Director, Supply Base Management

Director, Supply Management

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. We're looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are. To be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our over 16K 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.

Palo Alto Networks is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Director, Supply Management to join our exciting, fast-growing company. This senior leadership position is responsible for developing and executing the end-to-end strategies for strategic direct sourcing, materials management, and cost. This leader will manage and lead a senior team of Supply Base Managers, Materials Managers, and Strategic Cost Analysts. This critical role works closely with cross-functional partners in Engineering, Technical Ops, Product Management, NPI, Risk & Compliance, and Finance to build a resilient, scalable, and cost-effective supply chain. The ideal candidate will have a strong blend of business acumen and deep supply chain expertise, with a proven ability to implement commodity and materials strategies that deliver best-in-class quality, cost, and supply continuity.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Supply Base Managers and Materials Management and Strategic Cost Analysts. Partner with Hardware / Software Engineering and Product Management on Technical Design requirements (PRD / PDD) for our hardware products, including ASIC development and component vendor selection on key commodities (CPU, FPGA, Memory, Storage, PCB, etc). Drive strategic initiatives, both within the team and cross-functionally, that contribute to long-term operational excellence and scalability. Establish clear departmental goals and KPIs on cost savings, cost avoidance, tariff mitigation, PPV, and OCOGS, holding the team accountable for results. Demonstrate a deep blend of business acumen with a strong understanding of supply chain operations and commodity management. Incorporate AI into our supply chain, finding opportunities to improve efficiency and scalability and removing tactical, non-value add work from the team's plate.

Strategic Sourcing & Cost Management

Develop, execute, and manage comprehensive commodity and sourcing strategies that align with technology roadmaps and NPI requirements. Lead a relentless cost management program to achieve and exceed cost reduction targets. This includes managing periodical negotiations, developing TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) models, and tracking market / commodity trends.

Materials Management

Provide strategic leadership for the end-to-end materials management function, including demand / supply planning, inventory control, and supply continuityensuring no material gaps that create line-down situations in our factories. Develop and implement inventory optimization strategies (e.g., SMI, VMI, consignment, buffer programs) to improve cash flow and inventory turns while ensuring 100% material availability for production. Collaborate closely with suppliers, distributors, and EMS providers to establish and maintain continuity of supply, acting as the primary escalation point for critical material shortages. Lead and drive flexibility programs, lead-time reduction initiatives, and other strategic projects to improve material upside availability and mitigate supply risk. Ensure all key performance indicators (KPIs)including cost savings, Inventory Turns, Excess & Obsolete Inventory, and cost avoidance are met or exceeded. Partner with Engineering and NPI teams to drive Value Engineering and cost avoidance initiatives, improving product margin and ROI. Mitigate tariffs through global rebalancing of our Supply Chain, considering trade-offs by region. Drive the implementation and management of Master Purchase Agreements (MSA) and strategic inventory programs (SMI / VMI) with key suppliers. Manage executive relationships with suppliers, ensuring continuity of supply, flexibility, and world-class quality and delivery performance. Lead supplier performance management, including regular Supplier Business Reviews (SBRs), annual Supplier Appreciation Event (SAE), scorecards, and performance improvement plans.

Your Experience

Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field; Masters Degree or equivalent experience preferred. 10+ years of combined experience in Supply Chain Management, Strategic Sourcing, Materials Management, New Product Introduction (NPI), and Program Management. Minimum 5+ years of direct people management experience leading procurement, planning, or materials teams. Deep experience in Custom ASIC and Custom PCBA design and sourcing, with the ability to engage Senior Engineering leadership and drive direct sourcing solutions. Proven track record as an excellent cost negotiator with a deep understanding of contract management, Intellectual Property, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) modeling, and cost-reduction strategies. Expertise in materials management principles, including inventory optimization, S&OP, and advanced planning in ERP / MRP systems. Demonstrated experience working directly with Contract Manufacturers (CMs) and Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) in a high-mix / medium volume, complex environment. Flexibility to work and achieve goals in a fast-paced environment with an ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Ability to successfully influence and work across multiple levels of an organization. Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills. Open to embracing all things AIleveraging approved internal tools (Google Gemini, Notebook LM, Google Gems, etc) and willing to investigate 3rd party alternatives as needed.

The Team

Our World-Wide Operations team is a team of professionals with extensive business and project management experience in the contract manufacturing industry. This team has a proven track record of success in all aspects of supply chain and project management. We're dedicated to growing production, reducing operating costs, and improving product quality by utilizing world-class manufacturing concepts to optimize supply chain processes and strategies. Our manufacturing team leadership establishes clear objectives, defining and implementing profit improvement and profiling inventory management, valuation, and lead-time improvement programs. If you have a passion for extensive end-to-end manufacturing and supply chain with the knowledge and experience, we want you!

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 $194,000 - $266,500 / year. 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.