Senior Director of Media Bureau

About this role

The application window is expected to close on: 08/14/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received .

The preferred location for this role is San Jose or San Francisco California.

Meet the Team   Global Communications is a team of more than 150 best-in-class communications professionals. Our mission is to protect and improve Cisco's reputation through innovative and thought-provoking storytelling, execution excellence and transparency. The PR team is responsible for leading Cisco's corporate and technology PR programs, as well as crafting and delivering clear and compelling narratives that grab the attention of media and influencers.  Your Impact   Join a worldwide technology leader at the forefront of the AI revolution. Cisco is seeking a seasoned Senior Director to build and lead a center of excellence spanning executive communications, media strategy, narrative architecture, editorial leadership, and communications effectiveness. This high-visibility role partners directly with senior leaders—including the President & Chief Product Officer—to shape how Cisco's story is told consistently and compellingly across our portfolio.  You will serve as the connective tissue across Cisco's communications function: aligning executive platforms, raising the bar on media engagement and spokesperson readiness, architecting the corporate narrative, governing major announcements, and ensuring every program is measured for impact. The ideal candidate is an expert storyteller and operator who thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution, with the credibility to counsel senior executives and the rigor to build scalable systems and standards.  Key Responsibilities   • Executive Thought Leadership: Lead a center of excellence for executive communications supporting the President & CPO and aligning executives across key swim lanes—elevating their platforms and ensuring their voices reflect Cisco's innovation and leadership in the AI era. 

• Media Excellence: Build and run a best-in-class media function—including the news bureau, media training, and spokesperson development—raising readiness and consistency across the executive bench. 

• Narrative Architecture: Own the development and stewardship of Cisco's  product and innovation story, FAQs, and cross-portfolio storytelling, ensuring a cohesive narrative that resonates across audiences and channels; partner closely with Corporate PR on financial messaging. 

• Editorial Leadership: Establish and govern editorial standards for major announcements and press releases, driving quality, consistency, and strategic alignment across the function. 

• Communications Effectiveness: Lead key initiatives on measurement and insights, building the frameworks and analytics that demonstrate impact and continuously sharpen storytelling and program performance. 

• Lead with AI: Find innovative ways to use AI to derive signal in the market that can be translated into messaging and media opportunities   

• Lead and Inspire: Manage and mentor a talented team, fostering a culture of bold, proactive, and data-driven storytelling. .  

Minimum Qualifications   • 15+ years of experience in public relations, communications, or related fields with a bias toward proactive storytelling. 

• Proven track record of providing strategic communications counsel to C-suite executives and elevating executive platforms. 

• Strong media relationships with top-tier business and technology reporters, plus experience building media training and spokesperson development programs. 

• Demonstrated expertise in corporate narrative development, editorial governance, and communications measurement. 

• Experience leading and scaling high-performing teams. 

Preferred Qualifications   • Track record of transforming and significantly elevating a brand. 

• Experience launching or supporting integrated campaigns across multiple channels (earned, owned, paid, social, events). 

• Experience building communications centers of excellence or shared-services models. 

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. 

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

The starting salary range posted for this position is $278,400.00 to $352,700.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits. 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.

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