Sr. Director, Finance - Next Generation Firewall

Palo Alto Networks - Santa Clara, CA

Full-time - Senior

Santa Clara, CA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

Palo Alto Networks is seeking an experienced finance leader to join our team as the Senior Director, Finance - Next Generation Firewall. This pivotal role is designed for a self-starter and strategic thinker who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. The successful candidate will report directly to the Chief Financial Officer of Network Security and will be responsible for overseeing Hardware & Software firewalls and Supply Chain operations. This position requires a leader who can collaborate effectively with executives across various departments, including Accounting, Product, and Supply Chain Operations, to set strategic direction, define pricing, and establish go-to-market (GTM) strategies and manufacturing partnerships. In this role, you will interact with the senior leadership team to shape the new product roadmap and winning growth strategies while providing regular visibility of progress. You will ensure a deep understanding of product cost structures, discounts, and overall gross margin performance. Building and developing a high-performing team that embodies a ‘CFO Mindset’ is essential, as is fostering a culture of growth, continuous improvement, and strategic thinking. You will work closely with the leadership, engineering, and product teams to develop and execute product roadmaps that drive market share expansion. Additionally, you will be responsible for presenting strategic insights about products, competition, and customer adoption to key stakeholders, ensuring alignment and support for your vision across executive leadership, product design, marketing, customer success, and sales. Your role will also involve conducting in-depth competitive analysis to maintain Palo Alto Networks' leadership position and track industry trends to adapt strategies accordingly. You will lead the definition of cloud pricing and licensing strategies to support customers transitioning from on-premises business models, ensuring successful distribution strategy execution and appropriate channel stocking to support growth. Maximizing revenue through established margin goals and developing expansion GTM motions will be key responsibilities, along with supporting the deal desk in profitability analyses and optimizing deal structures. Finally, you will work cross-functionally to manage the licensing process, reducing complexity and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Interact with the senior leadership team to determine new product roadmap and winning growth strategy.
• 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, engineering team, and 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.
• 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.

Requirements

• Bachelor's in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or equivalent; advanced degree or qualification (e.g., CPA, MBA) strongly preferred.
• 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.