Job Description
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 are a company built on the foundation of challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we are looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are.
Job Description As a Solutions Architect (SA) at Palo Alto Networks, you are responsible for improving the productivity of our sales teams through the creation and delivery of business-relevant security conversations to our key prospects and customers. As a thought leader, you will address IT-related issues by leveraging Palo Alto Networks technologies in a way that creates differentiated business value. As a trusted advisor, you will provide valuable insights and education on effective risk reduction, compliance, governance, and cost reduction through a prevention first security approach based on the Palo Alto Networks security platform.
The SAs’ value is measured in their ability to increase sales productivity by:
Setting and driving an agenda with the customer, both directly and through the local Sales Teams, as well as within the market through various public speaking engagements.
Uncovering new technology applications and use cases and aiding in the creation of presentations, documents, and deliverables that will illustrate value to prospects and customers and the Palo Alto Networks sales teams
Uncovering and documenting technological/business value gaps between the Palo Alto Networks platform and competitive offerings and communicating these to the wider Palo Alto Networks Sales organization.
Interface with Product Management to discover and fill current shortcomings in our product suite as well as requirements for future strategic market segments.
The role will require close coordination with Sales, Palo Alto Networks’ CISO and his theater CISO’s, Sales Engineering leadership, Product Management, Marketing, Channel Partners, and the Consulting Engineering team. This is a senior technical role in the field and value produced must be obvious and recurrent. Customers and Sales Teams will ask for you by name.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Increase sales productivity - Impact, success, and compensation is measured against the America’s Theater and US Major’s Goals
Engage directly with key prospects and customers as a security expert to penetrate whitespace accounts and expand Palo Alto Networks’ install base through the Identification, qualification, and closure of opportunities
Work directly with the local account teams on strategic pursuits to develop differentiated sales strategies based on opportunity specific business and technical drivers
Work with the Sales Teams on strategic opportunities to on the development and delivery of differentiated proposals which clearly demonstrate the business and technical value of the Palo Alto Networks Security Platform
Engage and establish an advisory relationship with key Manager, Director, VP, and CXO contacts at strategic customers to assist them in the pursuit of a preventative security posture
Educate prospects and customers as to how the security landscape is constantly changing and how it will continue to change due to evolving threat vectors, change in networking technologies (virtualized data centers, public cloud, SaaS, etc.), and enterprise outsourcing of IT resources
Lead monthly thought leadership calls with the Americas Sales Team sharing insights and effective sales approaches derived through customer engagement to improve the Sales Teams’ effectiveness in communicating and closing business with prospects and clients
Document and distribute proven insights and approaches for broader Sales Team consumption.
Provide summarized and business-relevant feedback into Product Management, Product Marketing, Competitive Marketing, and Field Marketing based on customer engagements to improve Palo Alto Networks effectiveness in communicating its value proposition to prospects and clients
Engage in continuous self-improvement and learning to maintain technical leadership of relevant technologies (security, data center, SDN, public cloud, networking, endpoint, etc.)
Work closely with the theater CISO resources to ensure that you maintain and coordinated approach to the market
Qualifications REQUIREMENTS:
Self-motivated.
"Whatever it takes" attitude and motivation to do whatever necessary to close deals.
Extensive knowledge in the network and endpoint security architectures, history, and trends.
Knowledge of ancillary security areas such as identity management, SIEM, public, and private cloud architectures.
Demonstrable experience in establishing credibility and strategic messaging with large enterprise customers
BSCS or equivalent and 10+ years of experience as an end customer and/or as a vendor
Solid fundamental networking background.
Expect to travel 50%+ of the weeks in the fiscal year.
Strong communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills, both internally and externally.
Strong problem finding and solving skills, ability to analyze complex multivariate problems and use a systematic approach to gain quick resolution, even under duress.
Super organizational skills.
PREFERENCES:
Experience working with channel partners and understanding of a channel-centric go to market approach.
Experience working with companies in the enterprise security space.
End customer background to validate your perspective with customers.
Additional Information THE TEAM
You won’t find someone at Palo Alto Networks that isn’t committed to your success – with everyone pitching in to assist when it comes to solutions selling, learning, and development. As a member of our systems engineering team, you are motivated by a solutions-focused sales environment and find fulfillment in working with clients to resolve incredible complex cyberthreats.
OUR COMMITMENT
We’re trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com.
Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.