The purpose of the Palo Alto Strategic Leader and Cloud Security Sales at IBM is to drive net new pipeline development and sales progression of IBM Consulting Cybersecurity Services (CSS) client opportunities that incorporate Palo Alto Networks (PANW)’s technology in the broader solution offered by IBM Consulting (IBMC). These opportunities may be part of an even more comprehensive opportunity that an IBMC Lead Client Partner (LCP) is pursuing with or delivering to the client.
The focus of this role will be to develop new and high value IBMC opportunities for the PANW specific CSS portfolio, which currently includes:
· Threat Management, Cyber Trust, X-Force, and Strategy
· Consulting and Systems Integration (C&SI) services and Managed Security Services (MSS)
The CSS PANW portfolio will include all PANW cybersecurity products, including and not limited to:
· Prisma Cloud
· Prisma Access
· Cortex (XSIAM, XDR, Xpanse, XSOAR)
· Strata NexGen Firewalls
The Palo Alto Strategic Leader and Cloud Security Sales role is not a technical role, but a sales role and the individuals in this role will be expected to be/become a PANW subject matter expert (SME), as it pertains how to work with and do business with PANW. To this end, this role requires the ability to articulate, educate, support and be deemed a valued team member for LCPs and CSS consultants in their assigned Geo, Market and/or Industry.
The Palo Alto Strategic Leader and Cloud Security Sales role is client facing. The Palo Alto Strategic Leader and Cloud Security Sales is expected to work with the LCP and CSS Associate Partner (AP) to understand “lay of the land” of the client, including, but not limited to current sales motions, client/industry needs/issues and priorities that are planned, budgeted or currently out of scope and may require CSS advisory services. In conjunction with the LCP and CSS AP, the Business Development Leader is also expected to seek and engage the appropriate Palo Alto individual or teams to solidify teaming and to drive the development of a comprehensive and credible joint sales plan. The Business Development Leaders are to actively participate in key client facing discussions, as well as associated internal and PANW teaming discussions with the sole purpose of aiding the joint teams to qualify, progress and close joint opportunities.
Geo, Market, or Industry specific responsibilities include:
1. Sales Activation:
a. Evangelize the value of the PANW strategic partnership and sharing best ways of working together within and across all of IBMC, including within CSS
b. Build collaborative relationships across IBMC (LCPs and CSS) to expedite teaming, opportunity identification, and deal progression
c. Build collaborative relationships across PANW sales to expedite teaming, opportunity identification, deal progression, as well as possible removal of obstacles to close
2. Sales Enablement:
a. Work with across both parties to promote and educate sellers
i. CSS on PANW products and value propositions
ii. PANW sellers on the value of working with IBMC and its GTM strategies, capabilities, and value propositions
b. Manage, market, and promote CSS offerings and PANW as part of a broader IBMC client engagement
i. Articulate CSS offerings and PANW products strengths, potential weaknesses, and roadmap
ii. Assist in RFI and RFP responses
iii. Assist PANW in understanding client c-suite (above the CISO) requirements and how that translates to project scoping and pricing needs from PANW
iv. Maintain relationships with the Palo Alto product teams
c. Participate in joint events like RSA, IBM Think, Black Hat, PANW Ignite and others
d. Gather, develop (with marketing assistance) and promote win stories to drive greater sales velocity
3. Sales Engagement:
a. Target and track joint pursuits from identification through close, including loss reporting
b. Establish and maintain relationships with PANW product sales specialists to allow for internal PANW advocacy of client needs as it pertains to new opportunities and rapid issue resolution
c. Leading joint account workshops which includes:
i. Work with PANW and internal IBMC teams to identify opportunities to team – who, what, where, why and how
ii. Share best practices and identify risks, if applicable
iii. Outline a joint sales plan with actions, owners and timeline, assigned to individuals
iv. Establish ongoing cadence for joint read-outs to maintain alignment and communicate revisions to plan
v. Engage executives, as needed
vi. Monitor progress for leadership reporting, monthly and quarterly
d. Refresh as needed, PANW knowledge and/or certifications to maintain SME knowledge of market impact and/or industry trends that drive the need and value of CSS offerings and PANW products
Sample governance activities include:
1. Preparing collateral for Geo / Market specific cadence sessions, monthly reviews, and quarterly business reviews
2. Providing color commentary, e.g.win stories, best practices, lessons learned, issues to be resolved, etc., to pipeline, forecasts, and other internal and/or joint performance reports
3. Monitoring and reporting against individual metrics, showing current assumptions, progress to date and actions needed or anticipated to ensure achievement
The successful candidate will meet the following requirements:
1. Knowledge of the relevant CSS offerings portfolio in terms of the value to the client, to IBMC and to PANW
2. Ability to present the value of the strategic partnership and the CSS offerings to clients, PANW field sellers, and LCPs
3. Knowledge of the PANW product portfolio in terms of their value propositions to the client, to IBMC and PANW
4.Maintain an understanding of competitive products and technologies and accurately position PANW products in competitive scenarios.
5. Complete required online PANW sales training
