Account Executive - Portfolio

Manages a defined set of accounts in the financial industries, serving as the primary influencer in purchasing decisions. Builds and sustains strong, long-term relationships with customers. Collaborates with customers to understand their business goals, identify opportunities for upsell/cross-sell additional solutions, and create demand based on what's possible in customer roadmaps. Serves as the Account Orchestrator, aligning and integrating solutions with customer needs, driving sustainable cross-portfolio growth through coordination and competitive deal packing. Typically serves multiple domains or product areas across a portfolio or set of accounts. Maintains a comprehensive understanding of Cisco’s full product portfolio to articulate Cisco's overall product strategy and how it is differentiated in the market in response to customer outcomes. Has a deep focus on core secure networking technologies including switching, wireless, and routing. Engages Portfolio Solution Engineers to enhance the sales process. Engages specialist teams, particularly in non-core secure networking areas, where deep competitive positioning and technical expertise is required. Builds the sales funnel through good opportunity prospecting and drives opportunities through to sales completion to achieve revenue goals. Ensures funnel is accurately represented in Cisco's CRM tools. Analyses data and creates forecasts to set weekly, monthly, and quarterly sales commitments. Stays informed about industry trends, market dynamics, and competitive landscapes

• Specialization and Focus - Generalist, with knowledge of the full product portfolio but with expertise in the core secure networking portfolio including switching, wireless, routing and firewall. Additional dependencies on size and complexity of account, particular franchise focus (architectural, product or opportunity aligned ) may be relevant
• Customer Engagement and Accountability - Primary influencer and account owner, except if the customer relationship is held by a CE/CD.
• The Internal Sales Process - All deal stages. Spends most of the time between prospect/qualification and proposal of the deal
• Corporate Interlock - Low corporate interlock (High in SP, Moderate in Enterprise, Low in Commercial)
• Typical Sales Cycle - Medium Sales complexity. Average length of deal is 3-6 months but can be as long as 12-18 months in more complex accounts/opportunities. Variable deal size, can be between $50K to $750K (over $1M for SP)
• Success Measures - Sustained portfolio growth, account growth, account retention

What You'll Do:
• Manages end-to-end deal cycles of moderate to high complexity independently. Typically prospects new deals and develops accounts:
• Within a large regional or small national area associated with mid-to-high Cisco segmentation tiers (e.g., Major Accounts)
• With senior level management to C-suite leaders
• Provides insight/feedback into dynamic data sources to ensure high-value prospecting, strategic outreach, and a strong forecast and pipeline
• Develops in-depth understanding of customer(s) product(s), organization, industry, challenges, to align Cisco’s solutions with decision-makers; researches other relevant solutions as required
• Leverages market insights, emerging technologies, and competitive analysis in customer-facing materials, demos etc.
• Uses broad and targeted discovery to uncover nuanced customer needs, and coordinate tailored solutions
• Builds trust with customers by actively listening, providing relevant insights, and strengthening relationships with key organizational influencers
• Independently negotiates standard deals by articulating compelling value propositions, addressing customer priorities, and ensuring follow-through on commitments that balance customer needs with Cisco's profitability
• Manages the account planning process with own team; works with SE and others to develop prospect proposal or customer/account plans
• Uses standard and occasional non-standard methods to describe Cisco solution value and address customer challenges in discovery conversations
• Identifies and documents inefficiencies in internal sales processes, and implements improvements to internal approval workflows, and operational tools
• Engages with sales operations and finance teams to resolve deal-processing roadblocks before they impact revenue timelines
• Actively collaborates with colleagues to solve customer challenges

Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelors + 5 years of related
experience, or
Masters + 3 years of related
experience, or
PhD + 0 years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications:
Varies based on the team and business needs | Preferred Qualifications are desired education, experience, and skills that are in addition to Minimum Qualifications.

THIS JOB DESCRIPTION DOES NOT APPLY FOR EMPLOYEES IN AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, FRANCE, GERMANY & NETHERLANDS

Why Cisco? 

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.