Palo Alto Networks Sales and Solution Specialist

Your day at NTT DATA

The Palo Alto Networks Sales and Solution Specialist is a dedicated, customer-facing, quota-carrying sales specialist responsible for accelerating NTT DATA’s growth with Palo Alto Networks.

The purpose of this role is to drive the commercial execution of NTT DATA’s strategic growth agreement with Palo Alto Networks by identifying, creating, qualifying and progressing new cybersecurity opportunities across existing NTT DATA clients and targeted new accounts.

The Sales and Solution Specialist combines strong sales capability with sufficient Palo Alto Networks solution expertise to identify client needs, frame the appropriate solution, mobilize NTT DATA and Palo Alto Networks technical resources, and lead opportunities through to commercial closure.

This is a proactive sales growth role. The successful candidate will not rely solely on qualified opportunities generated by Client Management. They will actively create pipeline, identify whitespace, develop joint pursuits with Palo Alto Networks sellers, increase NTT DATA services attachment and accelerate strategic deals.

The Sales and Solution Specialist will work closely with NTT DATA Client Executives, Sales Directors, Solution Architects, Consulting, Services and Delivery teams, as well as Palo Alto Networks field sellers, specialists, channel leadership and technical teams.

The individual will position the combined value of Palo Alto Networks technology with NTT DATA consulting, integration, transformation and managed services, rather than focusing solely on product resale
 

Primary Mission

Drive incremental Palo Alto Networks sales growth for NTT DATA.

The Sales and Solution Specialist will:

• Build and maintain a qualified Palo Alto Networks pipeline sufficient to deliver assigned growth targets.
• Create net-new opportunities in addition to progressing qualified opportunities identified by Client Management.
• Expand Palo Alto Networks penetration across priority NTT DATA clients.
• Identify competitive displacement, consolidation, modernization and platformization opportunities.
• Increase NTT DATA consulting, professional services and managed services attachment.
• Develop joint account and opportunity strategies with Palo Alto Networks sellers.
• Accelerate large strategic pursuits and remove barriers to closure.
• Translate the Palo Alto Networks growth agreement into measurable revenue, gross profit and pipeline growth.
• Establish repeatable Palo Alto Networks sales motions that can be scaled across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Execution and Pipeline Creation

• Own and achieve an assigned annual sales and gross profit target associated with Palo Alto Networks solutions and attached NTT DATA services.
• Maintain an appropriate level of qualified pipeline coverage against assigned sales targets, with an expectation of approximately 4x pipeline coverage.
• Proactively identify, create and qualify new Palo Alto Networks opportunities across targeted NTT DATA accounts.
• Pursue qualified leads generated by Client Management while independently creating additional opportunities through direct client engagement, Palo Alto Networks field alignment, workshops, assessments, campaigns and account planning.
• Identify opportunities based on Palo Alto Networks installed base, competitive technologies, contract and renewal events, technology refresh cycles, security transformation priorities and emerging client requirements.
• Develop clear opportunity strategies, stakeholder maps, close plans and next actions.
• Maintain accurate pipeline, forecast, close-date and opportunity information.
• Demonstrate consistent urgency in moving opportunities from initial identification through qualification and closure.

Palo Alto Networks Sales Alignment

• Act as the primary specialist sales interlock between NTT DATA account teams and Palo Alto Networks field sales teams within the assigned market.
• Develop strong working relationships with Palo Alto Networks Account Executives, sales leaders, specialists, channel teams and technical resources.
• Conduct regular joint account mapping to identify clients and opportunities where NTT DATA and Palo Alto Networks have a differentiated right to win.
• Develop joint pursuit plans with clear client objectives, owners, actions and commercial outcomes.
• Ensure deal registration and other partner engagement mechanisms are initiated early where appropriate.
• Identify Palo Alto Networks opportunities where NTT DATA can add consulting, implementation, migration, transformation or managed services.
• Create opportunities for NTT DATA through Palo Alto Networks seller relationships and create opportunities for Palo Alto Networks through NTT DATA client relationships.

