Sr. Director, Finance - Next Generation Firewall

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 personalization 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 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 with some flexibility offered where needed. 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 on the industry’s best cybersecurity solutions together!

Job Description

Your Career

Palo Alto Networks is looking for an experienced finance leader to provide decision support as the Senior Director, Finance - Next Generation Firewall. The ideal candidate is a self-starter, strategic thinker, team developer, and enjoys collaborating with a diverse set of functional leaders in a dynamic fast-paced environment.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, Network Security, this role will oversee Hardware & Software firewalls and Supply Chain operations.  The leader for this organization will work closely with executives in Accounting, Product, and Supply Chain Operations up to the SVP level to set the strategy, define pricing, GTM, manufacturing partnerships, etc. We need someone with financial gravitas to influence business leaders, the ability to span hardware and software business models, and the operational depth to ensure an efficient and effective Supply Chain operation.   

Your Impact

• Interact with the senior leadership team to determine new product roadmap, winning growth strategy, priorities, and to provide regular visibility of progress 
• Ensure depth of understanding around product cost structures, mix, discounts, and overall gross margin performance
• Build and develop a high-performing team demonstrating a ‘CFO Mindset’ while fostering a culture of growth, continuous improvement, and strategic thinking
• Work with the leadership team, the engineering team, and the product team to develop and execute product roadmaps that continue market share expansion
• Develop and present strategic insights about the products, their competition, and customer adoption
• Partner with key stakeholders to socialize and drive support for your vision across executive leadership, product design, marketing, customer success, and sales
• Conduct in-depth analysis of the competition to ensure Palo Alto Networks maintains its leadership position and tracks to its investor thesis
• Closely track industry trends and adapt accordingly
• Understand customer Hardware to Software transitions; Lead the definition of cloud pricing and licensing strategy in support of customers transitioning from on-prem business models
• Ensure successful distribution strategy execution and appropriate channel stocking to support continued growth
• Within strategic parameters, maximize revenue by establishing margin goals for the field, developing expansion GTM motions, and improving end-user and partner discounting over time
• Support deal desk in carrying out deal profitability analyses and optimizing deal structures
• Work cross-functionally to manage the licensing process, reducing complexity and ensuring customer satisfaction

Qualifications

Your Experience

• Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or equivalent - advanced degree or qualification (e.g., CPA, MBA) strongly preferred or equivalent military experience 
• 10+ years of finance/managerial experience with progressing responsibilities  
• History of presenting recommendations and getting buy-in from senior executives
• Experience with hardware, supply chain and software business models 
• Exceptional presentation skills, concise and fluent in communication 
• Ability to distill complexity via a methodical and structured approach 

Additional Information

The Team

You have a passion for nu