Director, Systems Engineering - Technical Specialist

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.

We have the vision of a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. These aren’t easy goals to accomplish – but we’re not here for easy. We’re here for better. 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.

Disruption is at the core of our technology and on our way of work to meet the needs of our employees now and in the future through FLEXWORK, our approach to how we work. We’re changing the nature of work from benefits to learning, location to leadership, we’ve rethought and recreated every aspect of the employee experience at Palo Alto Networks. And because it FLEXes around each individual employee based on their individual choices, employees are empowered to push boundaries and help us all evolve, together.

Job Description

Your Career

Palo Alto Networks is continuing to build our team.  Our organization is one that’s dynamic, high-energy, and highly collaborative. Our solutions are innovative and industry leading, so if you have an inner entrepreneurial spirit, are comfortable working in fast-paced environments, and have a desire to help customers achieve their security goals, then this organization is the right one for you.

The Palo Alto Networks Systems Engineering Director (SED) - Technical Specialist is the technical leadership position for our Go To Market Specialist team. This team consists of the SASE Specialist supporting our largest and most strategic opportunities and the Consulting Engineers that bring deep technical expertise to our customers. As a 2nd level leader, the Systems Engineering Director will lead the strategy, programs, development and engagement for the specialist team. They will also engage in high-level customer interactions, sharing their expertise on Palo Alto Networks solutions and industry direction with our most strategic clients. You will be responsible for partnering closely with the Cores Sales teams, to identify opportunities, set strategy and work together to close sales. 

It is expected that the SED can interact at a senior level with customers (CIO, CSO, CTO) and provide valuable insight into industry trends, customer challenges, technical evolutions, and business changes that will help the customer make their security decisions. The optimal SED can build a partnership with our SE Leadership in the region, identify and implement opportunities to improve existing or launch new programs and processes and has a passion for developing their team.

Your Impact

• Business Partner to the Sales Leader to support all technical aspects of the GTM Team
• Define Sales Plays with the SASE team, CE team and our Core Teams to drive our solutions
• Responsible for developing and mentoring the Leaders and Specialists on the team.
• Provide thought leadership and executive level interaction with customers. Be able to clearly articulate our value proposition at various different levels of our customers’ organizations
• Assist with defining periodic SE training curriculum for enabling our SE Community in Core and SASE
• Assist Channel team in ensuring Partner SE’s are trained and can support Palo Alto Network’s solutions 
• Foster channel partner relationships with their technical leadership teams.
• Build and maintain relationships with key SE Leaders, Product Leaders, Speedboat Leaders to act as the senior technical resource for the company
• Recruit and hire new Technical Specialists and Managers into the territory as we grow.

Qualifications

Your Experience

• BS CS/EE or related (or equivalent work experience), MBA desired
• 10+ Years’ experience as a Technical Leader
• Strong knowledge of SASE, Network Security and Industry Trends
• Experience with SaaS/SASE/cloud/managed/on-prem offerings
• Delivering cybersecurity solutions that solve technical challenges and influence new business initiatives
• Industry knowledge of security product market trends and directional awareness of Palo Alto Network’s roadmap and technology development efforts.
• Value Selling experience desired
• Knowledge of how to deliver comprehensive security solutions to PAN’s customer base, and maintains a general understanding of competitive selling strategies.
• 30%-50% travel
• Strong communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills
• 'Whatever it takes' attitude and motivation to do whatever necessary to assist in closing a deal.

Additional Inf