Jessie Saini

About Jessie Saini

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, so I have some solid Midwestern roots. I have always had a curious mind and am a voracious reader. For as long as I can remember, I have loved the adventure of trying something new and learning how to master a new skill. While I am naturally structured and organized, I have taken a less orthodox approach in my career by not pursuing a linear path. I\'ve succeeded in my career by taking on interesting challenges where I could learn the most and working through big pivots to grow businesses.I love solving complex problems, using data and introspection to uncover new ways to get to the truth. I\'m a builder and a connector. I\'ve built deep expertise throughout my tech career across the product lifecycle. This experience, combined with my education in psychology, gives me a unique perspective on motivating, developing, and retaining talent. I love teaching and mentoring leaders. Here are a few things I learned about myself along the way:• I excel at connecting the big picture to the small details and executing the vision.• Being a champion, whether it\'s for people or ideas, energizes me. • I cherish the role of an advisor; I appreciate the trust people put in me, whether it\'s my colleagues, team, or top executives.• Understanding what makes people tick helps me better understand problems so I can solve them faster. • The team win feels better than winning on my own.As SVP of Strategy, Planning, & Operations for Cisco\'s Security and Collaboration Business, I help make decisions about how to invest our resources and allocate talent to exponentially grow Cisco’s security and collaboration business. I drive strategic planning and execution, systems and analytics, go-to-market strategy, employee engagement, and strategic alliances, and business development for an organization of employees. I have deep know-how about go-to-market strategies, long-range planning, business operations, SaaS and consumption-based business models, and collaboration solutions.I\'m lucky to have a seat at the table in a Fortune 50 company. My mission is to help more people like me get a seat. We move faster when we hear voices from all sides of the room. I want to expand my role as an advisor by becoming a board member of a publicly traded technology company. I enjoy meeting new people and hearing new perspectives. Reach out if you want to talk to me about board memberships, creating software products, organizational design, or operational excellence.

Experience

1. Senior Vice President, Business Development, Pricing, Strategy and Planning, Cisco Products

   Cisco

   Dec 2024 — Present · San Diego, US

Education

• DePaul University

  Bachelor's, Psychology

  2000 — 2006

• The Chicago School

  Master's, Industrial/Organizational Psychology

  2006 — 2008

Skills

• Strategic Planning
• Business Operations
• Operations Management
• Sales Operations
• Back Office
• Gtm
• Analytical Skills
• Business Analysis
• Onboarding
• Reporting & Analysis
• Employee Relations
• Performance Appraisal
• Talent Acquisition
• Hris
• Applicant Tracking Systems
• Department Budgeting
• Talent Management
• Training
• Organizational Development
• Enterprise Software
• Saas
• Management
• Leadership
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Strategy
• Performance Management
• Project Management
• Recruiting
• Program Management
• Interviews