Sr Manager, MSSP Partnerships

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!

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.

Job Summary

You will lead the strategy, growth, and team execution of our Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) partner segment across North America. As a first-line people leader, you will manage a team of partner development managers to collaborate with key MSSP partners, leveraging market-leading security platforms to drive key security and business outcomes for joint customers. You will act as a leader and coach—directing and empowering your team to build joint managed offerings, drive pipeline generation, and achieve revenue targets, while fostering career development and operational excellence across the team.

The MSSP Leader is responsible for driving managed service adoption, resale partnerships, and overall GTM strategy, managing team performance, and collaborating closely with cross-functional leadership to maximize partnership success.

Your Impact

• Drive GTM Strategy & Team Execution: Lead your team in developing, refining, and executing the overall portfolio sales strategy and GTM model for the MSSP segment, holding direct accountability for net new business and recurring managed service revenue growth.

• Offer & Service Creation: Direct the team on co-developing joint managed security offers that address key market challenges and align with partner capabilities and strategic platform goals.

• Executive & Partner Governance: Oversee executive relationship management and institute a regular operating model and governance rhythm across top MSSP partnerships.

• People Leadership & Talent Development: Recruit, hire, retain, and develop a high-performing team of MSSP account managers; conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and career pathing to drive engagement and results.

• Complex Deal Shaping & Support: Support your team members in shaping, negotiating, and closing complex, transformational security engagements alongside direct and channel sales leadership.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner effectively with Field Sales, Business Development, Services, Marketing, Legal, and Product leadership to secure resources and remove blockers for your team.

• Resource Allocation & Business Planning: Manage team territory planning, quota allocation, and resource investments (product, marketing, enablement) required to scale the MSSP business.

Qualifications

• People Leadership & Management: Proven experience in direct people management and leading sales/partner development teams, with a track record of hiring, coaching, and developing high-performing talent.

• MSSP & Security Expertise: Deep understanding of the MSSP business model, managed security offerings (e.g., SOC-as-a-Service, MDR, XDR), and current cybersecurity market trends.

• Track Record of Team Success: Demonstrated ability to drive team performance to consistently achieve and exceed revenue and pipeline targets in high-tech or cybersecurity environments.

• Relationship & Deal Coaching: Exceptional skills in executive relationship management, complex deal structuring, and coaching team members through multi-stakeholder sales cycles.

• Cross-Functional Agility: Proven ability to navigate internal departments (Sales Ops, Marketing, Product, Legal) to secure resources and align strategy for team success.

• Communication & Adaptability: High-level written and verbal communication skills, strong emotional intelligence (EQ), and the ability to lead a remote/hybrid team effectively.

• Travel: Ability to travel as needed for key partner engagements, executive meetings, and team alignment events.

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.

$280,000.00 - $385,000.00/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.

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? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position. Motor-Vehicle Requirement: This role may require travel to and from Palo Alto Networks, Inc. business meetings and events and requires reliable transportation to do so. If a hire chooses to drive in connection with company business, the hire for this role must maintain a valid driver’s license.