Director, AI Infrastructure

Job Summary : Cisco is seeking a highly skilled and dedicated Director to lead a critical AI infrastructure program within the Middle East, such as our partnerships with Humain. This role will be an integral part of the AI Infrastructure team, responsible for driving Cisco’s product solutions, running the day-to-day relationship, and supervising all technical and operational aspects of a specific, high-profile AI project. The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical background in hyperscale environments and AI workloads, coupled with validated experience navigating and succeeding within the local business and cultural landscape of the Middle East. Key Responsibilities : Product Solution & Portfolio Leadership : Drive the adoption and integration of Cisco’s comprehensive product portfolio (hardware, software, and services) to meet the unique technical and operational demands of AI infrastructure within sovereign cloud environments. This includes understanding and influencing product roadmaps across various organizations such as AI networking, AI compute, Optics, CHG (Common Hardware Group), Security, and more. Technical & Operational Expertise : Apply deep technical and operational understanding of hyperscale cloud environments, AI infrastructure, and advanced networking to the program. This includes : Understanding AI workload requirements, including GPU consumption and the shift from InfiniBand (IB) to Ethernet Back-End (BE) networks. Ability to document and analyze the customer's network architecture (Front-End, Back-End, Backbone) and identify Cisco's positioning and opportunities. Awareness of driven solutions and the ability to articulate Cisco's value proposition within the program context. Program Leadership & Execution : Lead the successful planning, execution, and delivery of a designated strategic AI infrastructure program (e.g., Humain), ensuring alignment with customer requirements and Cisco's strategic objectives. Customer Relationship Management : Serve as the main point of contact for the assigned customer program, building and maintaining strong, trusted relationships with key technical and operational partners. Understand their evolving needs and translate them into actionable plans for Cisco. Multi-functional Coordination : Facilitate seamless teamwork across various Cisco internal teams, including engineering, sales, product management, and services, to ensure timely and effective delivery of solutions for the assigned program. Create vital forums for opportunity identification and issue resolution. Opportunity & Prioritization : Identify and assess new opportunities within the assigned program, bringing together both successes and lessons learned from any lost opportunities. Prioritize program activities and technical requirements to increase impact and strategic imperative. Communication & Influence : Effectively communicate sophisticated technical and program-related information to both technical and non-technical audiences, influencing decisions and driving consensus within the program. Minimum Qualifications : Senior Product Leadership : 10+ years of dynamic experience in program management, technical sales, solutions architecture, or product management within the networking, ASIC, or network software domains, with a consistent track record of leading large-scale, complex technology programs. In-Region Expertise : Demonstrated experience working within the Middle East region, with a strong understanding of local business practices, cultural nuances, and regulatory environments. Deep Technical Competence : Extensive technical and operational understanding of hyperscale cloud environments, AI infrastructure, and data center networking, including : Experience with network / ASIC product management and / or network software product management. Validated knowledge of the shift to Ethernet Back-End networks and GPU-centric architectures for AI workloads. Ability to analyze and understand complex network topologies (FE, BE, BB). Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in engineering, computer Science, or related technical field. Preferred Qualifications : Customer Engagement : Excellent customer-facing skills, including presentation abilities and a strong focus on building and maintaining relationships with key customer partners. Multi-functional Teamwork : Validated ability to coordinate and drive efforts across diverse internal teams within a large, matrixed organization to achieve program objectives. Problem-Solving : Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Communication & Influence : Superior communication, presentation, and influencing skills, capable of engaging effectively with technical leaders and senior management. Operational Rigor : Experience with project management methodologies and tools (e.g., JIRA) to track and run program progress effectively. Cisco Internal Knowledge : Familiarity with Cisco's internal development methodologies and NPI (New Product Introduction) lifecycle. Master's degree or equivalent experience

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