People and Communities Representative – Leadership Development Program

Job Description

FLEX Emerging Leaders I (Full Time) United States | Cisco

The Tone:
This is a full-time leadership development program for Emerging Leaders at Cisco, located in the United States. Cisco is a 40-year-old organization revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era, creating solutions that power human-technology collaboration and provide unparalleled security, visibility, and insights. This role is a three-year journey designed to help participants find their passion, lead their careers, and explore potential within Cisco’s People, Policy, and Purpose (3P) organization, contributing to building a more inclusive future for all.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Full-time
• Location: United States
• Pay: $80600–$117500 yearly
• Team: FLEX program under the People, Policy, and Purpose (3P) Organization
• Mission: To develop future leaders by providing rotational experiences within the 3P organization, ultimately contributing to Cisco’s business value and inclusive future initiatives.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Lead strategic projects: Drive team-based projects and individual assignments that increase business value for Cisco.
• Collaborate across teams: Partner with senior leadership, managers, cross-functional teams, and other FLEX community members.
• Engage in development: Participate in professional development workshops, function-specific training, and business seminars often led by industry leaders.
• Contribute to the community: Actively contribute to the FLEX Community by participating in program-specific teams.
• Complete rotational assignments: Embark on a three-year leadership journey through a series of rotations (3–12 months each) within the 3P organization, including People & Communities (HR), Policy (Government Affairs), and Purpose (ESG, Social Impact) functions.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Candidates must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program (Associate’s or Bachelor’s) or an educational/workforce development program (e.g., Apprenticeship, Boot camp, or Certification) and expected to continue enrollment after the initial internship. Qualifying education or work experience should be in strategy, governance, human resources, or a related field.
• Experience: While no prior HR or functional experience is required, candidates should demonstrate proven leadership skills and an ability to motivate change. This role requires demonstrated ability to think strategically, collaborate across diverse business functions, and articulate how people, policy, and purpose initiatives drive business outcomes.
• Skills: Strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, ability to articulate business impact, adaptability, curiosity.
• Bonus: A strong passion for driving meaningful organizational impact and solving complex enterprise challenges is highly valued.