Senior Manager, Ecosystems Finance

Company Description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks® everything starts and ends with our mission:

Being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life.

Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. We are a company built on the foundation of challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we’re looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are.

Our Approach to Work

We lead with flexibility and choice in all of our people programs. We have disrupted the traditional view that all employees have the same needs and wants. We offer personalization and offer our employees the opportunity to choose what works best for them as often as possible - from your wellbeing support to your growth and development, and beyond!

At Palo Alto Networks, we believe in the power of collaboration and value in-person interactions. This is why our employees generally work from the office three days per week, leaving two days for choice and flexibility to work where you feel most effective. This setup fosters casual conversations, problem-solving, and trusted relationships. While details may evolve, our goal is to create an environment where innovation thrives, with office-based teams coming together three days a week to collaborate and thrive, together!

Job Description

Your Career

Palo Alto Networks is looking for an experienced finance professional to join its Ecosystems Finance team as a Senior Finance Manager.  You will provide business insight and financial support to the SVP, Chief Partnerships Officer, who owns the governance, strategy, and global programs for our various Routes-to-Market, including via channel partners, global system integrators, cloud service providers, managed security service providers, and technology alliances.

A successful candidate is a self-starter with strong analytical skills, an effective communicator, and a leader passionate for driving change in a dynamic fast-paced environment.

Your Impact

• Be a trusted finance partner to the Partnerships leadership team and drive execution of their business priorities 
• Build cross-functional partnerships and lead through influence to help solve complex interdisciplinary problems on behalf of the business - Navigate across matrixed org structure and engage with senior executives across Finance, Theater, and Product teams to do so
• Develop RTM (route-to-market) metrics and publish financial packages for enhanced business performance visibility on a monthly and quarterly basis
• Ensure prudence and financial rigor / ROI analysis on program funds management, channel and partner incentives and rebates, contractual arrangements with partners, and in opex and headcount management 
• Lead the monthly/quarterly close process, focusing on data and insights that will help advance our channel, global system integrator, cloud service provider, and managed service provider routes-to-markets and partnerships from a top-line bookings perspective, as well as the management of headcount and spend for the Partnerships org
• Financial business support including budgeting, forecasting, reporting, financial modeling and analysis, and annual planning for Ecosystems
• Lead strategic projects, including projects that require E2E operationalization of partner incentives and rebates programs
• Improve operational excellence through identification and execution of initiatives that create efficiency, remove obstacles, or create improved processes and approaches to the business - This includes identifying ways in which tools can be built and deployed to improve workflows to drive automation, efficiency and increased accuracy
• Collaborate as well as mentor colleagues in India, as we build our offshore muscle

Qualifications

Your Experience

• Bachelors in an analytical field (e.g. Business, Economics, Accounting, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or related field) - advanced degree/MBA preferred. Big 4 accounting experience or strategy consulting, a plus or equivalent military experience required
• 8+ years of professional experience, well-versed in Sales Finance, FP&A, or Channels - Familiarity with GTM, channel/ alliance/ ecosystems organization and partner programs mandatory
• A high degree of intelligence, natural curiosity, and a strong work ethic -  Healthy impatience for change - Willingness to ask the tough questions and ensure business partner agreement on complex decision points
• Resolve complex business issues, ability to move beyond reporting to synthesis and insight
• Deadline-driven, organized, and able to multi-task with the willingness to adapt to the rapid business and organizat