Recent opportunities


Director, Product Management - Unified Communications

Our Client

Cisco Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet.  Today, networks are an essential part of business, education, government and home communications, and Cisco Internet Protocol-based (IP) networking solutions are the foundation of these networks.  Cisco hardware, software, and service offerings are used to create Internet solutions that allow individuals, companies, and countries to increase productivity, improve customer satisfaction and strengthen competitive advantage.  The Cisco name has become synonymous with the Internet, as well as with the productivity improvements that Internet business solutions provide.

Director, Product Management - Unified Communications position description and responsibilities

The successful candidate will bring the leadership, vision, business acumen, strong interpersonal skills and marketing expertise required to lead the Network Management Technology Group’s product management team that is focused on Unified Communications management tools for medium and large enterprise companies.  The Director will lead product vision, priorities, roadmap, value proposition and go-to-market execution.

This position will drive continued success and evolution of the current generation of products.   It is also responsible for product definition and delivery of a new family of common-framework, solution-oriented management tools for core VoIP, video, presence server, and call centers.

Success in this position will be measured by developing and implementing successful business and product strategies and roadmap which will redefine infrastructure management and drive the accelerated growth and market adoption of these solutions.  The goal is to ensure that our client continues to be successfully positioned as the worldwide thought, market and technology leader in this large and strategic business for Cisco.

Key Responsibilities:

• Refine strategic business plan by providing the experience and vision to enhance and expand this plan, perpetuating the company’s desired high-growth model.
• Manage multiple products through complete life cycle from strategic planning to tactical activities.
• Assess market position and customer needs, develop product line vision and differentiation, translate into product priorities and roadmaps, and team with engineering and other leaders to aggressively execute and deliver. Strong solutions-oriented thinking essential.
• Operate very effectively and successfully across multiple teams and peer organizations.
• Successful leadership and leveraging of 3rd-party strategic product relationships.
• Specify market requirements for current and future products by conducting market research supported by on-going visits to customers and non-customers.
• Solid understand industry and customer trends that is necessary to incorporate required changes in the offerings as well as the go-to-market strategy.
• Work very closely with engineering leadership on development, product strategy and productization.
• Lead team of 6 product managers and extensive internal cross-product line coordination. Extensive external interfaces to customers, Cisco field, channels, etc. encompassing portfolio positioning and advocacy, customer value proposition, requirements gathering, etc. 

Education and Experience

• The ideal candidate is a proven senior product management executive with substantial (15+ years) related experience in the network management and/or systems management including a solid business understanding of software marketplace, channels-to-market, etc. and an outstanding history of excellence in product management and marketing.
• We require a proven track record of telephony, video and network management product portfolio leadership - product definition, development, delivery, and marketplace success.
• Our candidate must have strong product management skills with track record of managing large, highly complex product portfolios targeting enterprise information technology segment, balancing strategic vision with tactical execution expertise.
• We would like to see a background that includes experience in both large organizations where partnering across multiple business organizations has been key, combined with managing in an entrepreneurial, rapid growth environment.
• Our candidate must also demonstrate a history of utilizing strong leadership and motivational abilities with a track-record of successful teamwork and aggressive execution, combined with excellent communication skills.
• We would like to see a variety of experience including inbound and outbound marketing, developing and managing channels, and structuring strategic partnerships.
• We require a Bachelors degree (Business or Marketing, a plus); and prefer an MBA or MA, (Marketing preferred).