Leader, Product Operations
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 22, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 15, 2026. Cisco Systems scores A on the Alion truth index.
Meet the Team
Our team is a dynamic and collaborative group united by a shared passion for innovation and a commitment to excellence. We foster a culture of open communication, mutual respect, and continuous learning, where every voice is valued and encouraged to contribute. Our mission is Think Really Big, Play to Win, Drive Durable Growth. What truly makes us an exciting place to work is our dedication to pushing boundaries, embracing new ideas, and celebrating both individual achievements and collective successes. We offer a stimulating environment where you can grow your career, make a real impact, and be part of something truly meaningful.
Your Impact
The Cisco Product Operations team is looking for a visionary and experienced leader to scale and provide strategic oversight for our integrated product operations team. You will be responsible for influencing and driving organizational strategy, mentoring a high-performing team of engineers and program managers, and driving operational excellence across the full product lifecycle. This is a high-visibility role where you will influence cross-functional stakeholders including Engineering, Manufacturing, GSM, and Executive Leadership to ensure our products meet the highest standards of quality, reliability, and cost-competitiveness.
High-Level Responsibilities
- Define and execute the strategic roadmap for the product operations organization to support global scale and efficiency.
- Provide leadership and career mentorship to a diverse team of Electrical, Mechanical, and Test Development Engineers and Program Managers.
- Foster deep collaboration with Hardware Engineering and Supply Chain partners to ensure seamless transitions from NPI through End-of-Life.
- Oversee organizational quality benchmarks and drive proactive risk mitigation across the product portfolio.
- Champion value engineering and cost avoidance initiatives to maximize gross margins and operational profitability.
- Facilitate executive-level communications to provide status updates, performance insights, and strategic recommendations.
- Lead the development of processes and technology frameworks that enable our teams to innovate faster and solve complex technical challenges.
- Ensure adherence to rigorous operational standards and financial stewardship across all hardware programs.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related technical field.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in product operations, supply chain, or engineering leadership within the high-tech industry.
- Proven track record of building and leading high-performing, cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.
- Expertise in full product lifecycle management (NPI to EOL) and deep understanding of manufacturing dynamics.
- Advanced ability to influence executive stakeholders and drive strategy without direct authority.
- Outstanding written, verbal communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated success in managing complex budgets and operational performance metrics.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Engineering or an MBA.
- Experience leading large-scale electronics manufacturing operations or hyper-scaler infrastructure programs.
- Certification in Project Management (PMP) or process improvement methodologies (Six Sigma).
- Deep familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and enterprise PLM systems.
- Experience scaling organizations through periods of significant growth or technical transformation.
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.