Strategic Desk Manager

Palo Alto Networks is looking for a Strategic Deals Desk Manager to become part of EMEA Deals Desk, working in close partnership with Sales, Revenue, Legal and Finance teams to craft and negotiate complex high-value deals, facilitate their way through the approval process and help navigate them to successful closure. This position will report to the Senior Manager of EMEA Deals Desk and is a great opportunity for a talented individual who has the desire to associate with a fast-growing company in a truly international environment.

This position calls for someone who possesses strong communication and problem-solving skills, learns fast and feels confident in a dynamic environment, where decisions are made under the pressure of tight deadlines and inline with various rules of engagement. This person works proactively to drive results, is a self-starter, flexible, has a high level of integrity and is action and goal-oriented in a fast-paced, team-oriented, collaborative environment.

• Act as trusted advisor and partner to Sales teams who offers valuable feedback on contract requirements, deal structure, business terms and identifies potential risks and/or opportunities that can affect performance, future growth and strategic positioning
• Proactively engage in and help Sales teams navigate strategic deals to successful closure, acting as one-touch resource, responsible for liaising with all parties involved in the agreement process (Finance, Legal, Revenue, Order Management, etc.) on behalf of sales
• Where necessary, craft bespoke deal structures in close collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders to secure decision support on possible solutions and aid the drafting of relevant paperwork needed for successful closure
• Provide Senior Leadership with financial models, deal health information and analysis of the commercial and operational requirements to facilitate the risk/reward profile assessment of the opportunities
• Understand gross margin analysis, SSP compliance rules and the impact of any non standard terms on strategic deals, including Enterprise Agreements
• Review and approve non-standard pricing requests and ensure all required approvals, are obtained and clearly documented
• Ensure that all deals adhere to the internal revenue recognition policies and operational guidelines
• Expert in quoting, understanding the portfolio and product interdependencies
• Comply with various Rules of Engagement and keep up to date product knowledge
• Evaluate current processes and offer recommendations for areas of improvement
• Complete ad-hoc projects as required

• Bachelor Degree in Business Administration or related desirable
• Experience in commercial management, sales operations, finance, accounting or related experience within the software / tech industry
• Strong communication, organizational and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated capability to build strong working relationships with internal business units
• Experience in working in multi-cultural environment and as part of a team
• Experience in building bespoke commercial models to address specific deal requirements
• Ability to work independently and efficiently in fast paced environment, handling multiple deal elements or parallel deals simultaneously
• Ability to make quick decisions to meet tight deadlines, while remaining diligent and keeping a sound audit record
• Experience in data analysis, financial modeling and margin assessment
• Intermediate/advanced  and G-Suite skills (highly recommended)

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…