Director, Sales – Federal AFN Operation

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  • Location:
    Washington, District of Columbia, US
  • Alternate Location
    Virginia, Maryland
  • Area of Interest
    Sales - Product
  • Compensation Range
    380000 USD - 478800 USD
  • Job Type
    Professional
  • Technology Interest
    *None
  • Job Id
    1450020

(US ONLY) The application window is expected to close on: 10/20/25

Meet the Team

Join Cisco's Federal Sales organization, a critical team dedicated to advancing our nation's Defense and Military capabilities. As a leader within this group, you will be at the forefront of strategically positioning and delivering innovative solutions that support the modernization of the Department of Defense. Our team ensures that our Military Departments are equipped with ground breaking technology to maintain combat-credible forces, deter conflict, and safeguard national security. You will lead a high-performing sales organization focused on delivering impactful results for the Air Force, Navy, and Marines.

Your Impact

As a key leader at Cisco, you will drive the strategic growth and success of our Defense business by leading a high-performing sales organization across the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. Your leadership will empower a team of Regional Managers and Account Executives to deliver tailored, critical solutions that align with the unique objectives of each military department. Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams—including Engineering, Customer Experience, Product Specialists, and Executive Leadership—you will position Cisco’s innovative technologies to advance Department of Defense priorities.

You will shape and implement comprehensive sales strategies, navigate complex sales processes, and forge lasting partnerships with senior military and government leaders. By demonstrating your deep understanding of federal funding mechanisms, market trends, and competitive landscapes, you will accelerate business growth, expand Cisco’s influence, and deliver long-term value for our customers and the company. Your impact will be measured by your ability to inspire your team, drive revenue, and champion Cisco’s vision for secure, modern, and resilient defense technology solutions.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • 15+ years of experience in strategic sales and execution within the technology industry, including
  • 10+ years leading high-performing sales organizations.
  • Expertise in Federal & Military Sales with 10+ years of experience leading complex sales teams within the Federal Government and military, possessing an in-depth understanding of DoD strategic priorities and excelling in navigating multi-stakeholder environments.
  • Proven track record of leading sales organizations to exceed growth targets and capture significant market share and competitive advantage.
  • Active Security Clearance is required for this position.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Master's Degree (e.g., MBA) or equivalent
  • Ability to strategically advance comprehensive vision by collaborating closely with senior leaders across various internal functions.
  • Talent Development & Team Leadership: Inspirational leader who excels at motivating, developing, and retaining top sales talent, fostering a collaborative, results-oriented culture.
  • Defense Community Presence: Successfully represented organizations at prominent industry events, engaging internal and external stakeholders to build relationships and drive brand recognition.
  • Balanced Strategic Focus: Excels at balancing immediate business demands with long-term strategic objectives.
  • Thought Leadership & Influence: Visionary leader, skilled in providing thought leadership and strategic direction, with the ability to effectively communicate complex ideas and influence partners at all levels.
  • Executive Presence & Mentorship: Strong executive presence, combining polished communication skills with political savvy, and an adept mentor capable of guiding and developing large sales teams (50+ members).
  • Effective Communication: Skilled in persuasive communication, presenting complex solutions in a compelling, simplified manner.

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.


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

When available, the salary range posted for this position reflects the projected hiring range for new hire, full-time salaries in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including equity or benefits. For non-sales roles the hiring ranges reflect base salary only; employees are also eligible to receive annual bonuses. Hiring ranges for sales positions include base and incentive compensation target. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location and additional factors, including but not limited to skillset, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training. Applicants may not be eligible for the full salary range based on their U.S. or Canada hiring location. The recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees have access to quality medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance and numerous wellbeing offerings.

Employees receive up to twelve paid holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating holiday (for non-exempt employees), plus a day off for their birthday. Non-Exempt new hires accrue up to 16 days of vacation time off each year, at a rate of 4.92 hours per pay period. Exempt new hires participate in Cisco’s flexible Vacation Time Off policy, which does not place a defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use, but is subject to availability and some business limitations. All new hires are eligible for Sick Time Off subject to Cisco’s Sick Time Off Policy and will have eighty (80) hours of sick time off provided on their hire date and on January 1st of each year thereafter.  Up to 80 hours of unused sick time will be carried forward from one calendar year to the next such that the maximum number of sick time hours an employee may have available is 160 hours. Employees in Illinois have a unique time off program designed specifically with local requirements in mind. All employees also have access to paid time away to deal with critical or emergency issues. We offer additional paid time to volunteer and give back to the community.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components. 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 up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

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