Client Engagement and Solution Selling

• Engage directly with CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, infrastructure leaders, security executives and other senior client stakeholders.
• Understand client business objectives, technology strategies, security challenges and risk priorities.
• Position solutions based on client outcomes rather than individual technology products.
• Lead client discussions around areas including cyber resilience, platform consolidation, operational efficiency, AI-related security risk, Zero Trust, cloud security, network modernization and security operations transformation.
• Translate Palo Alto Networks technology capabilities into clear client outcomes such as reduced risk, improved resilience, simplified operations, reduced cost and improved security effectiveness.
• Lead client workshops, discovery sessions, executive briefings and solution presentations.
• Develop ongoing client relationships that create opportunities beyond individual transactions.

Solution Framing and Opportunity Leadership

• Maintain sufficient expertise across the Palo Alto Networks portfolio to identify opportunities and frame appropriate client solutions.
• Work with NTT DATA Solution Architects and Palo Alto Networks technical specialists to develop detailed solution architectures and designs.
• Ensure proposed solutions combine the appropriate Palo Alto Networks technologies with relevant NTT DATA consulting, professional and managed services.
• Address business and solution-level challenges during the sales process and mobilize the correct technical resources where deeper expertise is required.
• Coordinate Client Executives, Solution Architects, Services, Delivery, Pricing, Commercial and partner resources around strategic opportunities.
• Lead opportunity plans and orchestrate the pursuit through qualification, proposal, negotiation and closure.
• Support strategic RFP/RFI responses, client presentations and commercial negotiations.
• The Sales and Solution Specialist is not expected to replace the Solution Architect. The role requires enough solution knowledge to identify client problems, frame opportunities, communicate the value proposition and bring the appropriate technical expertise into the sales process.

Palo Alto Networks Portfolio Expertise

Maintain strong sales and solution knowledge across relevant areas of the Palo Alto Networks portfolio, including:

• Strata / Network Security
• Prisma SASE
• Prisma Cloud
• Cortex XDR and XSIAM
• Security Operations and Autonomous SOC
• Zero Trust
• Cloud Security
• AI Security and AI-related cybersecurity risk
• Platform consolidation and technology rationalization
• Maintain awareness of Palo Alto Networks strategy, competitive positioning, market developments and solution innovation. Relevant Palo Alto Networks sales and solution certifications will be expected within an agreed period following appointment.

NTT DATA Services Attachment

A core responsibility of the role is to convert Palo Alto Networks technology opportunities into broader NTT DATA solutions.

The Sales and Solution Specialist will proactively identify and position applicable:

• Cybersecurity consulting and assessments
• Architecture and transformation services
• Implementation and migration services
• Managed Security Services
• Managed SASE and Network Services
• SOC / MXDR services
• Cloud security services
• Lifecycle and operational services
• The objective is to maximize the strategic and economic value of the Palo Alto Networks relationship by increasing services attachment and developing higher-value client solutions.

Internal Sales Activation

• Maintain strong relationships with NTT DATA Client Executives, Sales Directors and account teams.
• Help account teams identify Palo Alto Networks opportunities within their clients.
• Develop simple client triggers, sales plays and talk tracks that enable Client Management teams to identify relevant opportunities.
• Establish priority target-account and opportunity lists.
• Bring Palo Alto Networks sellers and NTT DATA account teams together around specific client pursuits.
• Share competitive intelligence, client insights and successful sales motions across the business.
• Act as the visible internal Sales and Solution Specialist for Palo Alto Networks.
• Help establish Palo Alto Networks as a strategic component of NTT DATA cybersecurity and infrastructure transformation pursuits.

Key Performance Measures

Success will be measured primarily through commercial outcomes.

Sales and Gross Profit

• Achievement or overachievement of assigned Palo Alto Networks sales, ACV/TCV and gross profit targets.

Pipeline Creation

• Maintain approximately 4x qualified pipeline coverage.
• Consistently create net-new qualified opportunities in addition to progressing account-team-generated leads.

Opportunity Conversion

• Progress qualified opportunities effectively through the sales cycle.
• Maintain clear opportunity and close plans for strategic deals.
• Deliver expected conversion and win rates.

NTT DATA Services Attachment

• Increase consulting, professional services and managed services attachment to Palo Alto Networks opportunities.

Partner Activation

• Develop meaningful joint opportunities with Palo Alto Networks field sellers.
• Establish strong relationships across the Palo Alto Networks sales organization.
• Effectively use deal registration, joint campaigns and partner programs.

Strategic Account Penetration

• Increase Palo Alto Networks and NTT DATA penetration within priority enterprise clients.
• Create new client relationships and buying-center access.

