Strategy & Business Operations Lead/Principal

Who you are

• 10+ years of experience in Strategy, Business Operations, Chief of Staff, Management Consulting, Program Management, or Transformation roles within enterprise technology
• MBA from a top-tier business school or equivalent experience in consulting, strategy, or business operations
• Outstanding structured problem-solving, analytical, and executive communication skills, with exceptional PowerPoint and executive storytelling capabilities
• Demonstrated success managing highly complex cross-functional initiatives, influencing senior stakeholders without direct authority, and operating effectively in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• High intellectual curiosity, strong business judgment, a bias for action, and a reputation for being adaptable, resourceful, and execution-oriented
• Experience supporting executive leadership teams and driving enterprise-wide transformation, AI initiatives, or operating model changes
• Strong understanding of enterprise go-to-market organizations and experience working across Sales, Enablement, Business Value Consulting, Industry Solutions, or GTM Strategy organizations
• The ideal candidate is a high-agency operator who thrives in ambiguity, learns new domains quickly, and consistently delivers high-quality outcomes at speed
• This role requires exceptional business judgment, structured problem solving, executive presence, and the ability to navigate ambiguity while influencing senior stakeholders across the company

What the job involves

• The Strategy & Business Operations team serves as the operating engine behind GTM Excellence, partnering across Enablement, Business Value Consulting, Industry Solutions, Sales, Product, and Corporate functions to accelerate business outcomes
• We are looking for an exceptional individual contributor who combines strategic thinking with operational excellence
• This person will serve as a trusted partner to the VP of GTM Excellence, helping drive the organization's most critical priorities—from AI transformation and operating model evolution to executive communications and cross-functional execution
• As a Lead/Principal, Strategy & Business Operations, you will act as the strategic and operational right hand to the VP of GTM Excellence
• You will help shape strategy while driving execution across the organization's highest-priority initiatives
• Success requires balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution, adapting quickly as priorities evolve, and consistently delivering results in a fast-moving environment
• Drive the execution of the organization's highest-priority strategic initiatives, partnering across Sales, Product, GTM Strategy, Finance, IT, HR, and Engineering to align stakeholders, remove roadblocks, and deliver measurable business outcomes
• Partner with executive leadership to design and implement AI-enabled operating models, organizational transformation initiatives, governance mechanisms, and scalable operating rhythms that improve execution across GTM
• Develop executive-ready presentations, business reviews, strategic narratives, and communications for senior leadership, including the CEO, Chief Sales Officer, executive staff, and other cross-functional leaders
• Act as a high-velocity problem solver and force multiplier—bringing structure to ambiguity, managing multiple complex workstreams simultaneously, rapidly synthesizing information, and doing whatever is required to move the business forward

Benefits

• Healthcare: We value your health and provide options so you can choose what best supports your lifestyle and personal health goals. Various nationwide plans — including Blue Shield of California, Kaiser Permanente, Delta Dental, VSP, and more — are available to you and your family. Our providers offer the flexibility you want and the coverage you need
• Wellness: With a large on-site gym and daily, instructor-led exercise classes at HQ in Santa Clara, Palo Alto Networks actively supports employee fitness. Our juice bar, Gym & Juice, features fresh juice blends, a quick and nutritious option pre- or post-workout. And our ongoing wellness speaker series highlights the latest trends in health and wellness
• Development: Professional development is serious business at Palo Alto Networks, where the Talent Development team offers 25+ courses to help employees boost their careers and develop leadership capability
• Financial: Most roles are eligible for equity grants, and we now offer new hires a quarterly vesting schedule right away. We want you to be fairly compensated and rewarded as soon as you make an impact – on our team, that happens immediately! And because we consider every employee a stakeholder in our long-term success, we offer an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with a 24-month lookback. From life insurance to health savings accounts, we provide ways to help you protect and grow your wealth. Palo Alto Networks offers both traditional and Roth 401(k) options, along with a company match of 50% to a max annual amount of $1,000
• Time Off: In addition to paid corporate holidays, Flexible Time Off programs empower our employees to balance their work schedules with personal time off. We offer 12 weeks of full pay for medical leave and 6 weeks of full pay for parental leave. As a company with strong ties to the military and veterans, we also offer 26 weeks of full pay for military leave
• Perks: Our corporate discount program provides employees with significant discounts on merchandise, travel and entertainment. We offer many on-site perks at headquarters, including cafeterias, fuel service, dry cleaning service, EV charging stations, and a company store. We also provide complimentary drinks, fresh fruit, and snacks in break rooms across our campus to help everyone power through the day.

Life at Palo Alto Network