Principal Consultant, Incident Preparedness - Proactive Services (Unit 42)

Palo Alto Networks (Italy) S.R.L.; Milano; Remote; EUR 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a client-facing Principal Consultant to lead proactive incident preparedness engagements for global customers. You will manage scoping, delivery, and reporting, from tabletop exercises to incident response planning, partnering with senior stakeholders to improve cyber resilience.

The role emphasizes deep technical expertise in IR and preparedness, strong communication in French and English, and proven success delivering complex engagements with autonomy and high

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Cyber Security, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of combined experience in incident preparedness and incident response consulting.
• Demonstrated experience leading and delivering complex, client-facing cybersecurity engagements from scoping through to completion.
• Mandatory, hands-on experience in both incident response (IR) and incident preparedness, with a primary focus on preparedness.
• Professional business fluency in both French and English.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of proactive incident preparedness projects, including Tabletop Exercises (TTX), Incident Response Plan development, and Response Maturity Assessments.
• Critically review and analyze client documentation, such as Crisis Management, Incident Response, and Business Continuity plans, to identify gaps and provide actionable recommendations.
• Design, plan, and facilitate a variety of TTXs for diverse audiences, from technical teams to C-suite executives, delivering detailed post-exercise reports with strategic insights.
• Manage the full lifecycle of client engagements, from initial scoping and stakeholder alignment to final deliverable production, ensuring high-quality outcomes and customer satisfaction.
• Proactively collaborate with clients and internal Unit 42 teams, serving as a trusted advisor to enhance their overall cyber resilience and preparedness posture.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of service delivery methodologies and internal team knowledge by sharing insights and applied learnings from client engagements.
• Travel as required (approximately 20%) to meet client engagement needs and business demands.

Skills

Incident preparedness

Incident response

Client-facing engagements

French & English fluency

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Information Security/CS/Cyber Security

Job description

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

The Team

Unit 42 - Unit 42 brings together world-renowned threat researchers, elite incident responders, and expert security consultants to create an intelligence-driven, response-ready organization. The Unit 42 team is on the frontlines of the cyber battlefield, serving as trusted advisors to organizations in their darkest hours and helping them prepare for the next attack.

Job Summary

As a client‑facing Principal Consultant, you will be a key leader in our proactive services engagements. You will work directly with a diverse range of customers and their key stakeholders to manage and deliver high‑impact incident preparedness services. This role is pivotal in helping clients strengthen their cyber resilience by leading proactive assessments and providing expert advisory.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end delivery of proactive incident preparedness projects, including Tabletop Exercises (TTX), Incident Response Plan development, and Response Maturity Assessments.
• Critically review and analyze client documentation, such as Crisis Management, Incident Response, and Business Continuity plans, to identify gaps and provide actionable recommendations.
• Design, plan, and facilitate a variety of TTXs for diverse audiences, from technical teams to C‑suite executives, delivering detailed post‑exercise reports with strategic insights.
• Manage the full lifecycle of client engagements, from initial scoping and stakeholder alignment to final deliverable production, ensuring high‑quality outcomes and customer satisfaction.
• Proactively collaborate with clients and internal Unit 42 teams, serving as a trusted advisor to enhance their overall cyber resilience and preparedness posture.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of service delivery methodologies and internal team knowledge by sharing insights and applied learnings from client engagements.
• Travel as required (approximately 20%) to meet client engagement needs and business demands.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Cyber Security, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of combined experience in incident preparedness and incident response consulting.
• Demonstrated experience leading and delivering complex, client‑facing cybersecurity engagements from scoping through to completion.
• Mandatory, hands‑on experience in both incident response (IR) and incident preparedness, with a primary focus on preparedness.
• Professional business fluency in both French and English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• Relevant industry certifications such as CISSP, GCIH, GCFA, or CISM.
• Experience presenting complex security topics and findings to executive‑level stakeholders.
• Familiarity with major cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, and MITRE ATT&CK.

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.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at [e-mail].

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?: Yes