Role Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Business Development Manager (BDM) to lead Cisco’s business development and market expansion within Japan’s Defense sector, with a particular focus on the Ministry of Defense and related organizations.

As a Subject Matter Expert (SME), you will leverage your deep understanding of the defense market, government procurement processes, and established industry relationships to identify and develop long-term sales opportunities. You will work closely with Cisco’s account teams, engineering teams, business units, partners, and global stakeholders to shape strategic opportunities and strengthen Cisco’s presence within the Defense sector.

This role requires the ability to navigate complex, highly regulated customer environments, develop opportunities over long sales cycles, and translate customer priorities into Cisco architecture and solution strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Defense-Specific Demand Generation: Lead demand generation and business development strategies for the Ministry of Defense, Self-Defense Forces, and related organizations, identifying new opportunities across Cisco’s technology and solution portfolio.
• Strategic Relationship Management: Build and maintain senior-level relationships with key stakeholders across government organizations, defense-related customers, system integrators, and strategic partners to support long-term business development.
• Government Procurement Expertise: Apply strong knowledge of Japanese government and defense procurement processes, budgeting cycles, tender requirements, and regulatory considerations to identify opportunities early and develop effective pursuit strategies.
• Deal Shaping & Complex Proposals: Shape large, complex opportunities, typically exceeding $1M in sales revenue, and develop deal structures that meet both customer requirements and Cisco’s business objectives. Manage opportunities with sales cycles typically ranging from 12 to 24 months.
• Solution & Architecture Development: Work closely with technical specialists and business units to develop architecture- and solution-based proposals addressing customer priorities such as secure networking, cybersecurity, cloud, collaboration, and digital transformation.
• Global Collaboration: Engage with Cisco’s global teams and business units to align local Defense opportunities with global technology strategies, product capabilities, and relevant international best practices.
• Market Insight & Thought Leadership: Monitor developments in Japan’s Defense market, government technology priorities, regulatory requirements, and competitive activity. Provide customer and market insights that help inform Cisco’s solution strategy and product direction.
• Cross-Functional Governance: Lead coordination across account teams, engineering, product teams, legal, compliance, partners, and other internal stakeholders for strategic and high-complexity opportunities.
• Pipeline Development: Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities, supporting account teams from early-stage opportunity identification and qualification through proposal development and deal progression.

Qualifications

• Defense Sector Expertise: Significant experience in business development, enterprise sales, solution sales, or strategic account management within Japan’s Defense sector, including direct experience working with the Ministry of Defense and/or Self-Defense Forces.
• Government Procurement Knowledge: Strong understanding of Japanese public-sector and defense procurement processes, annual budgeting cycles, tender procedures, and long-term government sales processes.
• Industry Network: Established professional network across the Defense ecosystem, including government stakeholders, system integrators, technology partners, and other relevant organizations.
• Complex Sales Experience: Proven experience developing and managing large-scale, complex opportunities involving multiple stakeholders and extended sales cycles.
• Technology Understanding: Experience selling or developing business around enterprise technology solutions such as networking, cybersecurity, cloud, infrastructure, collaboration, or related technologies.
• Communication Skills: Strong Japanese communication and stakeholder management skills. English proficiency sufficient to collaborate effectively with Cisco’s regional and global teams is preferred.
• Leadership: Ability to lead complex pursuits and coordinate cross-functional teams without direct reporting authority.
• Education / Experience: Bachelor’s degree with 12+ years of related experience, Master’s degree with 8+ years of related experience, PhD with 5+ years of related experience, or equivalent relevant professional experience.

Success Measures

• Revenue Growth: Drive increased sales revenue from new and existing Cisco solutions within the Defense sector.
• Pipeline Development: Increase the volume and value of qualified opportunities, particularly strategic and large-scale Defense opportunities.
• New Business Development: Identify and create new demand within existing and prospective Defense accounts and expand Cisco’s share of customer technology investment.
• Strategic Customer Engagement: Establish Cisco as a trusted technology partner by developing sustainable relationships with key Defense stakeholders.
• Cross-Functional Execution: Successfully coordinate Cisco account teams, technical teams, business units, partners, and global stakeholders to progress strategic opportunities.

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.

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.