Distribution Program Director, EMEA

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 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!

Job Description

Your Career

The EMEA Program Director is primarily responsible for driving demand generation and pipeline development sales and marketing campaigns with Palo Alto Networks EMEA Distributors. The EMEA Program Director will drive the vision, strategies, and best practices to optimize distribution performance in the areas of sales, marketing, and partner enablement, and in alignment with theater sales priorities. The role is responsible for aligning the sales, marketing, and enablement efforts between EMEA distributors and Palo Alto Networks country channel teams, as well as our global Ecosystems Programs team. This role will report directly into the EMEA VP of Ecosystems. 

The role will primarily focus on accelerating mid-market and commercial business, low-touch/no-touch sales motion, and volume business via distribution managed partners (DMP) and high-velocity transactional partners. The role will work with stakeholders to set strategies and execute measurable, impactful pipeline development and sales campaigns for specific market opportunities, industry sectors, and sales segments. This role will also manage the executive relationships in our global distributors, and drive the required governance and cadence that allows us to measure and monitor our progress together across all focus markets.

Your Impact

• Strategic vision and roadmap to evolve distribution sales model to meet evolving company needs

• Design whitespace and install base sales campaign with distributors, aligned at field-level

• Distribution Sales, Program, Marketing, and Partner Enablement Performance Management

• Internal alignment with and advocacy to Sales/SE, Renewals, and Marketing organizations

• Set annual and quarterly goals and KPIs for distribution business plans and sales campaigns

• Build sales plans to drive accelerated growth and channel productivity in the Commercial accounts

• Align with marketing and field sales to the channel organization and partner ecosystem and will engage regularly to build distribution marketing and demand generation plans with the Distribution and Channel Programs Manager

• Act as a liaison to Marketing and Product Management on product portfolio needs, competitive intelligence / attack programs, and promotional/incentive strategies required in order for Palo Alto Networks to be successful in the Commercial market segment

• Manage the sales performance of key distributors through quarterly and annual sales planning, forecasting and reporting for whitespace (new customer), install base expansion, product refresh, and renewal sales

• Work in close collaboration with the Channel Renewals Manager in order to establish a performance management cadence with the distributors and Distribution Managers on Renewals business and to continually improve processes related to our two-tier Renewals business

• Work closely with Renewals team and distributors in order to improve renewals process efficiency and to improve key Renewal business KPIs

• Develop a plan for effective hand-off and follow-up of Marketing generated Pre-Qualified Leads for accounts in the Commercial space – Build rules and process to have the channel take responsibility for these PQLs and maximize their return through closed business

• Develop or provide input on sales training plans for the distribution team, for the distributors, and for the channel partners

• Responsible for accelerating a channel sales strategy through the distributors, and primarily through their distribution managed partners, to address the commercial market business across the theater

• Align with cross-functional teams (i.e. Field Marketing) to achieve performant channel marketing and demand generation activities through Distribution – Set Distribution Marketing annual and quarterly priorities

• Responsible for semi-annual NextWave Program Compliance efforts for Distribution Managed Partners, including working with distributor on plans to address gaps in Partner requirements and to make decision on up-leveling, downgrading, or off-boarding these Partners

• Responsible for building and monitoring plans with distributors to drive attendance to important Palo Alto Networks global, regional, and local events

• Plan and execute business with consistent cadence and rigor in order to optimize investments and performance of distributors

• Ensure distributors are recruiting, onboarding, and enabling new partners and Development and Distribution Managed partners to meet JAPAC channel objectives and needs

• Develop best practices, process and methodology to ensure maximum effectiveness of distributors across EMEA, in line with expectations of local territories and conform to global corporate guidelines

• Working with Channel ops and Channel marketing develop two tier channel incentives, programs and rebates to drive over achievement of sales targets

Qualifications

Your Experience 

• Extensive Distribution leadership experience within the emerging and advanced technologies industry with extensive executive relationships across the region

• Channel or Direct Sales team Management 

• Experience in owning a sales quota with a track record of high achievement through two tier channel

• BA or BS degree, MBA preferred or equivalent military experience required

• Able to think strategically and to translate into measurable actions

• Skilled in developing business plans, contributing to strategic plans, and for devising reporting to track business Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and return on investments (ROI)

• Proven experience influencing senior level partner executives 

• Strong presentation skills and ability to describe market transitions

• Proven ability to communicate effectively and professionally (verbal and written) with customers and interface with a variety of organizations

• Strong leadership skills with ability to develop and manage virtual sales teams 

• Strong time management, organizational, and negotiation skills 

• Global/Multi-national business experience

• Ability to travel 

Additional Information

The Team

The channel organization at Palo Alto Networks is a strategic pillar for our continued growth within cybersecurity, and a critical component to accomplishing our mission. Channel development is an extension of the territory sales team, with the ultimate goal to train and enable our channel partners to become empowered in the use and sales of our products.

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.

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

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.

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.