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Leader, Solutions Designer

  • Montreal, QC, H3A 3J6, Canada

Full-time

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Job details

Job type
Full-time
Experience
7+ years of industry experience in technical sales or solutions engineering roles, collaborating with sales and customer-facing teams to drive business results.
Posting language
English · French
Posted

Original job description

English section of this bilingual listing.

The application window is expected to close on: 11/18/2026

Meet the Team

Cisco's vision is to change the way the world works, lives, plays, and learns. We made the Internet what it is today. In the Agentic AI era, our vision is even more relevant today than ever.

You will be leading a team of Cisco presales Solutions Designers covering Québec Private Sector. These technically skilled, solutions-focused individuals build trusted relationships, understand customer needs and deliver innovative, effective outcomes. Their groundbreaking ideas impact everything; here that means we take creative ideas from the drawing board to dynamic solutions that have real world impact. Seize the opportunity to lead a close-knit group of forward-thinkers and technical problem-solvers, delivering impactful results for Cisco’s Canadian Commercial customers in Québec.

Your Impact

Your mission: Lead, Inspire, Innovate.  As a Leader, Solutions Design at Cisco, you will lead and inspire a high-performing team of solutions designers to deliver innovative technical solutions that align with customer business goals and Cisco’s strategic vision.  You will coach and mentor your team to deliver their best outcomes. You will collaborate closely with sales, account teams, and partners to drive technical strategy, resource planning, and execution across your territory or account. Your leadership will foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and customer-centricity, ensuring your team meets and exceeds revenue and operational targets.

You will partner with sales leadership, account executives, product teams, and cross-functional stakeholders to develop and execute technical sales strategies. Your role will involve building trusted relationships with customers and partners, understanding their business models, and guiding your team to design solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes. You will proactively monitor industry trends and the competitive landscape, using these insights to inform your team's strategies and provide valuable product feedback. By championing continuous customer experience improvements, you will help strengthen Cisco's brand loyalty and build long-term partnerships with clients. This position is ideal for a leader passionate about mentoring talent and driving technical excellence in a dynamic, collaborative environment.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field; advanced degree preferred, or equivalent experience.
  • 7+ years of industry experience in technical sales or solutions engineering roles, collaborating with sales and customer-facing teams to drive business results.
  • At least 5 years in formal leadership positions.
  • Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing technical teams.
  • Strong technical expertise in networking, security, data center, cloud, or related Cisco technologies.
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
  • Located in Montréal, Québec, requires fluency on French while English fluency is an important asset.
  • Advanced Cisco certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, or equivalent industry certifications is preferred.
  • Deep understanding of Commercial markets and their technology trends.
  • Demonstrated success in driving technical sales strategy and managing complex customer engagements.
  • Experience leading cross-functional projects and influencing stakeholders without direct authority.
  • Deep understanding of Artificial Intelligence tools, and their application.
  • Strong data-driven decision-making skills and ability to translate insights into action.
  • Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, including executives.

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 $205,900.00 to $260,100.00 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. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies:

  • 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees

  • 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco

  • Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees

  • Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)

  • 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next

  • Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members

  • Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer

For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:

  • .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;

  • 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;

  • 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and

  • Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.

For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:

New York City Metro Area:

$229,000.00 - $344,700.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$218,600.00 - $329,000.00

  • For quota-based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.

** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.

Read the full bilingual original
The application window is expected to close on: 11/18/2026

Meet the Team

Cisco's vision is to change the way the world works, lives, plays, and learns. We made the Internet what it is today. In the Agentic AI era, our vision is even more relevant today than ever.

You will be leading a team of Cisco presales Solutions Designers covering Québec Private Sector. These technically skilled, solutions-focused individuals build trusted relationships, understand customer needs and deliver innovative, effective outcomes. Their groundbreaking ideas impact everything; here that means we take creative ideas from the drawing board to dynamic solutions that have real world impact. Seize the opportunity to lead a close-knit group of forward-thinkers and technical problem-solvers, delivering impactful results for Cisco’s Canadian Commercial customers in Québec.

Your Impact

Your mission: Lead, Inspire, Innovate.  As a Leader, Solutions Design at Cisco, you will lead and inspire a high-performing team of solutions designers to deliver innovative technical solutions that align with customer business goals and Cisco’s strategic vision.  You will coach and mentor your team to deliver their best outcomes. You will collaborate closely with sales, account teams, and partners to drive technical strategy, resource planning, and execution across your territory or account. Your leadership will foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and customer-centricity, ensuring your team meets and exceeds revenue and operational targets.

