Leader, Engineering Project & Program Management

The application window is expected to close on: 08/30/2026

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

Meet the Team

Cisco's Security Business Group is dedicated to delivering innovative cybersecurity solutions that enable customers to reduce risks, streamline management, and adapt to evolving threats. The group is led by senior executives with deep expertise in security engineering and product innovation, driving the development of ground breaking technologies such as Cisco Secure Access, Extended Detection and Response (XDR), and AI-powered security solutions.

This role offers the opportunity to be a key leader in shaping the future of security technology at Cisco, working alongside top cybersecurity experts and engineering teams to deliver world-class solutions that protect organizations globally.

Your Impact

The Senior Leader Engineering Project and Program Manager within Cisco's Security Business Group (SBG) will lead and manage complex engineering projects to develop infrastructure that transforms the way that our organization develops software using AI models and tools. This role requires a strategic leader with deep technical expertise, strong project management skills, and the ability to coordinate cross-functional teams to achieve business outcomes aligned with Cisco's AI Transformation vision.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end project and program management for large-scale, complex AI transformation engineering initiatives within the Security Business Group.

• Collaborate with engineering, product management, architecture, and cross-functional teams to define project scope, objectives, and deliverables aligned with business goals.

• Manage project schedules, budgets, risks, and resources to ensure on-time, within-budget, and high-quality delivery.

• Identify and mitigate risks and issues proactively, developing contingency plans to maintain project momentum.

• Drive coordination and communication across multiple teams and stakeholders, including partner and third-party resources when applicable.

• Support contract change management processes and ensure compliance with Cisco's policies and procedures.

• Engage with senior leadership to provide project status, escalate critical issues, and align on strategic priorities.

• Facilitate adoption of best practices, tools, and methodologies for project and program management within the Security Business Group.

• Contribute to the strategic planning and execution of Cisco's security product and solution roadmap, supporting innovation and market growth.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors + 12 years of related experience, or Masters + 8 years of related experience, or PhD + 5 years of related experience

• Experience leading engineering projects and programs in cybersecurity or related technology domains.

• Experience with security technologies, enterprise software, cloud services, and networking principles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in project management methodologies, tools, and frameworks (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, PMP certification preferred).

• Experience managing complex, cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders and dependencies.

• Experience with AI foundation models, AI-driven software development or general AI concepts, like prompts, skills and harnesses.

• Experience managing budgets, financials, and vendor/partner relationships.

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 $191,400.00 to $281,400.00 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:

$191,400.00 - $323,600.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$176,100.00 - $287,900.00

• 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.

Cisco is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.

Cisco will consider for employment, on a case by case basis, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.