Sr Director, Supply Chain Operations

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.

Who We Are

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Description

Your Career

We are seeking a Senior Director of Supply Chain with a strong background in Strategic EMS/ODM Partnership Management , commodity management, risk & compliance and ESG initiatives. This role is an integral part of our WorldWide Operations team and works closely with Hardware & Software Engineering, Product Management and Finance to ensure successful execution of our hardware firewall business. The ideal candidate is a seasoned leader who demonstrates executive-level leadership in forging strategic, win/win alliances across a complex ecosystem including our EMS partners, our component suppliers, and our cross-functional partners. 

Your Impact

• Lead a team of senior leaders responsible for EMS/ODM Partnerships, commodity management, materials management, factory execution, compliance & risk, social governance, supply chain security and cost management

• Own and ensure Supply Chain Resilience (SCR). Define, develop, and execute the global SCR strategy, guaranteeing uninterrupted supply and zero material-related disruption to customer delivery targets, regardless of macro-geopolitical or environmental volatility.

• Ensure material availability to support production / demand / build plans that drives quarterly revenue attainment

• Openness and ability to Integrate AI into our supply chain and our contract manufacturing operations…drive exponential scalability and operational efficiency leveraging AI both internally and externally with our EMS partners

• Interface with strategic suppliers and key internal functional teams to appropriately influence sourcing decisions, achieving optimal cost and delivery goals

• Understand all elements of product cost; costed BOM, transformation cost, and key main product cost drivers with cost avoidance activities

• Strategically reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) by actively managing and minimizing exposure to key financial detractors, including Purchase Price Variance (PPV), Excess & Obsolete (E&O) inventory, and expediting costs.

• Drive the implementation and maintenance of master purchase agreements (MSA) and SMI/VMI agreements with suppliers

• Drive supplier performance business reviews (SBR), supplier scorecards and annual supplier appreciation event for the direct procurement team

• Collaborate with H/W Engineering & cross-functional teams on establishing technology roadmaps & sourcing strategies for NPI

• Support technical operations and quality management with field quality and customer satisfaction issues

• Manage periodical cost negotiations with a focus on achieving & exceeding cost reduction targets

• Partner with Engineering and NPI teams on driving cost avoidance, resulting in achievement of improved product margin and increased ROI

• Conduct market research to track industry cost trends; leverage benchmarking tools to ensure best in class cost is achieved

• Ensures the corporate compliance initiatives (California Climate Change, Product Carbon Footprint, EU CSRD, etc) are monitored, reported on and executed upon.

Qualifications

Your Experience 

• Masters Degree or equivalent experience and 15+ years of combined supply chain, program management, new product introduction, commodity management and compliance & risk experience.

• Excellent cost negotiator with the ability leverage “trade-offs”

• Flexibility to work and achieve goals in a fast-paced, start up type environment with an ability to adapt to changing circumstances

• Expert contract and supply chain cost negotiator

• Excellent supplier management and materials experience

• Business process and/or application configuration knowledge with supply chain

• Experience working directly with EMS Partner’s, Original Design Manufactures and component suppliers in a custom hardw