Director, Ecosystems - Strategic West

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks®, we’re united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you’re ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you’re in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us!

This role is remote, but distance is no barrier to impact. Our hybrid teams collaborate across geographies to solve big problems, stay close to our customers, and grow together. You will be part of a culture that values trust, accountability, and shared success where your work truly matters.

Job Summary

As the Director, Ecosystems – Strategics West, you will be responsible for driving growth across our partner ecosystem. This unique leadership role requires a rare blend of deep enterprise direct selling experience and sophisticated channel strategy and leadership. Reporting into the Americas Ecosystems organization, your primary mission is to build and drive the long term partner strategy for the Strategics West sales organization.

This role requires strategic forethought in architecting Go-To-Market (GTM) programs for Global Systems Integrators (GSIs), National VARs, Cloud Service Providers (CSPs), Service Providers (SPs), and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) tailored for rapid enterprise land-and-expand strategies. You will operate in a high-impact, matrixed environment, bringing strong collaboration across the ecosystems organization, Strategics West sales leadership, and partner managers to align business priorities, enable partners, and deliver measurable results in net-new revenue, market share, and enterprise customer acquisition.

• Strategic GTM & Program Execution: Develop and execute the Strategics West partner strategy, aligning it with Palo Alto Networks’ overall channel priorities, theater strategy, and segment sales goals. Define tailored value propositions and create detailed go-to-market plans that strengthen our marketplace presence while providing new revenue opportunities with partners.

• Bridge Direct & Channel Motions: Utilize your enterprise selling background to bridge the gap between direct sales and channel sales teams, helping partners identify, navigate, and close massive, complex greenfield accounts.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with channel leaders, theater sales executives, and partner managers to ensure successful execution of joint enterprise acquisition initiatives.

• Partner Enablement & Activation: Drive partner enablement and activation models, ensuring partners are fully equipped to hunt, position, and deliver Palo Alto Networks solutions into competitive enterprise accounts.

• Executive Leadership & Business Reviews: Lead business reviews and performance discussions with senior partner stakeholders and Palo Alto Networks executives to measure progress, identify enterprise pipeline gaps, and optimize execution. Provide world-class relationship development and thought leadership across ecosystem partners to increase revenue and drive incremental business opportunities.

• Segment Advocacy: Champion the Strategics West segment within the partner ecosystem, ensuring seamless integration into global channel programs, hunting incentives, and specialized services.

• Targeted Campaigns: Partner with marketing, enablement, and product leadership to design highly targeted acquisition campaigns, competitive displacement training, and specialized partner services.

• Data-Driven Performance Management: Use analytical skills and data-driven insights to track channel performance within the segment, determine which programs work, guide co-investment decisions, and ensure accountability across stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Professional Experience: 10+ years combining Enterprise Direct Sales / Account Management and Tech Channel Management, Partnerships, Business Development, or Partner Strategy experience.

• Matrix Influence: Demonstrated success as a business leader driving influence and building relationships with decision-makers across all levels of internal sales teams and external partner organizations.

• Channel Architecture: Strong analytical understanding of channel operating models, partner economics, incentives, and ecosystem dynamics (specifically how to motivate partners to hunt new logos).

• Strategic Vision: Proven experience formulating a partnership vision, creating strategic business plans, and executing them to deliver net-new revenue growth.

• Executive Presence & C-Suite Engagement: Excellent executive communication and relationship-building skills, with documented experience engaging directly with C-level executives at top strategic partners and Fortune 500 prospects.

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/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

$356,000.00 - $415,250.00/yr

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  [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.

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.

Motor-Vehicle Requirement: This role may require travel to and from Palo Alto Networks, Inc. business meetings and events and requires reliable transportation to do so. If a hire chooses to drive in connection with company business, the hire for this role must maintain a valid driver’s license.