Director Business Operations - Digital Marketing

Palo Alto Networks; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 196,000 - 269,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking aDirector of Business Operations for Digital Marketing to orchestrate executive-level programs and align global teams with strategic priorities. You will translate the SVP's vision into execution, manage cross-functional roadmaps, and drive performance across marketing channels and tools.

The role requires 15+ years in digital marketing or related operations within a global tech environment and demands strong storytelling, integrity, and data-driven decision-making.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in Digital Marketing, Marketing Operations, Strategic Operations, or Chief of Staff roles within a global enterprise technology or SaaS company.
• Proven track record as a trusted advisor to senior executives (VP/SVP/C-Suite) with influence across stakeholders without direct authority.
• Ownership mindset with ability to identify risks early and structure decisions.
• Integrity and discretion handling sensitive operational decisions and budgets.
• Expertise coordinating through central strategy and operations teams to align priorities.
• Deep GTM and MarTech knowledge with demand generation expertise.
• Data-driven with BI dashboards to monitor health metrics and performance.
• Strong financial acumen with budgeting and headcount planning.

Responsibilities

• Modernize digital marketing strategy and ensure achievement of KPIs and alignment with company goals.
• Instill data-driven decision-making across campaigns and programs.
• Align teams, remove friction, and carry through exec priorities at scale.
• Serve as the face of the SVP across Digital Marketing and translate vision into execution.
• Lead end-to-end programs with cross-functional leads and governance.
• Author high-impact executive presentations and strategic communications.
• Oversee budget and headcount planning with Finance and HR partners.
• Collaborate with HR on enablement and internal communications.
• Maintain on-time roadmaps and high-quality deliverables across teams.

Skills

Executive presence

Problem solving

Integrity & discretion

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven mindset

Financial acumen

Storytelling

MarTech knowledge

Tools

Tableau

Adobe Analytics

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! We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

The Director Business Operations - Digital Marketing owns the operational rhythm of the business and coordinates strategic initiatives for the Digital Marketing organization at Palo Alto Networks. Reporting directly to the SVP, Global Digital Marketing, you will act as a critical force multiplier for the SVP serving as the trusted representative across the organization, translating executive vision into execution, and keeping the business running smoothly. We are seeking a high-caliber strategic operator to bridge the gap between high-level marketing vision and end-to-end execution across global teams. In this role, you will lead day-to-day business cadence, drive executive-level projects, and partner closely with the Digital Leadership team and Digital Strategic Operations team to execute cross-functional programs.

You Will

• Help modernize our digital marketing strategy, assure achievement in Digital KPIs and its connectivity to the Marketing and Company goals
• Instill data-driven decision-making
• Align teams, remove friction and carry through the exec key priorities, ensuring cohesive execution at scale

Your Impact

• Executive Proxy & Alignment: Serve as the face and voice of the SVP across Digital Marketing and broader cross-functional teams. Carry through their strategic vision, requests, and priorities to ensure organizational alignment and momentum.
• Strategic Roadmapping & Coordination: Partner with Digital Marketing leadership and the Digital Strategic Operations team to translate enterprise business objectives into a cohesive, multi-year strategic roadmap. Align Digital Marketing initiatives with Product, Sales, Finance, IT, and broader GTM teams.
• End-to-End Program Delivery: Oversee key strategic initiatives from inception through launch, working through cross-functional project leads and functional workstreams to achieve organizational goals.
• Executive Communications: Author high-impact presentations, board-level materials, strategic memos, and organization-wide communications on behalf of the SVP. Distill complex data into clear, compelling narratives for executive consumption.
• Special & High-Stakes Projects: Spearhead high-impact initiatives directly such as evaluating new agency delivery models, piloting AI integration into digital workflows, or optimizing global team collaboration.
• Budget & Headcount Strategy: Strategically partner with Finance and DSO to track and monitor the Global Digital Marketing operating budget and headcount plan. Identify cost-optimization opportunities and implement spend guardrails to maximize ROI.
• Organizational Health & Enablement: Partner with HR to champion team culture, talent development strategies, offsites, and internal communications to keep the global team engaged, aligned, and informed.
• Cross-Functional Orchestration: Work hand-in-hand with the Digital Strategic Operations team and functional leads to resolve systemic bottlenecks across the digital marketing lifecycle and drive program frameworks that balance speed with enterprise stability.
• Drive full delivery of Digital KPI, keep all roadmaps from each digital team on time and ensure high quality deliverables.
• Own Planning cycles and visibility into Digital Marketing’s plans, budgets and strategy across marketing

Qualifications

• Industry Experience: 15+ years of experience in Digital Marketing, Marketing Operations, Strategic Operations, or Chief of Staff roles within a global enterprise technology or SaaS company.
• Strategic Executive Presence: Proven track record as a high-impact individual contributor operating as a trusted advisor to senior executives (VP/SVP/C-Suite) and influencing cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.
• Proactive Problem Solver: Strong ownership mindset with a reputation for identifying risks before they elevate to the SVP’s and CMO’s desk, arriving with structured analysis and clear decision frameworks.
• High Integrity & Discretion: Absolute integrity and experience handling sensitive operational decisions, organizational changes, budget allocations, and executive communications.
• Matrix Collaboration: Exceptional skill in coordinating through central strategy and operations teams (specifically Digital Strategic Operations) to align priorities, track deliverables, and execute programs smoothly.
• Deep GTM & MarTech Knowledge: Strong understanding of modern enterprise B2B SaaS demand generation, digital marketing channels, MarTech/AdTech ecosystems, and lead-to-revenue models.
• Data-Driven & Tech Fluent: Comfortable utilizing BI dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Adobe Analytics) to monitor health metrics, pipeline velocity, and marketing performance to inform strategic recommendations.
• Financial Acumen: Strong familiarity with global marketing budgets, ROI tracking, vendor spend, and headcount planning in an enterprise setting.
• Master Storyteller: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to synthesize complex operational concepts into compelling strategic narratives.

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.

$196,000.00 - $269,000.00/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.

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.