The application window is expected to close on: 08/14/2026
Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

The preferred location for this role is San Jose or San Francisco California.

Your Impact

Join a worldwide technology leader at the forefront of the AI revolution. Cisco is seeking a seasoned Senior Director to build and lead a center of excellence spanning executive communications, media strategy, narrative architecture, editorial leadership, and communications effectiveness. This high-visibility role partners directly with senior leaders-including the President & Chief Product Officer-to shape how Cisco's story is told consistently and compellingly across our portfolio.

You will serve as the connective tissue across Cisco's communications function: aligning executive platforms, raising the bar on media engagement and spokesperson readiness, architecting the corporate narrative, governing major announcements, and ensuring every program is measured for impact. The ideal candidate is an expert storyteller and operator who thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution, with the credibility to counsel senior executives and the rigor to build scalable systems and standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive Thought Leadership: Lead a center of excellence for executive communications supporting the President & CPO and aligning executives across key swim lanes-elevating their platforms and ensuring their voices reflect Cisco's innovation and leadership in the AI era.

• Media Excellence: Build and run a best-in-class media function-including the news bureau, media training, and spokesperson development-raising readiness and consistency across the executive bench.

• Narrative Architecture: Own the development and stewardship of Cisco's product and innovation story, FAQs, and cross-portfolio storytelling, ensuring a cohesive narrative that resonates across audiences and channels; partner closely with Corporate PR on financial messaging.

• Editorial Leadership: Establish and govern editorial standards for major announcements and press releases, driving quality, consistency, and strategic alignment across the function.

• Communications Effectiveness: Lead key initiatives on measurement and insights, building the frameworks and analytics that demonstrate impact and continuously sharpen storytelling and program performance.

• Lead with AI: Find innovative ways to use AI to derive signal in the market that can be translated into messaging and media opportunities

• Lead and Inspire: Manage and mentor a talented team, fostering a culture of bold, proactive, and data-driven storytelling..

Minimum Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in public relations, communications, or related fields with a bias toward proactive storytelling.

• Proven track record of providing strategic communications counsel to C-suite executives and elevating executive platforms.

• Strong media relationships with top-tier business and technology reporters, plus experience building media training and spokesperson development programs.

• Demonstrated expertise in corporate narrative development, editorial governance, and communications measurement.

• Experience leading and scaling high-performing teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Track record of transforming and significantly elevating a brand.

• Experience launching or supporting integrated campaigns across multiple channels (earned, owned, paid, social, events).

• Experience building communications centers of excellence or shared-services models.

Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $278,400.00 to $352,700.00 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:
$278,400.00 - $405,600.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:
$254,200.00 - $370,400.00

* 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.