Description
Join the Americas Partner Organization (APO) team at Cisco, dedicated to the success of one of our most critical national partners: CDW. As a Partner Solution Engineer (PSE), you will work within a top-tier group of engineers who possess a phenomenal depth of Cisco expertise. You will collaborate with Partner Leaders, Account Managers, and CDW’s own Solution Architects to drive a $2B+ joint business, focusing on building technical capability and accelerating joint pipeline.
Responsibilities:
- Design and deliver impactful technical enablement programs, hands-on labs, demos, and technical workshops for CDW’s Solution Architects and technical specialists.
- Accelerate partner adoption of key Cisco platforms (Catalyst, Meraki, ThousandEyes, Security/SASE, and AI-ready infrastructure) to help CDW reach practice maturity.
- Serve as the escalation lead on high-value, complex opportunities. Conduct joint architectural design sessions (ADS) and proof-of-value (POV) strategies to differentiate Cisco solutions.
- Partner with Cisco Partner Account Executives (PAEs) and CDW leadership on territory mapping, demand-generation campaigns, and architectural business plans driving initiatives aligning to partner profitability and Cisco’s growth priorities.
- Act as a critical feedback loop, advocating for CDW-specific needs to Cisco Business Units and Product Management to remove technical roadblocks and influence product roadmaps.
- Actively support the Cisco culture by sharing technical, professional, and sales skills, providing consultative support to enable CDW’s engineering teams and drive partner loyalty.
- Leverage AI tools (ex: Cisco’s MyAgent, Claude, OpenAI, etc) and capabilities to scale the CDW growth engine for Cisco products and solutions.
Minimum Qualifications:
- 4+ years of experience working directly with or within Tier-1 National Partners, System Integrators, or Value-Added Resellers (VARs).
- Ability to articulate technical value across CDW engineering practices, effectively negotiating and influencing technical practice leads and executives to align with Cisco technical priorities and Go-to-Market/Route-to-Market.
- Practical experience with Cisco-specific platforms, including Catalyst 9000 series, Catalyst Center (DNA Center), Meraki full-stack, and Cisco Security/SASE solutions.
- Exceptional communication skills; ability to simplify complex architectures for C-suite discussions and lead high-stakes technical negotiations.
- Experience designing and delivering technical workshops, hands-on labs, or enablement programs for technical specialists.
Preferred Qualifications:
- 2+ years of professional experience in IT as a Systems Engineer, Solutions Architect, or Technical Consultant.
- Demonstrated foundational knowledge in Enterprise Networking (e.g., Switching, Routing, SD-WAN) and cloud or cybersecurity principles.
- Experience working in a team-based sales or engineering environment, with a track record of driving cross-functional success.
- Bachelor’s degree in a technical field (Computer Science, Electrical Engineering) or equivalent practical experience.
- Active CCNA (Enterprise Infrastructure/Wireless) or higher-level industry certifications (e.g., CCNP, PCNSE, AWS/Azure certifications).
- Demonstrated use of AI tools or automation to streamline technical workflows and scale engineering productivity.
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, holidays, sick time)
- Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer