Overview
Job Description
Your Career
As a Principal Architect at Palo Alto Networks you are responsible for the technical strategy throughout the life of our most strategic partnerships. You function as a technical advisor and advocate, thought leader, and executive partner to our prospects, customers, and sales teams. You pick up where executive relationships from our CEO, CPO and CRO leave off and balance business and technical acumen to function as the executive partner for technical strategy and execution. You align our solutions to prospect and customer problems, priorities, environment, challenges, politics, and architecture, and provide guidance on how to architect Palo Alto Networks Zero Trust, Network Security and SASE solutions into customer environments. You articulate the Palo Alto Networks point of view for solving complex security challenges as the benchmark for success. As a technical advisor and advocate, you put yourself in the seat of the customer to see the world through their eyes and apply your expertise to help them realize value through our solutions. You align all technical resources to execute the needed strategy and serve as the executive partner to sales leadership. You 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. As a thought leader you challenge the status quo and architect elegant, effective, and simple solutions to complex problems. You leverage the full Palo Alto Networks portfolio to create differentiated business value. As an executive partner you are responsible for improving the productivity of our sales teams through the creation and delivery of business-relevant security conversations for our key prospects and customers. You also build trust with champions and decision makers to influence buying criteria and work alongside our account teams to uplevel our selling approach and execution.
Your Impact
The Principal Architect's value is measured in their ability to increase sales productivity by:
* Play a key role on the EBC (Executive Briefing Centre) team in creating customer messaging that ties together the entire Palo Alto Networks portfolio
* Uncover opportunities and convey the differentiation of Palo Alto Networks Zero Trust, Network Security and SASE strategies
* Communicate convincingly to gain trust and buy-in from VP and CXO contacts at our largest customers and prospects
* Set and drive agendas with the customer or prospect, directly and with sales teams, including client workshops and architectural assessments and designs
* Develop and maintain a deep understanding of competing solutions and architectures; position a Palo Alto Networks approach effectively
* Identify new technology applications and use cases; create presentations, documents, and deliverables that illustrate value to prospects and customers
* Document technological and business value gaps between the Palo Alto Networks platform and competitive offerings and communicate these to the broader Sales organization
* Collaborate with Product Management to identify current shortcomings and gather competitive insights for future market segments
* Coordinate closely with the EBC Team, Senior Leadership, Sales, CISO/Theater CISO, Sales Engineering leadership, Product Management, Marketing, Channel Partners, and Consulting Engineering
* This is a senior technical, customer-facing role where the value produced is evident and recurrent
* Customers and sales teams may request you by name
Qualifications
* Proven experience in pre-sales is highly preferable; we will also consider applicants with consulting experience
* Extensive knowledge of network and endpoint security architectures, history, and trends
* Solid fundamental networking background
* Knowledge of ancillary security areas such as identity management, SIEM, and public/private cloud architectures
* Demonstrable experience in establishing credibility and strategic messaging with large enterprise customers
* Whatever it takes attitude and motivation to close deals
* Expected travel around 50% to customer sites and theaters
* Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills
* Robust problem-finding and solving skills with a systematic approach to rapid resolution
* Fluent German and advanced English
Additional Information
The Team
Our GTM team works with large organizations worldwide to keep their digital environments protected. We educate, inspire, and empower potential clients on their security journey. We provide tools, research, and a collaborative environment focused on solutions selling, learning, and development. We value diverse teams that innovate 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. 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.
Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.
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 accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com. We are an equal opportunity employer and celebrate diversity in our workplace.
Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.
Seniority level
* Mid-Senior level
Employment type
* Full-time
Job function
* Engineering / IT
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