Principal AI-Driven GTM Strategy and Operations

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!

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

The Team

Our GTM Strategy team works on our most critical business challenges to drive and support Palo Alto Networks’ industry-leading growth. Your efforts will directly impact the overall strategy and success of a world-leading cybersecurity business. You will collaborate on complex business and technology problems that are top-of-mind for our executives. You possess a unique blend of business insight, business strategy experience, big-picture thinking, influencing skills and ability to collaborate with a large number of constituents within Palo Alto Networks.

Your Career

Palo Alto Networks is scaling its world-class GTM Strategy organization and looking for its next Strategy and AI-led Analytics leader for the Cortex portfolio.

The Palo Alto Networks GTM Strategy function is a focused team that works on our most mission-critical business challenges to drive and support our industry-leading growth. As a Principal, Cortex Strategy and AI-led Analytics, you will shape the future of our flagship agentic AI SOC platform. You are a seasoned strategist with hands-on GTM strategy and analytics experience, depth in Enterprise Tech, and a proven ability to leverage modern AI tools. The scope of this role spans from strategy conception through execution, holding you accountable for shaping the business trajectory and delivering AI-led analytics. Balancing big-picture thinking and C-suite influencing skills with a “roll up your sleeves” mindset is critical for success in this disruptive, high-visibility team.

Your ImpactGTM Strategy

• Business Strategy: Partner with executive leaders to define Northstar metrics, strategic initiatives, and board-level updates, advising on resource allocation to maximize long-term value.
• Orchestrate GTM Readiness: Coordinate launches, narratives, collateral, packaging, and positioning in partnership with Product and Marketing leaders.
• AI-led strategy formulation: Leverage AI-surfaced insights to identify new market opportunities, optimize pricing strategies, and refine the ideal customer profile (ICP) for Palo Alto Networks’ evolving product suite.
• Lead Strategic AI Projects: Direct cross-functional teams in high-impact AI projects to unlock growth, identifying market gaps and developing programmatic solutions from conception to outcome realization.

• Drive the Rhythm of the Business (ROB)
  • ROB: Design, implement, and lead the GTM operating cadence, including Quarterly Business Reviews, monthly operational reviews, and weekly pipeline /performance check-ins.
  • Cross-functional alignment: Serve as the connective tissue across Product, Sales, Marketing, Finance ensuring cross-functional alignment on product performance, field enablement, and GTM targets.
  • Operational cadence: Support essential operational activities including forecasting, quota/territory reviews, sales incentives input, and metric tracking. Identify bottlenecks in the current operational cadence and proactively redesign processes to reduce friction and increase executive visibility.
• AI-Led Reporting & Analytics (Hands-on Execution)
  • Primary AI architect: Act as the primary hands-on owner to partner w/ other owners and develop next-generation reporting, transitioning the organization from legacy manual dashboards to AI-driven, predictive analytics models.
  • Growth Analytics: Utilize advanced AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis, LLM-integrated BI tools, Copilot, or Python-based AI frameworks) to automate data querying, anomaly detection, and performance summaries.
  • Analytical Infrastructure: Partner with IT and other AI teams to integrate agentic workflows and ensure the analytical infrastructure (data pipelines, warehouse models, tooling) supports the speed of analysis our business requires.
  • AI-Led Analysis: Develop automated narrative reports that translate raw data into actionable executive insights, answering the "why" behind the numbers rather than just the "what." Provide systematic, AI-accelerated support for critical business priorities (e.g., deal inspection, competitive teardowns, narrative rewrites, and enablement).

Qualifications

Strategic & Operational Experience:

• 10+ years of total experience in Biz / GTM Strategy, data analytics, product operations, and / or a related field either at a top-tier strategy consulting firm (e.g., BCG, Bain, McKinsey) and/or a leading / AI-first enterprise technology company
• Material Enterprise Tech experience with a deep understanding of Cybersecurity and/or SaaS business models.
• Proven track record of designing and running complex, cross-functional corporate operating rhythms at scale.
• Superior analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to process information quickly and deliver against tight deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the proven ability to build partnerships, bridge technical and business discussions, and present effectively to executive leaders.

Technical & AI-Specific Competencies

• Hands-on AI Application: Demonstrated experience applying Generative AI and Machine Learning tools directly to business operations. They should be able to speak to specific use cases where they built AI-assisted workflows or reporting.
• Advanced Data Literacy: Proficiency with modern BI stacks (Tableau, PowerBI, Snowflake) specifically focusing on their AI integrations (e.g., Tableau AI, Snowflake Cortex).
• Technical Fluency: While they don't need to be a core software engineer, advanced proficiency in SQL, Python, or robust prompt-engineering frameworks is required to manipulate large datasets and build custom AI-driven reporting layers.
• Automation Mindset: Deep familiarity with building automated pipelines that connect CRM data (Salesforce) to analytics engines without relying heavily on a separate IT or centralized data team.

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.

$224,900.00 - $308,700.00/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?: Yes