cross-functional leadership.
• Market Intelligence: Map market evolution and competitive landscapes to identify new opportunities, questioning commercial assumptions to drive growth.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be able to work in the US without the support of sponsorship now or in the future
• Bachelor’s degree + 8 years of related experience, or Master’s degree + 6 years of related experience, or PhD + 3 years of related experience.
• Equivalent relevant work experience in strategy, business planning, or management consulting.
• Proven ability to translate strategic direction into defined, measurable initiatives.
• Proficiency in data modeling and utilizing analytical tools to inform decision-making.
• Experience in cross-functional stakeholder management and facilitating alignment across complex organizational structures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Certified Professional in AI (CPMAI) or equivalent AI strategy certification.
• Lean Six Sigma certification.
• Experience in AI-enabled research and advanced prompt engineering for business workflows.
• Strong background in portfolio management and market intelligence.

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.

• 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.
• Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.