Optics Sales Motion, Business Development Manager

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  • Location:
    Offsite, San Jose, California, US
  • Alternate Location
    Anywhere US Remote
  • Area of Interest
    Sales - Services, Solutions, Customer Success
  • Compensation Range
    125200 USD - 225900 USD
  • Job Type
    Professional
  • Technology Interest
    *None
  • Job Id
    1444587

The application window is expected to close on: 7/8/25

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

 Location: Anywhere US

Meet the Team

Cisco is a global leader in networking hardware and top seller of hardware ports. We have built a significant portfolio in Optics through in-house development and M&A. Optics has become extremely relevant in the build-out of AI-driven infrastructure and is a driver for Cisco’s valuation. The Optics Center of Excellence, a small cross-functional team in our global specialist sales organization, accelerates, enables and drives a significant Optics P&L in close collaboration with various specialist and portfolio sales organizations globally.

Your Impact

As a Sales Business Development Manager (BDM) for Optics Sales Motions, you will pioneer and drive innovative sales motions that capitalize on the explosive growth of AI-driven infrastructure. This role will focus on driving revenue for Cisco’s industry-leading optics transceivers worldwide by innovating our Optics sales motions across functional boundaries, targeting AI workloads, hyperscale data centers, and high-performance computing environments, expanding market share, and scaling business in these high-growth segments.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Innovate AI-Focused Sales Motions: Develop and execute creative routes to market to position Cisco’s optics transceivers (e.g., QSFP, SFP, coherent optics) as critical solutions for AI-driven applications, including machine learning clusters, GPU interconnects, and data center interconnects. 
  • Target new AI Market Segments: Identify and penetrate new customer segments for Optics globally, such as AI infrastructure providers, cloud hyperscalers, and research institutions, leveraging Cisco’s leadership in hardware ports to meet high-bandwidth demands.
  • Drive Revenue Growth: Achieve ambitious sales targets by crafting compelling value propositions, optimizing pricing, and building strategic partnerships to accelerate optics adoption in AI ecosystems.
  • Customer Engagement and industry leadership: Represent Cisco at AI and networking industry events. Build trusted relationships with key accounts, to pioneer GTM motions for Optics with selected customers.
  • Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner with Cisco’s product engineering, and marketing teams across functional boundaries to align sales strategies with innovations in high-speed optics and AI infrastructure trends.

Data-Driven Implementation Focus: Implement strategies through anchoring them into Cisco’s complex sales systems. Work with IT stakeholders and follow through to implementation. Utilize Salesforce and market analytics to refine sales approaches, track AI market opportunities, and maximize deal conversion.

Minimum Qualifications

  •        Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field.
  •       7+ years of B2B business development or sales experience in networking, telecommunications, or hardware technology, with a focus on data center or AI infrastructure markets and a proven success record in developing innovative sales strategies that drive significant revenue growth in emerging technology sectors.
  •      Strong understanding of optics transceivers (e.g., 400G/800G, coherent optics) and their role in supporting AI workloads and high-speed networking.
  •      Proficiency with sales IT platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and sales analytics tools.
  •      Ability to travel globally as needed to engage with clients and attend industry events.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Knowledge of AI infrastructure trends, including GPU clusters, low-latency interconnects, and high-bandwidth optical networking and experience in business development with hyperscale data centers, AI solution providers, or high-performance computing environments.
  • Track record in building new sales motions and routes to market, potentially including digital marketplaces
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively, and to thrive in a global, fast-paced, ambiguous, target-driven environment at a market-leading technology company.
  • Knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and AI tools.

 

#WeAreCisco 

#WeAreCisco where every individual brings their unique skills and perspectives together to pursue our purpose of powering an inclusive future for all.

 

Our passion is connection—we celebrate our employees’ diverse set of backgrounds and focus on unlocking potential. Cisconians often experience one company, many careers where learning and development are encouraged and supported at every stage. Our technology, tools, and culture pioneered hybrid work trends, allowing all to not only give their best, but be their best.

 

We understand our outstanding opportunity to bring communities together and at the heart of that is our people. One-third of Cisconians collaborate in our 30 employee resource organizations, called Inclusive Communities, to connect, foster belonging, learn to be informed allies, and make a difference. Dedicated paid time off to volunteer—80 hours each year—allows us to give back to causes we are passionate about, and nearly 86% do!

 

Our purpose, driven by our people, is what makes us the worldwide leader in technology that powers the internet. Helping our customers reimagine their applications, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals is what we do best. We ensure that every step we take is a step towards a more inclusive future for all. Take your next step and be you, with us!

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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