at Palo Alto Networks in Dover, Delaware, United States
Job 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.
Our Approach to Work
We lead with flexibility and choice in all of our people programs. We have disrupted the traditional view that all employees have the same needs and wants. We offer personalization and offer our employees the opportunity to choose what works best for them as often as possible – from your wellbeing support to your growth and development, and beyond!
Your Career
The Business Development/Capture Director for SLED/EAST is responsible for leading the strategic programmatic capture efforts in the SLED/EAST district. Responsible for identifying target opportunities, qualifying program pipeline, and being the face of Palo Alto Networks to critical mission owners and stakeholders including officers, mission owners across agencies up to and including CXO-level relationships. You’ll work closely with prospects and partners as a subject-matter sales expert to demonstrate how a proposed solution meets and exceeds customer requirements and in quarterbacking win strategies that utilize Field/Inside Sales, Proposal, Legal, Finance, and System Integrator teammates. This is a Director-level individual contributor position with a competitive compensation plan based on major program milestones and wins.
This is the opportunity for those interested in being a part of something bigger than themselves. We are out to fulfill our company mission with the strongest products in the industry. To fit in this role, you are personable, willing to ask questions, always learning, have a strong work ethic, are persistent, and coachable. You are confident in who you are and able to enjoy the personable interactions that come with a job in sales. Becoming a part of the team means you will be surrounded by amazing, smart and hardworking teammates and that’s a great place to be. Plus, the added bonus of changing the world? Now that’s just icing on the cake.
Your Impact
+ Responsible for meeting and exceeding assigned pipeline and bookings quota MBOs
+ Work closely with the Senior Management and Sales Account Team to provide relevant analysis/market information and strategic recommendations to result in a bid/no-bid decision
+ Monitor relevant bid-boards to help find and track new and existing opportunities
+ Ensure Program Capture pipeline is aligned with the associated Sales Director’s priorities perform in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented work environment
+ Lead pursuit team in developing and substantiating a winning value proposition that meets the needs of the customer, including analyzing critical business drivers and risks
+ Prepare and provide information and decision briefings for senior management
+ Responsible for validating/endorsing the technical solution in close partnership with the Solution Architect and/or sales engineering team
+ Coordinates with the Programs team to assure that solution design can be properly delivered
+ Develop a timeline and ensures that we meet key deal milestones and deadlines
+ Post-award lead handoff process to transition a contract to the Programs team to lead
+ Become an expert in your domain, develop appropriate technical expertise, understand the value to the mission, ghost the competition, and use passion and conviction to win
+ Work with Product Managers, Sales Engineering, Sales Operations, Legal and other resources to close complex opportunities – must work well in a team environment
+ Partner with key business units and their leadership in developing winning value propositions, sales strategies, and gathering customer feedback
+ Incubate and pioneer sales GTM approaches and develop them into a repeatable process for our sales force and partner community
+ Engage with senior decision-makers and influencers internally and within the accounts supported – must be comfortable and credible in executive conversations
Your Experience
+ Experience Closing Large Program Captures
+ Proven ability to articulate compelling, business outcome-focused, value propositions
+ Proven program management skills and able to demonstrate leadership capabilities
+ Experience working with Channel and Alliance teams
+ Demonstrated success in the development and capture of large government programs
+ Adept at negotiating and establishing teaming arrangements/agreements
+ Cross-functional influence, relationship building, and project management skills toward a broad constituency ranging from customers, channel partners, sales, marketing, and technical management
+ Strong business acumen and negotiation abilities
+ Great team player with a strong drive to win
+ Willing to take a leadership role in driving initiatives, working across organizations, and structuring approaches to new opportunities
+ Familiarity with a broad range of application, security and infrastructure software is desirable
+ Strategic thinking and planning skills – demonstrated effectiveness in conducting market analysis, prioritizing investments, and measuring growth in territory and quota is preferred
+ Direct selling expertise, ‘hunter’ mentality is a plus
+ A solid presenter who is confident and able to sell ideas to internal and external stakeholders is desired
+ Simplicity – ability to make complex issues easy to understand is desired
+ Established contacts and intimate knowledge of the SLED EAST Market is desired
+ Bachelor’s degree or equivalent military experience required
+ Proven success within the SLED East market, related to Capture within the last 5 years and proven skills in all areas of business development and capture, opportunity identification and qualification, competitive landscape, capture strategy, building winning teams and solutions
+ Deep understanding of innovative solutions including certifications, security, and other SLED specific requirements
+ Proven track record developing and capturing ($25+M) opportunities in New Full & Open Programs as well as use contract vehicles to secure new business
+ Strong business and IT modernization acumen including Cyber Security, networks and Artificial Intelligence
Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise
+ Proven ability to articulate compelling, business-outcome focused, value propositions
+ Responsible for meeting and exceeding assigned pipeline quota
+ Demonstrate your understanding of SLED Procurement Management, planning and resourcing
+ Knowledge of SLED budget and planning
+ Ability to adapt quickly to a fast-paced environment
+ Tangible experience and use cases of where you have worked with Senior Management and Sales Account Teams to provide relevant analysis/market information and strategic recommendations that resulted in major program wins
+ Proven Success in a partner driven environment (FSI/VAR/DISTI)
+ Experience in working with Product Managers, Sales Engineering, Sales operations, Legal and other resources to lead EBCs and critical customer engagements
+ Examples of where you worked with key business units and their leadership in developing winning value propositions, sales strategies, and gathering use cases we can leverage and repeat
The Team
Our technical support team is critical to our success and mission. As part of this team, you enable customer success by providing support to clients after they have purchased our products. Our dedication to our customers doesn’t stop once they sign – it evolves. As threats and technology ch
