Design Strategist

Role Overview

As a Design Strategist, you will partner with our Service Teams on top 3P Strategic Initiatives that impact Cisco employees globally. You will move teams from ambiguity to focused execution, acting as a bridge between business goals, user needs, and technical feasibility. You will also act as a Design System Advocate, driving the evolution of our design infrastructure to meet the needs of our most complex initiatives.
What You Will Do

Define Strategic Foundations: Develop product roadmaps, Business Requirement Documents (BRDs), information architecture, and user flows that provide clear direction for product development. Prioritize with Rigor: Apply desirability, feasibility, and viability frameworks to shape scope early and align stakeholders on MVP requirements.
Why It Might Be a Fit

You will have the opportunity to work on global initiatives that prioritize accessibility (#a11y) and ethical AI, ensuring our solutions are equitable for all Cisco employees. You will also have the chance to drive decisions across cross‑functional teams, articulate design rationale, and strategically delegate to specialists.
Requirements

Bachelor's degree with 7+ years of related experience, or Master's degree with 4+ years of related experience.
Background in product/UX strategy, service design, or systems thinking with a strong ability to operate in ambiguity and 'shift left' to create structure.
Strong command of core UX skills & capabilities (Interaction, Visual, Research, Content, and Information Architecture) with a focus on flow design and MVP prioritization.
Proficiency in industry‑standard design and research tools (e.g., Figma for prototyping, Maze for rapid user testing) and project management platforms (e.g., Airtable, ServiceNow).
Proven track record to drive decisions across cross‑functional teams (Executives, P&C, IT, Service Owners), articulate design rationale, and strategically delegate to specialists.
Expertise in scoping, sequencing, roadmapping, and metrics‑tied outcomes.
Experience using design systems to build products and a proactive desire to contribute to their growth and feature development.
Benefits

Medical, dental and vision insurance
401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution
Paid parental leave
Short and long‑term disability coverage
Basic life insurance
Paid time away (vacation, sick time, holidays)
Flexible vacation time off program
Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
Annual bonuses (for non‑sales roles)
Performance‑based incentive pay (for sales roles)

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