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FLEX Emerging Leaders I (Full Time) United States

Cisco Systems, Inc.
United States, California, San Jose
170 W Tasman Dr (Show on map)
Sep 04, 2025

Applications are accepted until further notice.

Please note this posting is to advertise potential job opportunities. This exact role may not be open today but could open in the near future. When you apply, a Cisco representative may contact you directly if a relevant position opens.

Meet the Team

FLEX is a 3-year leadership development program at Cisco under the People, Policy, and Purpose Organization (3P). FLEX's name is derived from the vision the program has for participants to Find their passion and community, LEad their career, and work, and EXplore the world of potential at Cisco!

As part of FLEX-EL, you will embark on a three-year leadership journey through a series of rotations (3-12 months each, though rotations typically last 12 months) within our 3P organization. In your first weeks at Cisco, you will receive detailed onboarding exposing you to everything Cisco and 3P, hearing directly from leaders across our organization to deepen your understanding of the opportunities available to you and help you best determine where you would like to begin your journey within 3P. Participants will rotate through a wide array of opportunities including, but not limited to:

  • Our People & Communities (HR) organization: home to our traditional People & Communities functions like HR Business Partners, Compensation, Workforce Planning and Analytics, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Mergers & Acquisitions, Employee Relations, amongst others.
  • Our Policy Organization: home to our Government Affairs organization which manages how Cisco interacts and collaborates with local, national, and international governments.
  • Our Purpose Organization: home to our teams responsible for driving Cisco's work to build a more inclusive future for all such as Strategy and Planning, Country Digital Acceleration, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Social Impact & Inclusion, and Real Estate, amongst others.

FLEX-EL cohorts, typically 4-6 people, begin annually at the start of each fiscal year. This cohort model enriches the program by building strong support networks and facilitating peer learning. The next cohort is expected in late Summer 2026!

Committed to global talent, Cisco's FLEX-EL cohorts are fully remote, allowing participants to choose their home location (Cisco office work is optional). After three years, graduates transition into full-time 3P roles based on their career goals.

Your Impact

FLEX-EL participants join Cisco as People and Communities Representatives. In this role they will:

  • Work on projects that will increase value to the business
  • Drive several team-based projects and complete individual stretch assignments
  • Collaborate with senior leadership, managers, cross-functional teams, and other members of the FLEX community
  • Contribute by participating in program-specific key elements
  • Participate in professional development workshops, function-specific training, and business seminars often led by industry leaders

Minimum Qualifications

  • Completion within the past 3 years, or current enrollment with expected completion within 12 months, of a certification or relevant degree program (e.g., Associates, Apprenticeship, Boot Camp, or Certification in a specialized program) + 1 year of relevant experience, High School Diploma + 2 years of relevant experience or Bachelors + 0 years of relevant experience. Relevant fields include: strategy, governance, human resources etc.
  • Colorado Residents: In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
  • Able to legally live and work in the country for which you're applying, without visa support or sponsorship

Preferred Qualifications

  • Shown leadership skills and an ability to motivate change
  • Demonstrate the ability to think strategically, partner with business units, and articulate how Human Resources and Purpose work can positively impact business efficiency (no prior Human Resources experience required)
  • Passion for building a career in Human Resources or purpose-driven work. While 3P is home to our HR function, anyone with a passion for purpose-driven work can find success with FLEX.

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. Simply put - we power the future.

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.

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