Ecosystem Acceleration Lead - Cortex

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.

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.

The Palo Alto Networks Ecosystem team is a critical pillar of company growth, and we are seeking an Ecosystem Acceleration Lead who thrives in fast-moving environments and operates as the architect behind scalable Cortex partner execution. This role is designed for an impact player who builds the systems, motions, and cross-functional alignment that accelerate partner-led activation, pipeline, and revenue across the Cortex portfolio (XDR, XSIAM, XSOAR, Xpanse).

• Architect the Cortex single-thread narrative (Enablement → Activation → Capabilities → Demand Gen → Pipeline) and ensure every partner interaction ties to measurable pipeline and revenue.
• Partner to design Cortex sales plays and activation frameworks that guide Field CBMs, partner sellers, and extended ecosystem teams through account targeting, value messaging, and repeatable joint pursuit motions.
• Drive district-level activation by equipping partners and Field CBMs with targeted account guidance, pipeline patterns, repeatable enablement motions, and structured Cortex teaming-agreement models.
• Orchestrate cross-functional alignment across Channel Business Managers, NCBMs, Cortex sales, Cortex SEs, marketing, and extended ecosystem resources to ensure unified execution and handoff clarity.
• Accelerate joint pursuit activities by coordinating partner and PANW teams around Cortex opportunities, increasing platform attach, technical validation, and win rates.
• Partner to develop partner capacity and capability plans to ensure partners achieve Cortex certifications, technical readiness, SOC assessment expertise, and repeatable deployment capability.
• Lead executive business reviews that establish clear milestones, measure progress against the Cortex activation cycle, and drive accountability across partner and PANW teams.

• 10+ years in channel management, ecosystem leadership, partner development, or business development within enterprise technology (cybersecurity strongly preferred)
• Strong experience with XDR, SIEM, SOC transformation, automation/orchestration, or threat operations — or the ability to quickly become fluent in Cortex GTM motions
• Proven success operationalizing GTM frameworks across cross-functional teams and partner organizations
• Demonstrated ability to influence without authority and drive alignment across sales, channel, marketing, SE leadership, and extended ecosystem resources
• Excellent relationship-building skills with senior partner executives and internal leadership
• Clear track record of generating measurable business outcomes: partner activation, teaming agreements, SOC assessments, pipeline creation, and revenue growth
• Strong understanding of enterprise, commercial, and major-accounts motions within cybersecurity
• Ability to shift seamlessly between strategic design and hands-on operational execution
• High discernment across sales, technical readiness, solution development, and partner capability-building
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly matrixed, virtual environment
• Technical understanding of XDR, SIEM, automation, SOC workflows, or adjacent technologies is a plus

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…