Sr. Director, AI Data Strategy & Governance

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a Senior Director for its Data & Analytics team to lead AI Data Strategy & Governance. This role involves building and leading an 'AI-First' team, driving the operationalization of AI products, and spearheading next-gen data governance with an AI-powered platform. The director will partner with engineering and business leaders to define technical roadmaps, recruit high-performing teams, and manage complex, multi-quarter initiatives, serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.

Must Have

• Lead strategy for Data Governance and drive AI product adoption at an enterprise scale
• Build and lead a transformational, 'AI-First' team
• Partner deeply with engineering to define builds and work with business leaders to deliver value
• Drive the transition of high-potential AI products from early pilots into full-scale production
• Lead the strategy and execution of Data Governance, building an AI-powered governance platform
• Act as a strategic partner to IT Engineering and Product teams, driving the technical roadmap
• Recruit and lead a high-performing team, fostering a culture of technical depth
• Own the delivery of complex, multi-quarter initiatives, ensuring timeline and quality
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Senior Leadership, providing transparent reporting
• 12+ years of experience leading complex data initiatives
• Track record of operationalizing products and driving strategy in mid-to-large enterprise environments
• Understanding of the Machine Learning lifecycle, Data Architecture, and AI technologies
• Proven experience leading Data Governance initiatives
• History of building things and strong execution muscle
• Demonstrated success in taking data/AI products from Proof of Concept (POC) to global deployment
• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field

Good to Have

• Advanced Degree (MBA or MS) is preferred

Company Description

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 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 Description

Your Career

We are looking for a Senior Director to join the Data & Analytics team. In this role, you will lead the strategy for Data Governance across the organization while simultaneously driving the adoption of AI products at an enterprise scale.

This is a leadership role for a builder. You won't just oversee a process; you will build and lead a transformational, "AI-First" team that uses AI to speed up its own work and enables the rest of the company to do the same. We need a player-coach who operates at the intersection of business strategy and technical execution. You will partner deeply with engineering to define what we build and work with business leaders to make sure it delivers real value. If you combine deep technical fluency in Machine Learning and Data with the ability to orchestrate complex

Your Impact

Operationalizing AI: You will drive the transition of high-potential AI products from early pilots into full-scale production. Your focus is ensuring these tools are operationally sound, scalable, and actually used by the business.

Next-Gen Data Governance: Lead the strategy and execution of our Data Governance initiative. You will move beyond compliance to drive the build of an AI-powered governance platform, ensuring our data is secured and curated through automation.

Driving the Technical Roadmap: Act as a strategic partner to IT Engineering and Product teams. You won't just influence the plan; you will drive the technical roadmap based on business needs, ensuring we build the right infrastructure for Governance and AI enablement.

Building a Team: Recruit and lead a high-performing team. As a player-coach, you will foster a culture of technical depth, showing your team how to adopt AI tools to accelerate their own workflows.

Strategic Execution: You own the delivery of complex, multi-quarter initiatives. You are responsible for the timeline and quality, cutting through cross-functional dependencies to ensure we deliver with precision.

Executive Stakeholder Management: Serve as a trusted advisor to Senior Leadership. You will navigate complex executive requirements and provide transparent reporting on the health of our data ecosystem.

Qualifications

Your Experience

12+ years of experience leading complex data initiatives. You have a track record of operationalizing products and driving strategy in mid-to-large enterprise environments.

AI & Data Depth: You understand the Machine Learning lifecycle, Data Architecture, and AI technologies. You can hold your own in technical debates with engineering leads and understand the "physics" of data.

Governance Leadership: Proven experience leading Data Governance initiatives is required. We want someone who approaches governance with a modern, automated mindset.

Execution & Builder Mindset: You have a history of building things, not just managing them. You bring a strong execution muscle and can cut through ambiguity to deliver results without needing a heavy administrative layer.

Product Scale: Demonstrated success in taking data/AI products from Proof of Concept (POC) to global deployment, ensuring adoption and value realization.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a technical field required; an Advanced Degree (MBA or MS) is preferred.

Leadership: Experience building and transforming teams. You know how to spot talent and foster a culture of technical curiosity.

Additional Information

The Team

Our shared mission to safeguard our digital way of life unites and drives us. You will join a multinational team building data and data science solutions to unlock significant business potential and boost productivity by resolving complex data problems. This involves developing innovative algorithms, predictive models, conducting advanced statistical analysis, and engineering scalable data pipelines. Your work will ultimately lead to data products and actionable insights that empower decision-making across the organization. You will be at the forefront of leveraging cutting-edge technologies and methodologies.

We believe in using AI to amplify, not replace, human intellect. We expect you to champion this mindset. You and your team will leverage the best tools available—from generative AI for code and analysis to agentic data science frameworks—to accelerate your impact.

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/commissioned roles) is expected to be between $241,000 - $344,500/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 accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com.

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.