Channel Business Development Manager – ISV

Job Summary:

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Channel Business Development Manager to drive collaboration with Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and ecosystem partners, focusing on delivering AI-powered solutions to end customers. This role is responsible for identifying, developing, and managing strategic partnerships, accelerating the adoption of AI use cases, and enabling scalable, industry-specific solutions through our channel ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities:

Partner Ecosystem Development:

Build and nurture relationships with ISVs, system integrators, technology partners, and other ecosystem players to co-develop, promote, and deliver AI-based solutions.

AI Use Case Enablement:

Collaborate closely with partners to understand customer challenges, define relevant AI use cases, and co-create solution frameworks that solve business problems in targeted industries.

Go-to-Market Strategy:

Define and execute go-to-market plans in collaboration with partners, focusing on jointly positioning AI solutions to address end-customer needs effectively.

Sales Enablement & Support:

Provide technical and business support to channel partners, including sales training, solution demonstrations, proposal assistance, and joint customer engagement activities.

Opportunity Identification:

Identify market opportunities and high-impact use cases where AI solutions can drive customer value, working closely with sales, product, and marketing teams.

Partnership Performance Management:

Track and report on partner performance metrics, business outcomes, pipeline growth, and customer success cases to continually optimize channel strategy.

Market Insights & Feedback Loop:

Collect market intelligence and customer feedback to influence solution development, to better address industry demands.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. MBA preferred.

Strong experience in channel management, business development, or partnership management, with a strong focus on technology solutions.

Understanding of the AI landscape, with prior experience managing ISV and ecosystem partnerships will be an added advantage.

Strong commercial acumen and ability to manage complex partner relationships.

Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Ability to work cross-functionally with product, sales, marketing, and engineering teams.

Preferred Skills:

Prior experience in a technology vendor, AI platform provider, or system integrator.

Knowledge of cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).

Familiarity with solution development lifecycle in a partner ecosystem context.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

Nurture & Sustain key ISV partnerships developed

Funnel / Pipeline of joint AI solution opportunities

Partner-driven revenue contribution

Customer case studies delivered

Compensation & Benefits:

Competitive base salary + commission/bonus structure.

Career growth opportunities in a fast-growing ISV.

#WeAreCisco

WeAreCisco where every individual brings their unique skills and perspectives together to pursue our purpose of powering an inclusive future for all.

Our passion is connection—we celebrate our employees' diverse set of backgrounds and focus on unlocking potential. Cisconians often experience one company, many careers where learning and development are encouraged and supported at every stage. Our technology, tools, and culture pioneered hybrid work trends, allowing all to not only give their best, but be their best.

We understand our outstanding opportunity to bring communities together and at the heart of that is our people. One-third of Cisconians collaborate in our 30 employee resource organizations, called Inclusive Communities, to connect, foster belonging, learn to be informed allies, and make a difference. Dedicated paid time off to volunteer—80 hours each year—allows us to give back to causes we are passionate about, and nearly 86% do

Our purpose, driven by our people, is what makes us the worldwide leader in technology that powers the internet. Helping our customers reimagine their applications, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals is what we do best. We ensure that every step we take is a step towards a more inclusive future for all. Take your next step and be you, with us

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

When available, the salary range posted for this position reflects the projected hiring range for new hire, full-time salaries in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including equity or benefits. For non-sales roles the hiring ranges reflect base salary only; employees are also eligible to receive annual bonuses. Hiring ranges for sales positions include base and incentive compensation target. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location and additional factors, including but not limited to skillset, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training. Applicants may not be eligible for the full salary range based on their U.S. or Canada hiring location. The recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees have access to quality medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance and numerous wellbeing offerings.

Employees receive up to twelve paid holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating holiday (for non-exempt employees), plus a day off for their birthday. Non-Exempt new hires accrue up to 16 days of vacation time off each year, at a rate of 4.92 hours per pay period. Exempt new hires participate in Cisco's flexible Vacation Time Off policy, which does not place a defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use, but is subject to availability and some business limitations. All new hires are eligible for Sick Time Off subject to Cisco's Sick Time Off Policy and will have eighty (80) hours of sick time off provided on their hire date and on January 1st of each year thereafter. Up to 80 hours of unused sick time will be carried forward from one calendar year to the next such that the maximum number of sick time hours an employee may have available is 160 hours. Employees in Illinois have a unique time off program designed specifically with local requirements in mind. All employees also have access to paid time away to deal with critical or emergency issues. We offer additional paid time to volunteer and give back to the community.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components. 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 up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

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