Cisco GTM Lead
Role Summary
The Cisco GTM Lead will own and drive Cognizant's go-to-market strategy and execution for the Cisco relationship, acting as the central point of coordination between Cognizant and Cisco stakeholders. This role is responsible for maximizing joint business value by aligning practice capabilities with Cisco's business priorities, co-developing offerings, driving pipeline and revenue growth, and ensuring consistent governance and reporting across the partnership.
Key Responsibilities
Stakeholder & Relationship Management
• Serve as the primary point of contact between Cognizant and Cisco stakeholders across sales, delivery, and partnership functions.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with key Cisco counterparts (sales, alliance, and technical leadership) as well as internal Cognizant leadership and account teams.
• Facilitate regular cadence meetings (QBRs, monthly/weekly syncs) to align priorities, resolve escalations, and track joint initiatives.
Offering Development
• Partner with practice teams (Cloud, Infrastructure, Security, AI/Automation) to identify, shape, and develop joint offerings and solutions aligned to Cisco's GTM priorities.
• Translate Cisco product/platform roadmaps into actionable Cognizant service offerings.
• Work with solutioning and delivery teams to ensure offerings are market-ready, differentiated, and competitively positioned.
Go-to-Market Execution
• Take developed offerings to clients — coordinating with account teams to identify relevant opportunities and driving joint pitches where applicable.
• Support proposal development, client presentations, and deal structuring for Cisco-aligned opportunities.
• Identify white space and cross-sell/upsell opportunities within existing Cognizant accounts where Cisco offerings can be embedded.
Pipeline & Performance Tracking
• Own the tracking, reporting, and forecasting of the Cisco-aligned pipeline, including TCV, deal stages, and expected closures.
• Provide regular performance updates to leadership on joint GTM progress, wins, losses, and course corrections.
• Maintain a scorecard/dashboard of key metrics (pipeline value, conversion rates, revenue realized, partner-sourced vs. Cognizant-sourced deals).
Governance & Enablement
• Ensure adherence to partnership governance frameworks and escalation protocols.
• Drive internal enablement — briefing sales teams, sharing playbooks, and ensuring consistent messaging on Cisco offerings across the organization.
• Coordinate contractual, commercial, and compliance aspects of the partnership as needed.
Required Qualifications
• 10–15+ years of experience in IT services sales, business development, or alliance/partnership management, with exposure to hyperscaler or OEM partnerships (Cisco experience strongly preferred).
• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-stakeholder partnerships and driving joint GTM outcomes.
• Strong understanding of infrastructure, networking, security, and/or cloud domains (Cisco portfolio knowledge a plus).
• Experience in offering/solution development, working cross-functionally with practice and delivery teams.
• Strong commercial acumen — comfortable owning pipeline numbers, forecasting, and revenue reporting.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with ability to operate at both executive and operational levels.
Preferred Skills
• Familiarity with Cisco's partner ecosystem, certifications, or GTM programs.
• Experience with CRM/pipeline tools for tracking and reporting (Salesforce, etc.).
• Prior experience managing alliance relationships with OEMs/technology partners in a similar capacity.
Top Reasons to Join Our Team
Cognizant is a leading AI builder company and top partners of tech giants and strategic partners to most of fortune 500 clients. SPE services lines commands tops positions in scale, maturity and reach in industry as regarded by all the analysts across the globe.
Excellent compensation/benefits. A strong financial incentive package that includes a solid base salary with a highly attractive bonus plan. Wide exposure to industry, product, and functional standard methodologies; as well as outstanding teams supporting your sales pursuits. Encouraging management team that rewards initiative & success. Exciting, industry leading practice where you can truly build a long-term career.
Congenial, collaborative, and goal-oriented environment; the opportunity to work with and learn from a diverse, highly experienced team of business professionals. Tremendous opportunities for growth with a real career path promoting career advancement.
Salary and Other Compensation:
The annual salary for this position is between $160,000-$175,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual bonus program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.
Benefits
Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements
· Medical/Dental/Vision/Life
· Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
· 401(k) plan and contributions
· Long-term/Short-term Disability
· Paid Parental Leave
· Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, based on applicable law.
A Good fit for the Cognizant culture
A person who possesses a true passion for changing organizations for the better, and desires to do so within a goal, yet professional atmosphere filled with business professionals who all manifest a belief in partnership, innovation, and excellence. Our “Cultural Value Drivers” are well-known and clearly communicated within the organization: Open, Visible, Motivated, Empowered, Opportunity-Filled, Flexible & Collaborative.
Work Authorization
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or any time in the future.
About Cognizant:
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, bridging the gap between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, drive tangible outcomes and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at cognizant.ai or @cognizant.
Additional employment information
Compensation information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.
Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government issued ID during each interview.
Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email [email protected] with your request and contact information.
