Senior Manager, Program Management - job 1 of 2

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 take our mission of protecting the digital way of life seriously. We are relentless in protecting our customers and we believe that the unique ideas of every member of our team contributes to our collective success. Our values were crowdsourced by employees and are brought to life through each of us everyday - from disruptive innovation and collaboration, to execution. From showing up for each other with integrity to creating an environment where we all feel included.

As a member of our team, you will be shaping the future of cybersecurity. We work fast, value ongoing learning, and we respect each employee as a unique individual. Knowing we all have different needs, our development and personal wellbeing programs are designed to give you choice in how you are supported. This includes our FLEXBenefits wellbeing spending account with over 1,000 eligible items selected by employees, our mental and financial health resources, and our personalized learning opportunities - just to name a few!

At Palo Alto Networks, we believe in the power of collaboration and value in-person interactions. This is why our employees generally work full time from our office with flexibility offered where needed. This setup fosters casual conversations, problem-solving, and trusted relationships. Our goal is to create an environment where we all win with precision.

Your Career

Palo Alto Networks has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Manager, Program Management to join our finance, accounting and operations organization.

Our finance, accounting and operations groups deal with everything touching the CFO organization, covering the numbers, supporting infrastructure, automation, building solutions and providing accurate, insightful financial information to empower our business lines. Your efforts will directly impact the overall transformation and success of a world-leading cybersecurity business. 

You’ll collaborate on complex business, financial and technology problems that are top-of-mind for our executives. You possess a unique blend of business insight, big-picture thinking, deep understanding of end-to-end financial processes and related systems, strong project management skills, ability to influence and collaborate with a large number of constituents within Palo Alto Networks. In this role, you’ll lead initiatives across finance, accounting and operations groups at Palo Alto Networks. The role will partner closely with the quote-to-cash and other subject matter experts and leaders within the finance, accounting and operations organization.

A successful candidate for this role will be proactive, confident and solution-oriented, have a broad set of work experiences within a finance organization, will provide a strong voice to represent finance across the portfolio of initiatives - and will work collaboratively with finance, accounting and operations leaders and outside of Finance (IT, etc.). Additionally, they will support quote-to-cash and go-to-market initiatives. The Senior Manager, Program Management will be an individual contributor role, reporting directly to the Head of CFO Program Ops. 

Your Impact

• Drive change across the CFO organization and be willing to wear multiple hats (strategy development, project management and execution) to do what it takes to “move the needle”
• Assess current processes and use first principles to design future state business processes to create operational efficiencies
• Work collaboratively across a cross-functional set of stakeholders to gather the right information, pressure test hypotheses, articulate complex business problems, mobilize a project team, implement solutions and drive accountability
• Structure and size large complex projects into an executable plan
• Develop long-term roadmaps, detailed project plans, project success criteria and key metrics, change management strategies, communication plans and conduct post implementation reviews to ensure the value of a project was successfully unlocked
• Create deliverables (business case memos, key decision documents, presentations, etc.) for executive level consumption
• Capture and drive accountability of RAID items
• Drive adherence to transformation playbook software development lifecycle milestones

Your Experience 

• 8-10 overall years of experience within tech, with a combination of consulting (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Big 4, etc.) and industry experience in PMO function at a top-tier tech company 
• Extensive project management skills, including system implementations, large-scale transformations and AI projects
• Strong Generative AI and Data & Analytics skillset including but not limited to LLM prompt engineering, and efficient use of Python and / or Google Apps Script for generating project collateral
• Certification and / or on-the-job experience using system development lifecycle (SDLC) methodology for project delivery, ideally in combination with Cognitive Project Management for AI (CPMAI) methodology approach
• Proficiency with JQL (JIRA Query Language) or equivalent, and Asana platform
• Understanding of end-to-end quote-to-cash process, and sub-process and systems including Primary Data Management, Lead Management, Contract Lifecycle Management, Deal Desk, Configure-Price-Quote, Order booking, Invoicing, Collections, Return logistics, Revenue Recognition & Reporting
• Strong expertise in SAP (preferably RAR, BRIM / SD and S/4 HANA), SFDC (preferably CRM and CPQ) and HighRadius
• Deep understanding of go-to-market and quote-to-to-cash financial processes and related financial systems for a large scale global technology company, with a focus on process standardization and harmonization as well as automation across these domains
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Hands-on and results oriented leader with problem solving and action oriented mindset
• Intellectual curiosity, self-starter and critical thinker 
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, deal with changing priorities and drive accountability
• Passion for continuous improvement of systems and processes

The Team

You have a passion for numbers; our organization has a real passion for cybersecurity. You’re looking for a career with a more fulfilling mission. We have open positions to top talent seeking a financial challenge. Our Finance department deals with numbers daily, supporting infrastructure, dealing in automation, and building elegant models and solutions to empower our business lines and solutions. If you’re seeking a financial challenge but with a worldwide impact, this is it.

You will be part of a growing, passionate, and dynamic team with an opportunity to work on challenging and exciting projects — centered on what we believe is one of the most significant mission statements in the world.

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/commissioned roles) is expected to be between $190,000 - $236,500/YR. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

Our Commitment

We’re problem solvers that 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  [email protected].

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.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.