Leader, Solutions Engineer

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

The Systems Engineering Manager for the Defense Joint Forces Region will lead a high performing team of Systems Engineers supporting strategic Department of War customers, including the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), 4th Estate agencies, and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). This leader will drive technical strategy, customer engagement, architectural excellence, and mission alignment while ensuring Cisco solutions deliver measurable operational and mission outcomes.

This role requires strong leadership, deep technical credibility, and an understanding of defense environments, acquisition cycles, and mission critical infrastructure.

Technical Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Systems Engineers supporting Joint Defense customers.

• Foster a culture of technical excellence, innovation, accountability, and collaboration.

• Align engineering priorities with customer mission requirements and Cisco business objectives.

• Support talent development, succession planning, and technical skill advancement.

Customer & Mission Engagement

• Build trusted advisor relationships with DISA, 4th Estate agencies, MDA leadership, and key stakeholders.

• Provide technical leadership for strategic initiatives, modernization efforts, and mission transformation.

• Represent Cisco at executive briefings, technical forums, and defense industry engagements.

Architecture & Solution Strategy

• Guide solution architecture across networking, security, cloud, collaboration, observability, and emerging technologies.

• Support secure, resilient, and scalable architectures aligned to DoD standards and mission needs.

• Ensure technical alignment with federal compliance requirements and evolving defense priorities.

Business & Go-to-Market Alignment

• Partner with account teams to shape strategy, capture opportunities, and drive technical wins.

• Support proposal development, technical positioning, and competitive differentiation.

• Help accelerate adoption of Cisco innovation within Defense environments.

Operational Excellence

• Ensure disciplined engineering execution, forecasting accuracy, and pipeline visibility.

• Monitor technical engagement quality, customer satisfaction, and measurable outcomes.

• Optimize resource allocation to support high-impact opportunities.

Who You'll Work With
You will collaborate with Cisco's Federal Account Teams, Partners, and Customers across the Department of War, specifically focusing on DISA, 4th Estate agencies, and MDA. You'll serve as a key technology advisor, shaping solution architectures and fostering a culture of technical excellence.

Who You Are

• Proven leader with excellent management, communication, influencing, and conflict resolution skills.

• Deep understanding of Cisco's solution portfolio and IT industry trends relevant to the Department of Defense.

• Demonstrated success in customer-facing roles, with the ability to engage at all organizational levels.

• Track record of leading projects from conception to completion.

• Experience in requirements gathering, solution design, and delivery in Defense verticals.

• Ability to inspire confidence and build enduring executive relationships.

• Strong problem-solving, business writing, customer relationship management, and presentation skills.

• In-depth understanding of Defense strategies, mission requirements, and solution design.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree (or equivalent experience).

• 10+ years in customer-centric IT, delivery, or pre-sales roles, with significant experience in the Defense sector.

• Experience managing technical teams in high-pressure, mission-focused environments.

• Travel 25% as required.

• Active security clearance preferred (or ability to obtain one).

• Must reside in or be willing to relocate to the Washington DC / Maryland / Northern Virginia (DMV) area.

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.

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 ofunused sick timecarried forwardfrom one calendar yearto 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:

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

* 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.