You will partner with sales leadership, account executives, product teams, and cross-functional stakeholders to develop and execute technical sales strategies. Your role will involve building trusted relationships with customers and partners, understanding their business models, and guiding your team to design solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes. You will proactively monitor industry trends and the competitive landscape, using these insights to inform your team's strategies and provide valuable product feedback. By championing continuous customer experience improvements, you will help strengthen Cisco's brand loyalty and build long-term partnerships with clients. This position is ideal for a leader passionate about mentoring talent and driving technical excellence in a dynamic, collaborative environment.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field; advanced degree preferred, or equivalent experience.
  • 7+ years of industry experience in technical sales or solutions engineering roles, collaborating with sales and customer-facing teams to drive business results.
  • At least 5 years in formal leadership positions.
  • Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing technical teams.
  • Strong technical expertise in networking, security, data center, cloud, or related Cisco technologies.
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
  • Located in Montréal, Québec, requires fluency on French while English fluency is an important asset.
  • Advanced Cisco certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, or equivalent industry certifications is preferred.
  • Deep understanding of Commercial markets and their technology trends.
  • Demonstrated success in driving technical sales strategy and managing complex customer engagements.
  • Experience leading cross-functional projects and influencing stakeholders without direct authority.
  • Deep understanding of Artificial Intelligence tools, and their application.
  • Strong data-driven decision-making skills and ability to translate insights into action.
  • Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, including executives.

RENCONTREZ L’ÉQUIPE

La vision de Cisco consiste à changer la façon dont le monde travaille, vit, joue et apprend! Nous avons façonné l'Internet d’aujourd'hui. À l’ère des agents d'IA, notre vision est encore plus pertinente que jamais.

Vous dirigerez une équipe de spécialistes en design de solutions prévente de Cisco pour le marché privé (commercial) du Québec. Ces personnes, techniquement qualifiées et axées sur les solutions, établissent des relations de confiance, comprennent les besoins des clients et livrent des résultats innovants et efficaces. Les idées novatrices de notre personnel influencent tout; ici, cela signifie que nous transformons les idées créatives de la conception en solutions dynamiques qui ont une incidence dans le monde réel. Saisissez l’occasion de diriger un groupe soudé de visionnaires et de spécialistes techniques, en livrant des résultats significatifs pour les clients commerciaux du Québec.

VOTRE IMPACT

Votre mission : diriger, inspirer, innover!

En tant que leader spécialiste en design de solutions chez Cisco, vous dirigerez et inspirerez une équipe chevronnée pour livrer des solutions techniques innovantes qui s’harmonisent avec les objectifs commerciaux des clients et la vision stratégique de Cisco. Vous encadrerez et guiderez l’équipe afin qu'elle livre les meilleurs résultats. Vous collaborerez avec l'équipe des ventes, des comptes et les partenaires pour piloter la stratégie technique, la planification des ressources et l’exécution sur votre territoire. Votre direction favorisera une culture d’amélioration continue, d’innovation et d’orientation client, en veillant à ce que votre équipe atteigne et dépasse les objectifs de revenus et d'efficacité opérationnelle.

Vous travaillerez en partenariat avec la direction des ventes, les directeurs de comptes, les équipes de produits et les collaborateurs interfonctionnels pour élaborer et mettre en œuvre des stratégies de vente technique. Votre rôle consistera à établir des relations étroites avec les clients et les partenaires, à comprendre leurs modèles d’exploitation et à guider votre équipe dans l’élaboration de solutions qui produisent des résultats commerciaux mesurables. Vous superviserez proactivement les tendances du secteur et le paysage concurrentiel. Vous utiliserez ces observations pour orienter les stratégies de votre équipe et fournir de précieux commentaires sur les produits. En vous concentrant sur l'amélioration continue de l'expérience client, vous contribuerez à renforcer la fidélité à la marque Cisco et à établir des partenariats à long terme avec les clients. Ce poste est idéal pour les leaders passionnés par le mentorat des talents et la promotion de l’excellence technique dans un environnement dynamique et collaboratif.