Knowledge and Attributes

• Demonstrated success achieving and exceeding sales and financial targets.
• Strong pipeline creation and new-business-development capability.
• Strong understanding of enterprise cybersecurity and associated client buying motions.
• Ability to combine sales expertise with sufficient technical and solution knowledge to lead credible client conversations.
• Strong executive presence and ability to engage senior client stakeholders.
• Strong solution-selling and value-selling capability.
• Ability to translate technical capabilities into client business outcomes.
• Strong commercial and business acumen.
• Strong understanding of competitive cybersecurity technologies and market dynamics.
• Effective team-selling and deal-orchestration capability.
• Ability to influence across a complex matrixed organization without direct authority.
• Strong partner relationship and ecosystem management skills.
• High degree of sales urgency, accountability and ownership.
• Disciplined approach to pipeline management, forecasting and close planning.
• Ability to prioritize the opportunities that will have the greatest impact on business growth.

Required Experience

• Significant quota-carrying enterprise sales experience within cybersecurity, networking, cloud, managed services or related technology markets.
• Proven track record of consistently meeting or exceeding sales targets.
• Demonstrated ability to independently create qualified pipeline rather than relying exclusively on inbound or account-team-generated opportunities.
• Experience selling complex technology and services solutions to large enterprise clients.
• Experience engaging senior IT, infrastructure and cybersecurity decision makers.
• Experience working within a large technology provider, Global System Integrator, MSP/MSSP or major technology vendor ecosystem.
• Experience coordinating complex multi-stakeholder enterprise pursuits.
• Experience with Palo Alto Networks or another leading enterprise cybersecurity provider strongly preferred.

Preferred Experience:

• Have previously sold Palo Alto Networks solutions.
• Have worked for Palo Alto Networks or within a strategic Palo Alto Networks partner.
• Have existing relationships across the Palo Alto Networks field organization.
• Understand Palo Alto Networks’ platform strategy across Strata, Prisma and Cortex.
• Understand GSI, channel and partner-led enterprise sales motions.

Academic Qualifications and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in business, technology, sales or a related field.
• Relevant solution-selling or consultative-selling certifications preferred.
• Palo Alto Networks sales and solution certifications preferred or expected within an agreed period following appointment.

Operating Model

• Role Type: Dedicated, customer-facing, quota-carrying Sales and Solution Specialist

• Primary Accountability: Palo Alto Networks pipeline creation, opportunity progression, sales growth and deal closure

• Client Coverage: Priority existing NTT DATA clients, targeted new accounts and jointly identified Palo Alto Networks opportunities

• Portfolio Coverage: Palo Alto Networks portfolio plus applicable NTT DATA consulting, professional and managed services

• Internal Collaboration: Client Executives, Sales Directors, Solution Architects, Consulting, Services, Delivery, Commercial and Alliance teams

• Palo Alto Networks Collaboration: Field sellers, specialists, channel teams, sales leadership, technical resources and executives

• Commercial Focus: Incremental sales, gross profit, qualified pipeline, services attachment and strategic account penetration

What Success Looks Like

The successful Palo Alto Networks Sales and Solution Specialist will combine sales drive, cybersecurity credibility and solution knowledge.

They will understand where the largest Palo Alto Networks opportunities are, proactively create new opportunities, establish strong relationships with Palo Alto Networks sellers, help NTT DATA account teams recognize client opportunities and personally drive strategic pursuits toward closure.

They will be equally comfortable opening a new client conversation, helping frame the right solution with technical specialists, developing an opportunity strategy and driving the commercial actions required to win.

Success ultimately means creating a larger, healthier and more predictable Palo Alto Networks business for NTT DATA, with sustained pipeline creation, greater NTT DATA services attachment and consistent conversion of the strategic Palo Alto Networks relationship into profitable growth.

NTT DATA provides a reasonable range of compensation for U.S.-based positions. The starting pay range for this remote role is $115K - $213K. This range reflects the minimum and maximum target compensation for the position across all US locations. Actual compensation will depend on a number of factors, including the candidate’s actual work location, relevant experience, technical skills, and other qualifications. This position may also be eligible for incentive compensation based on individual and/or company performance. 

This position is eligible for company benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance with an employer contribution, flexible spending or health savings account, life and AD&D insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off, employee assistance, participation in a 401k program with company match, and additional voluntary or legally-required benefits.