BRIANA SHERMAN
Napa,CA
Summary
Chief of Staff and Strategy and Planning Leader with 17 years of experience successfully organizing, managing and delivering cross-functional projects. Influences and guides at executive-level while structuring and executing across key initiatives, complex analyses, and organizational priorities to support strategy in fast-paced and evolving environment. Excellent collaborator and relationship builder with growth mindset and strong communications skills to summarize and present complex topics effectively to cross functional audiences.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director, Americas Sales Strategy & Planning
Cisco Systems
10.2022 - Current
- Chief of Staff and Strategy and Planning Director responsible for the Americas Architectures and Solutions Engineering
- Cultivated the overall health of the organizations across budget management, formalization of executive engagements, seller standards of excellence, and executing the organizations strategic vision
- Stood up a "Chief Operating Office" function to support VP across both Architectures and Solutions Engineering
- Collaborate with cross-functional leadership to align revenue focused go-to-market initiatives
- Developed forecasting efficiencies, specialist and SE coverage models, and compensation plans aligned to our Go-To-Market strategy and initiative execution
- Responsible for Product and Growth Marketing alignment and executive-level communications
- Lead alignment across the WW Architecture teams motivating cross matrixed teams to execute on cross-arch initiatives, Growth Sprints, Marketing Campaigns, and enablement for Quarterly Executive Priorities (QEP)
- Long range strategic planning across the America’s S&P organization and Architecture business
Chief of Staff - GES West Sales Strategy Director
Cisco Systems
10.2021 - 08.2022
- Responsible for coverage, and compensation across sales generalists and solutions engineers
- Developed executive communications and strategic initiatives for Area Vice President
- Worked directly with customers, account teams, strategic alliances, and executive briefing team for customer and partner CXCs
- Created seller enablement tools to give broader visibility to renewal data, services integration, connection to Customer Success, and alignment to product specialists
- Implemented new processes across, recruitment and interviewing, budget management, and staff meetings inclusive of All Hands
Chief of Staff, ET&I Product Management
Cisco Systems
01.2020 - 10.2022
- Chief of Staff responsible for managing business development team creating business insights, market research, and Engineering initiatives
- Developed Cisco GTM Incubation framework for Outshift ventures scaling to the marketplace
- Prepared LRSAP and CEO QBO reviews for incubation projects and ventures
- Responsible for building out Executive Dashboards and Insights Engine to target customer based on Cisco & 3rd party data
- Launched Design Partner Program & Portal creation for customer adoption and testing of ventures
- Partnered with Cisco Legal on NDA design and product deployment for early field/customer/partner testing
- Responsible for launching Innovation Challenges across both Cisco internal and external communities
- Aligned Engineering, Technical Marketing, and Product Management across Horizon 2 and 3 projects
WW Enterprise Networking Strategy and Planning
Cisco
01.2018 - 01.2020
- WW Strategy Leader for Routing, Switching, and Wireless Business Insights and Strategic Initiatives for growing $14B Enterprise Networking Portfolio
- Developed insights and dashboards ranging from sales campaign focused, telemetry visibility, and executive / CEO visibility of health of business
- Launched new Hardware and Software product lines by successfully collaborating with marketing, sales, engineering teams; increasing revenue streams.
- Managed cross-functional teams to ensure smooth collaboration and completion of high-priority strategic initiatives
- Optimized organizational structures with newly acquired SD-WAN and July Systems employees including creation of sales compensation plans, sales programs, and dashboards for visibility to CFO commit and seller performance
- Chief of Staff to Wireless and Switching Sales Leader responsible for development of field engagement, go-to-market, and routes to market
Business Operations Manager
Cisco
01.2013 - 01.2018
- Manage 50+ full time and contract operations and sales support team on site in RTP
- Responsible for global delivery of validation and quoting process for software and services renewals
- Led Americas pilot defining operations and sales engagement model contributing to $1.95B renewals
- Responsible for Annuity Workspace tool automation creating self-service opportunity pulls for sales
- Integrated and defined software renewal requirements for Cisco wide renewals commerce tools
- Delivered partner facing training for 500+ Cisco global partners on Services and SW.
IT Training Advisor- Outbound Sales
Global Knowledge
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Sales and Account Management selling and advising on critical IT training to maintain certifications
- Achieved yearly goal of $1,375,000 and grew overall territory within 6 months
- Obtained pre-pays of $50,000 and more for multi-national corporations
- Managed 100+ accounts across US Central territory.
Corporate special projects and business operations
Polo Ralph Lauren
01.2007 - 01.2012
- Process and Tool Improvement and Development across existing and new businesses
- Managed the supply chain, sales, and production relationship for Canadian wholesale business
- Developed the business plan for the Golf and Footwear divisions with SLT and ELT
- Increased White Glove business by $2 million in addition to $1.4 million for Green grass accounts
- Aligned with IT consultants to build out new CRM while integrating legacy systems.
Education
James Madison University
Skills
- Organization Design
- Executive Business Partnership
- Culture creator
- Strategic Initiatives and Programs
- Insight Development
- New Year Readiness and Long Range Planning
- Collaborative mindset
- Workforce Planning
- Staff Management
Certification
- Six Sigma Yellow Belt
- Storytelling with Data
- Cisco Sponsored Courageous Leader Cohort #44
- Women’s Development program JUMP
- 2023 ElevateHER Mentor
- 2022 Executive Mentor
- Living Cisco Achiever Award
- Bain Strategic Revenue Leaders (currently in course)
Timeline
Director, Americas Sales Strategy & Planning
Cisco Systems
10.2022 - Current
Chief of Staff - GES West Sales Strategy Director
Cisco Systems
10.2021 - 08.2022
Chief of Staff, ET&I Product Management
Cisco Systems
01.2020 - 10.2022
WW Enterprise Networking Strategy and Planning
Cisco
01.2018 - 01.2020
Business Operations Manager
Cisco
01.2013 - 01.2018
IT Training Advisor- Outbound Sales
Global Knowledge
01.2012 - 01.2013
Corporate special projects and business operations
Polo Ralph Lauren
01.2007 - 01.2012
James Madison University