Senior Consulting Director, AI Security, Proactive Services (Unit 42)

Senior Consulting Director, Unit 42's Cyber Risk Management Team

At Palo Alto Networks, we're united by a shared missionto 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.

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!

This role is remote, but distance is no barrier to impact. Our hybrid teams collaborate across geographies to solve big problems, stay close to our customers, and grow together. You will be part of a culture that values trust, accountability, and shared success where your work truly matters.

As a Senior Consulting Director within Unit 42's Cyber Risk Management team, you will lead our AI Security Assessment offering and own the delivery success of the service line in North America. This includes overseeing a high-performing team of consultants delivering these critical capabilities, maintaining delivery quality, driving revenue and utilization, supporting business development, and advancing service innovation. Working closely with the Managing Director and CRM NAM Practice leader, along with peers in North America and other theaters and regions, you will provide executive oversight and strategic direction for how we evaluate, mature, and optimize security operations through our assessments across our client base driving greater security outcomes, product integration, and transformation at scale. In this strategic leadership role, you will serve as the executive sponsor on key engagements, guide a high-performing team of Directors and consultants, and partner across Unit 42 and Palo Alto Networks to refine services, contribute to thought leadership, and elevate AI Security capabilities across industries. You will be responsible for setting and achieving service line KPIs, including delivery excellence, customer satisfaction, and introducing Palo Alto Networks' products as solutions to risks identified during engagements. This role requires deep expertise in AL/ML Security and consulting, experience managing delivery teams, and the ability to influence both internal and external stakeholders. You will work cross-functionally with sales, product, service innovation and marketing teams to evolve and scale Unit 42's AI Security capabilities, integrating best practices and Palo Alto Networks product offerings.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and vision for Unit 42's global AI Security Assessment services, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, customer needs, and emerging threat trends
• Own and drive success across all AI Security Assessment service line KPIs, including revenue growth, delivery excellence, utilization, customer satisfaction, and Security Transformation Program (STP) contribution
• Lead the continual maturation and innovation of AI Security Assessment methodologies, deliverables, and tooling by integrating industry best practices, threat intelligence, and customer feedback
• Serve as the executive sponsor, strategic advisor and delivery lead for complex, high-impact AI Security engagements, ensuring delivery quality, client satisfaction, and long-term value realization
• Deliver strategic guidance to CISOs, CTOs, and executive stakeholders on optimal security for generative AI technology implementation, agentic and CI/CD pipeline security and integrity, and AI governance and policies for safe AI usage and development standards
• Embed Palo Alto Networks technologies such as Cortex PrismaAIRS, Koi Agentic Security, XDR, XSIAM, and XSOAR into assessment and transformation engagements to drive measurable security outcomes
• Own delivery staffing and capacity planning to ensure the right mix of talent, availability, and expertise across concurrent engagements
• Lead and mentor a high-performing team of Directors and consultants, fostering career growth, technical depth, and leadership capability
• Collaborate with GTM teams to shape messaging, identify new opportunities, and support the successful closing of AI Security Assessment engagements through solutioning and executive engagement
• Lead and contribute to complex scoping and quoting efforts, ensuring accurate effort estimates, appropriate resourcing, and alignment to customer goals
• Build and nurture trusted advisor relationships with key customers, especially Unit 42 retainer accounts, to drive repeat business and long-term strategic value
• Represent Unit 42 as a AI Security subject matter expert at key industry events, roundtables, webinars, and forums to enhance thought leadership and market credibility
• Author and contribute to whitepapers, blogs, and internal enablement materials to advance the team's knowledge and influence in the AI/ML Security domain
• Champion a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration, fostering a positive and inclusive environment that attracts, retains, and develops top talent
• Act as the internal voice of the AI Security Assessment service line, collaborating across product, sales, and delivery teams to influence service roadmap, product alignment, and market positioning
• Continuously monitor the evolving security operations landscape, including adversary techniques, AI Security tooling trends, and customer challenges, to evolve service offerings and maintain relevance

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with 5+ years leading AI/ML-related services or operations (e.g. AI / agentic development, AI consulting, etc)
• 7+ years managing consulting delivery teams or security operations teams, ideally at the Director level or higher
• Deep understanding of AI/ML implementations and security
• Experience conducting SOC assessments, maturity benchmarking, or blue team capability reviews
• Familiarity with relevant frameworks and standards (MITRE ATT&CK, NIST CSF, CIS Controls, etc.)
• Demonstrated success in building, leading, and scaling consulting services
• Strong executive presence and comfort engaging with CISOs, CTOs, and Boards
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a record of influencing clients and internal stakeholders
• Knowledge of Palo Alto Networks products (e.g. Cortex suite) and how they support best in class security operations
• Ability to travel as needed to meet business demands (on average 25%)
• Bachelor's Degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Digital Forensics, Cybersecurity, or equivalent professional experience required

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree or cybersecurity certifications (CISSP, CISM, GIAC, etc.) preferred
• Experience advising CISOs and other senior stakeholders on strategic planning, resource prioritization, capability development, and cybersecurity roadmaps
• Proven experience managing diverse teams of business and technical consultants
• Ability to scope new consulting opportunities, including drafting statements of work, proposals, and resource estimates
• Background in scripting, automation, or use of command-line tools in assessments is a plus
• Public speaking, training, and enablement experience is strongly preferred
• 10+ years of experience building, strengthening, and expanding long-term client relationships

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.

$236,000.00 - $275,000.00/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 View email address on click.appcast.io.

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,