Director Cisco Security Data Center and AI Services Sales

About Gruve

Gruve is an innovative software services startup dedicated to transforming enterprises to AI powerhouses. We specialize in cybersecurity, customer experience, cloud infrastructure, and advanced technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs). Our mission is to assist our customers in their business strategies utilizing their data to make more intelligent decisions. As a well-funded early-stage startup, Gruve offers a dynamic environment with strong customer and partner networks.

About the Role

Gruve is seeking a Director of Cisco Security, Data Center and AI Services Sales to build and close high-value services opportunities across the United States. This is an individual-contributor role with end-to-end ownership—from executive engagement and opportunity creation through solution alignment, commercial negotiation and contract closure.

The successful candidate will combine Cisco ecosystem credibility with consultative, outcome-based selling. The role will work closely with Cisco teams, strategic channel partners and enterprise executives to develop joint pipeline for managed services, professional services and emerging AI infrastructure offerings.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a national go-to-market plan for Cisco-aligned Security, Data Center and AI services.
• Build trusted relationships with Cisco sales leaders, account teams, business units and strategic Cisco partners.
• Create joint account plans and pipeline with Cisco and leading VARs, systems integrators and channel partners, positioning Gruve as a partner-friendly resource that fills service capability gaps without competing with a partner's core offerings.
• Identify, qualify and shape new-logo, account-expansion, Cisco-led and partner-led opportunities.
• Own the full sales cycle, including prospecting, discovery, business-case development, solution positioning, proposal coordination, commercial negotiation and closure.
• Engage CIOs, CISOs, infrastructure leaders and other executives around measurable business outcomes, operational risk and modernization priorities.
• Lead business discovery and qualification, then engage Gruve's solution architects and presales team for technical depth once a qualified opportunity is established.
• Position managed services, professional services, consumption-based offerings and outcome-based engagement models.
• Maintain accurate opportunity data, forecasts, account plans and next-step discipline.
• Represent Gruve at customer meetings, partner events, executive briefings and relevant industry forums.

Basic Qualifications

• At least 8 years of enterprise technology or services sales experience, with a record of meeting or exceeding quota.
• Experience working at Cisco or a major Cisco partner, systems integrator or services organization.
• Established relationships within Cisco or the strategic Cisco partner ecosystem.
• Demonstrated success selling complex managed services and professional services to enterprise customers.
• Working knowledge across Cisco Security, Data Center and AI infrastructure, with depth in at least one of these domains.
• Ability to lead business-focused discovery, qualify technical and commercial needs, and effectively engage solution architects for deeper design discussions.
• Experience creating pipeline through vendor, partner and direct-enterprise relationships.
• End-to-end deal ownership, including value articulation, proposal development, negotiation and contract closure.
• Strong executive communication, presentation, relationship-building and internal collaboration skills.
• Ability to operate independently in an entrepreneurial, fast-moving services environment.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Ability to travel up to 40%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Relationships with Cisco Security and Data Center business units, Cisco field sellers, or major partners such as WWT, ePlus, CDW, Presidio or AHEAD.
• Experience with Cisco XDR, SOC services, ISE, Zero Trust segmentation, firewall services, Nexus platforms, data-center migrations or infrastructure automation.
• Exposure to AI infrastructure, GPU environments, AI networking, private AI platforms or related managed services.
• Familiarity with Cisco SolutionsPlus or comparable marketplace and channel-led sales motions.
• Experience selling consumption-based or outcome-based commercial models.
• Relevant Cisco sales, technical or partner certifications.
• Existing relationships with enterprise CIOs, CISOs and infrastructure leaders.

Success Metrics for This Role

• Achieve an annual sales quota of 3 million to 5 million dollars.
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline of approximately four times annual quota.
• Create measurable Cisco-led and partner-led pipeline across Security, Data Center and AI services.
• Establish productive relationships with priority Cisco teams and strategic VAR partners.
• Improve opportunity conversion through strong qualification, executive alignment and consistent next-step management.
• Maintain forecast accuracy and disciplined CRM hygiene.
• Develop repeatable co-sell plays that produce new logos and expansion revenue.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate may come from Cisco, a leading Cisco partner or systems integrator, or a services organization with strong Cisco relationships. This person is a credible executive seller and disciplined hunter who can create demand, navigate a partner ecosystem, coordinate technical resources and close complex services engagements without requiring deep hands-on engineering expertise.

Salary Range

$125,000 - $180,000 USD