QUALIFICATIONS RECHERCHÉES

  • Baccalauréat en informatique, en génie, ou dans un domaine technique connexe; un diplôme d'études supérieures, ou une expérience équivalente.
  • Au moins sept ans d’expérience pertinente dans des rôles de vente technique ou d’ingénierie de solutions, en collaborant avec les équipes de vente et en contact direct avec les clients pour stimuler les résultats commerciaux.
  • Au moins cinq ans dans des postes de direction officiels, et de gestion de personnel.
  • Capacité éprouvée à diriger et à perfectionner des équipes techniques hautement performantes.
  • Solide expertise technique dans les domaines de la réseautique, de la sécurité, des centres de données, de l’infonuagique ou des technologies Cisco connexes.
  • Excellentes aptitudes en communication orale et écrite, en relations interpersonnelles et en organisation.
  • Certifications avancées de Cisco comme les certifications CCNP, Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, ou les certifications équivalentes sont un atout.
  • Compréhension approfondie des marchés du secteur commercial et de leurs tendances technologiques.
  • Succès avéré dans la mise en œuvre de la stratégie de vente technique et la gestion des échanges avec les clients complexes.
  • Expérience de la direction de projets interfonctionnels et d’influence de parties prenantes sans autorité directe.
  • Connaissance approfondie de l’utilisation d’outils d’intelligence artificielle, et de leur application.
  • Solides compétences dans la prise de décisions axée sur les données et capacité à traduire les observations en actions.
  • Capacité à communiquer des concepts techniques complexes à des publics divers, y compris les dirigeants.
  • Le poste est situé à Montréal, et la maîtrise du français parlé et écrit est requise, alors que la connaissance de l’anglais est un atout important.

NOUS SOMMES CISCO

Chez Cisco, nous révolutionnons la façon dont les données et les infrastructures se connectent et protègent les entreprises à l’ère de l’intelligence artificielle et au-delà. Nous innovons sans crainte de manquer quelque chose depuis 40 ans pour créer des solutions qui optimisent la collaboration entre les humains et la technologie dans les mondes physiques et numériques. Ces solutions offrent aux clients une sécurité, une visibilité et des analyses inégalées sur l’ensemble de l’empreinte numérique. En termes simples, nous propulsons l’avenir.

Alimentés par la profondeur et l’étendue de notre technologie, nous expérimenterons et créons des solutions significatives. Ajoutez à cela notre réseau mondial de personnes fonceuses et d’experts, et vous verrez que les possibilités de grandir et de bâtir sont illimitées. Nous travaillons en équipe et collaborons avec empathie pour faire de très grandes choses à l’échelle mondiale. Parce que nos solutions sont partout, notre impact est partout.

Nous sommes Cisco, et notre puissance commence avec vous.


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 $205,900.00 to $260,100.00 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. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies:

  • 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees

  • 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco

  • Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees

  • Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)

  • 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next

  • Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members

  • Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer

For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:

  • .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;

  • 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;

  • 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and

  • Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.

For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:

New York City Metro Area:

$229,000.00 - $344,700.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$218,600.00 - $329,000.00
  • For quota-based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.

** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.

More about this job

Responsibilities

Lead and inspire a high-performing team of solutions designers to deliver innovative technical solutions aligned with customer business goals. Collaborate with sales, account teams, and partners to drive technical strategy, resource planning, and execution across the territory.

Requirements

Requires a bachelor's degree in a technical field, at least 7 years of industry experience in technical sales, and 5 years in formal leadership roles. Candidates must be located in Montreal, Quebec, with fluency in French and strong technical expertise in Cisco-related technologies.

Skills

  • Leadership
  • Solutions design
  • Technical sales
  • Networking
  • Security
  • Data center
  • Cloud computing
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Mentoring
  • Strategic planning
  • Communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Data-driven decision making
  • French fluency

Benefits

  • Medical insurance
  • Dental insurance
  • Vision insurance
  • 401(k) plan
  • Paid parental leave
  • Short-term disability coverage
  • Long-term disability coverage
  • Basic life insurance
  • Restricted stock units
  • Paid holidays
  • Paid time off
  • Sick time
  • Volunteer time off

Visa sponsorship

Not detected in the job text

Categories

  • Management & Leadership
  • Technology
  • Sales
  • Engineering
  • Consulting

Keywords

  • Solutions Designer
  • Cisco
  • Agentic AI
  • Presales
  • Networking
  • Security
  • Data Center
  • Cloud
  • CCNP
  • CCIE
  • Technical Sales
  • Leadership
  • Mentoring
  • Strategy
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Commercial Markets
  • Stakeholder Management
  • Data-driven
  • French
  • Montreal

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