The application window is expected to close on: 04/25/2026

Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Role Overview

As a Compensation Consultant aligned to Cisco’s Engineering organization, you will advise executive, senior leaders and People & Communities (P&C) partners on compensation strategies that attract, retain, and motivate top technical talent.

You will translate Cisco’s compensation philosophy into practical solutions that balance business requirements, market competitiveness, internal equity, and cost discipline. This role combines strategic consulting, advanced analytics, and program design to support informed rewards decisions across a global engineering workforce.

What You’ll Do

Strategic Compensation Advisory

Regularly partner with engineering leaders and P&C partners (e.g., J&C) and others (e.g., Finance, Legal) to shape competitive and sustainable rewards strategies. Provide guidance on base pay, incentives, equity, hiring offers, promotions, and retention strategies.  The job also works across each area of the compensation group and may also work with other stakeholders in the People Care organization (e.g., Benefits) for projects and program designs requiring cross collaboration.

Compensation Strategy & Talent Solutions

Design and implement compensation programs and targeted solutions that support business priorities, talent acquisition, and retention across global markets. Design motions include ensuring programs are competitive, scalable, and aligned with Cisco’s compensation philosophy. This includes supporting workforce growth initiatives, advising on group hiring strategies, and providing compensation guidance and solutions during acquisitions or organizational integrations as well as during Reward cycles, and country compensation solutions, and as needed to retain talent.  The position may lead or play a key role in designing, doing analytics, and/or project management for compensation projects in other areas of compensation (e.g., Corporate Rewards or Bonus programs, Go-To-Market project management, market analytics projects).

Data-Driven Insights & Modeling

Conduct and coordinate market analysis, develop compensation models, and produce insights that inform and recommend pay and workforce decisions. Use analytical tools to forecast cost impacts and evaluate program, pay practice effectiveness.

Technology-Enabled Productivity

Leverage AI and emerging technologies as a productivity partner to streamline work, accelerate analysis, and support strategic thinking. This may include generating job descriptions, developing Excel formulas or models, summarizing market insights, and improving the efficiency of recurring compensation workflows, including changes to Cisco’s Workday system.

Project Management: In addition to sustaining “always-on” work, you’ll lead key projects that progress consulting capacity and capability.  Projects requiring designing and implementing work with excellent stakeholder management practices.

 

Who You Are

You are a strategic problem solver who can translate complex data into clear insights and recommendations for leaders and employees. You bring a strong understanding of compensation strategy and thrive in environments where business priorities evolve quickly.

You build trusted partnerships, communicate effectively with senior stakeholders, and are comfortable using data, automation, and emerging technologies to improve decision-making and operational efficiency.

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive compensation and/or HR partner experience with increasing levels of responsibility in identifying, consulting on, designing, recommending, and implementing efficient and innovative business solutions to clients' compensation challenges.
• Bachelor’s or equivalent is required.
• In depth knowledge of base pay, incentive, and equity program design, ideally for engineering or technical talent.
• Solid technical, quantitative, and analytical/modeling capabilities (Excel or similar tools) with experience in global compensation data analysis and interpretation.
• Proficiency in using data, automation, or AI-enabled tools to enhance analysis and insights.
• A strong understanding of global markets, including familiarity with regional business practices, cultural nuances, and market dynamics, to effectively engage with stakeholders across diverse geographies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional formal education (MBA, MS) and Compensation Certifications from World at Work is preferred.
• Proven experience in a client-facing role, consulting directly with senior business stakeholders within an organization, with a strong preference for experience supporting engineering or technical organizations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to communicate complex compensation concepts clearly to diverse global audiences.
• Experience working effectively with internal clients and stakeholders in a global, matrixed organization.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities/ projects in a global, matrixed organization with competing deadlines and priorities across different time zones.

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 $135,300.00 to $171,400.00 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:

$159,400.00 - $238,500.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$144,100.00 - $210,300.00

* 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.