Business Development Capture Manager - SLED

Palo Alto Networks; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 158,000 - 255,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

FLEXBenefits wellbeing account

Mental health resources

Personalized learning opportunities

Job summary

A leading cybersecurity firm is seeking a Business Development Capture Manager to drive strategic capture efforts in the SLED sectors. The role requires leading cross-functional teams, analyzing market opportunities, and developing go-to-market strategies. Ideal candidates should have at least 15 years of experience, a strong negotiation skill set, and familiarity with government program development. This position offers competitive compensation based on performance, tailored benefits, and the chance to influence cybersecurity's future.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of related experience in business development or sales.
• Proven record in managing government program captures.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams through proposals.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic capture efforts in the SLED districts.
• Collaborate with management to analyze market and bid decisions.
• Monitor bid-boards to identify and track opportunities.

Skills

Business acumen

Negotiation

Team leadership

Market analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Sales tools and research libraries

PTW analysis tools

Job description

Business Development Capture Manager - SLED

Posted 1 day ago. Be among the first 25 applicants.

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.

Who We Are

We take our mission of protecting the digital way of life seriously. We are relentless in protecting our customers and we believe that the unique ideas of every member of our team contributes to our collective success. Our values were crowdsourced by employees and are brought to life through each of us everyday - from disruptive innovation and collaboration, to execution. From showing up for each other with integrity to creating an environment where we all feel included. As a member of our team, you will be shaping the future of cybersecurity. We work fast, value ongoing learning, and we respect each employee as a unique individual. Knowing we all have different needs, our development and personal wellbeing programs are designed to give you choice in how you are supported. This includes our FLEXBenefits wellbeing spending account with over 1,000 eligible items selected by employees, our mental and financial health resources, and our personalized learning opportunities - just to name a few!

Job Description

This role is responsible for leading the strategic programmatic capture efforts in the SLED (State, Local, and Education) districts. You will identify target opportunities, qualify the program pipeline, and win critical programs. Working closely with prospects and partners, you will act as a subject‑matter sales expert, demonstrating how our solutions exceed customer requirements and quarterbacking win strategies with Field/Inside Sales, Proposal, Legal, Finance, and System Integrator teammates. This is a senior‑level individual contributor position with a competitive compensation plan based on major program milestones and wins.

Your Impact

• Meet and exceed assigned pipeline and bookings quota MBOs through strategic capture efforts.
• Proactively collaborate with Senior Management and Sales Account Teams to provide market analysis and strategic recommendations for bid/no‑bid decisions.
• Monitor relevant bid‑boards and market intelligence sources to identify, track, and qualify new and existing opportunities.
• Lead cross‑functional pursuit teams in developing and substantiating a winning value proposition that meets customer needs and analyzes critical business drivers and risks.
• Prepare and deliver information and decision briefings for senior management to ensure alignment and secure resources.
• Support price‑to‑win (PTW) analysis to establish competitive and profitable pricing strategies.
• Partner with key business units and their leadership to develop winning sales strategies and gather customer feedback to inform product and solution development.
• Engage with senior decision‑makers and influencers internally and within customer accounts, demonstrating credibility and building trusted relationships.

Qualifications

Your Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent military/education experience and 15+ years of related experience.
• Demonstrated success in the development and capture of large government programs, specifically within the SLED market.
• Proven ability to articulate compelling, business outcome‑focused value propositions to executive and technical audiences.
• Experience leading complex, cross‑functional teams (e.g., Sales, Legal, Finance, Engineering) through the entire capture and proposal lifecycle.
• Strong business acumen, negotiation abilities, and experience establishing teaming agreements.
• Experience working with channel partners, system integrators, and alliance teams.
• Adept at negotiating and establishing teaming arrangements/agreements.
• Familiarity with a broad range of application, security, and infrastructure software.
• Established contacts and intimate knowledge of the SLED market and procurement vehicles.

Additional Information

The Team: Our sales team members work hand‑in‑hand with large organizations around the world to keep their digital environments protected. We educate, inspire, and empower our potential clients in their journey to security. As part of our sales team, you are empowered with unmatched systems and tools, constantly updated research and sales libraries, and a team built on joint success. You won’t find someone at Palo Alto Networks that isn’t committed to your success – with everyone pitching in to assist when it comes to solutions selling, learning, and development. As a member of our sales team, you are motivated by a solutions‑focused sales environment and find fulfillment in working with clients to resolve incredibly complex cyberthreats.

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 is expected to be between $158,000 – $255,000/YR. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

Our Commitment

We’re problem solvers that 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? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.