CE Release Manager - Cisco Systems Inc., San Jose, CA Job Details

Cisco Career Connection Job Description

Requisition #: R919800 Location: UNITED STATES.CALIFORNIA.SAN JOSE
Job Title: CE Release Manager Region: AMERICAS
Area of Interest: Cisco Services (Formerly Customer Advocacy)
Level of Experience: Experienced - Non Manager
Flexible Work Option: No
Job Description: The Country Enablement (CE) team is a catalyst for Cisco's International Expansion - providing maximum return on investment while capitalizing on opportunities, aligning to specific country goals and enabling Cisco's international expansion.

The role of Release Manager on the CE Program Delivery team is a leadership position responsible for the successful implementation CE releases. The most crucial characteristics for a program manager to succeed in the CE environment are credibility, creative problem-solving, tolerance for ambiguity, management of conflict, understanding of the work, and effective communication.

Credibility : Given the requisite leadership-by-influence style of the CE organization, professional credibility is a critical attribute of a successful release manager.
* Expert understanding of Cisco program management environment – Organization structure, Tools (e.g. Propel, Remedy, Clarity) & Methods (e.g. PLC, RLC, DMAIC, etc)
* Referenceable experiences leading large, cross-functional programs at Cisco
* Personal knowledge of some of the Cisco Functional Domains Impacted (e.g. Finance, Tax, Logistics, Service)
* Knowledge of industry-standard program & project management practices (e.g. PMI training & certification

Creative Problem-Solving : The successful release manager must be able to adapt their problem-solving approach to the circumstances:
* Some problems are highly cross-functional and demand a very collaborative style
* Some problems are highly time-critical and require a rapid decision protocol
* By their nature some problems lend themselves to very detailed data analysis, while others must be based upon sound managerial judgment since empirical data is simply not available.
* Some problems are easily related to past experiences which can provide a pattern for resolution, while others represent an entirely new challenge the program has not met before.
Tolerance for Ambiguity : The release manager is in the business of making things clear for management and team members, but in fact must be able to cope with a great deal of ambiguity and uncertainty.
* Program roadmaps and release goals are set forth without perfect knowledge of the challenges which will be encountered.
* The Cisco PLC recognizes that as any project progresses, there are learnings which refine the team’s understanding of the effort they are undertaking.
* Release managers must be able to accept the uncertainties which exist in early stages of the life-cycle and lead the team through the process of corralling and resolving them, without losing focus on the release objectives.

Management of Conflict : The key release management objectives with respect to conflict are :
* Ensure conflicts are clearly identified in advance before they undermine the goals of the release.
* Ensure conflicts are accurately and objectively characterized and understood by all parties impacted.
* Leverage the CE governance and decision-making structures where needed to provide guidance in resolving the conflict.
* Keep the dialog open and constructive

Understanding of the Work : It is crucial that the release manager is able to decompose the complex stream of activities required to complete the release :
* Creating and communicating a clear work breakdown and task ownership across the matrix team
* Understanding the dependencies between tasks which form the critical path for the release
* Right-sizing the monitoring of tasks such that deliverables’ status is understood and remedial action can be taken where necessary, without creating an unmanageable administrative burden for the team
* Correctly identifying threats (risks or issues) which require escalation for appropriate management action

Effective Communication : Communicating with, listening to and persuading team members, peers, and upper management may be the single most crucial skill for a release manager. The most effective communicators strive to ensure that regardless of the purpose or audience, their messages are always :
* Clear, crisp, & concise
* Targeted, Focused, Purposeful, Controlled
* Open, Transparent, Accurate, Honest, Objective

The successful candidate must also effectively running meetings, so must be:
* Purposeful & Prepared
* Focused & Efficient use of time
* Right attendance for the objective
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