Contract Negotiator

The application window is expected to close on: or U.S. ONLY, 8/8/2025.

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

Global Procurement Services (GPS) is responsible for the enterprise-wide-procurement of all Cisco software and enterprise-wide items, including data center items and colocation services. GPS is a key partner to all regional, global and strategic Cisco businesses, functions, and service delivery teams, running all sourcing, contracting, supplier management, and buying activities. The successful candidate will deliver world-class contracting services from GPS to help drive business value and support profitable growth worldwide.

This is a Strategic Contract Negotiator role leading strategic and enterprise negotiations and contract strategy with Cisco vendors. A successful candidate will support this crucial global contract position in primarily Atlanta, Georgia or secondary Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Connected Contracts is bringing new levels of value to Cisco through strong processes and governance and deep negotiating and contracting skills while continually ensuring a digitized, data-driven contracting experience. This position will play a meaningful role in providing end-to-end vendor contracting services within Cisco and contribute directly to this innovative and continuous improvement environment. You will draft and negotiate a wide variety of complex contracts worldwide, supporting the procurement of Data Center and Colocation services. In particular, you will:

- Provide contract leadership to enable Cisco's success in the procurement of data center and colocation related infrastructure, services and equipment.

- Deliver ongoing improvements to simplify and optimize contract templates, standards and processes throughout the procurement lifecycle, across the range of contract documents.

- Collaborate with the service owners to deliver an agile contract engagement model that supports the implementation of evolving business requirements and processes by providing guidance, defining contracting strategies and engaging across a diverse range of business functions, including legal, Infosec, finance, tax, compliance, insurance, etc.

- Collaborate with all levels of management and multi-functional teams to successfully draft and negotiate contracts.

- Support and deploy technology and digital transformation within Connected Contracts, including the use of AI to enable an improved end-to-end contracting experience.

- Bachelor's degree, Masters, JD, or demonstrated equivalent experience.

- 3 - 5 years of experience or more in reviewing, drafting and negotiating sophisticated contracts.

- Solid understanding of contract formation, terminology, and negotiations.

- Experience negotiating at a strategic enterprise level and identifying and successfully resolving legal and business issues typically encountered in procurement contracts.

- Ability to influence at all levels to achieve desired results, including connecting contract structure and language to practical business outcomes.

- Digitization skills with experience using SAP Ariba and/or Seal software is a plus.

- Documented history drafting and negotiating contracts, including the ability to negotiate contractual terms. Experience in a SaaS company is a plus.

- Extensive knowledge and understanding of contracts, including obligations and risks associated with services delivery, business and technical foresight to negotiate and draft highly technical and detailed statements of work, craft effective incentives toward greater business value, and ensure clear and enforceable KPIs/remedies.

- Demonstrable ability in key areas vital for contracting success, including: spotting key issues, dispute resolution, negotiation and persuasive acumen, technical knowledge, precision in written and verbal communication, acute listening skills, and confident disposition of terms.

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. Simply put - we power the future.

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.