Senior Operations Manager, Global Events Center of Excellence (COE)

Palo Alto Networks•Office - USA - CA - Headquarters, CA

3d•$163,200 - $264,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Operations Manager for the Global Events Center of Excellence (COE) serves as the operational backbone and strategic thought partner to the Global Events COE. The role provides data-driven insights, scalable frameworks, and operational rigor to help global event programs deliver business value. It is highly visible and cross-functional, with a focus on turning complex data into actionable executive-level insights and optimizing end-to-end event operations. The manager leads strategic initiatives, global event portfolio governance, analytics and measurement, event audits, and portfolio investment recommendations. The role partners with Marketing Strategy and Operations and stakeholders across the organization to measure event performance, attendee engagement, pipeline impact, ROI, and relationship health. It also improves operational workflows, explores AI-enabled tools, and mentors colleagues in strategy, project management, and analytics. The position is based at the Santa Clara headquarters, with hybrid flexibility.

Requirements

10+ years of relevant experience in corporate event operations, event management consulting, marketing operations, or business analytics, with demonstrated ownership of complex operational frameworks.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Operations, Analytics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Robust quantitative modeling skills and a proven ability to analyze large datasets, measure ROI and pipeline impact, and translate data into clear executive-level insights.
Proven track record of leading high-impact operational transformations and managing multifaceted projects in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex business, financial, and strategic concepts effectively to senior leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the Enterprise Technology or Cybersecurity sector.
Deep understanding of modern marketing automation platforms, event management platforms, and data visualization tools.
Proficiency with AI-enabled productivity tools.
Self-starter who navigates ambiguity, thrives in high-growth environments with minimal supervision, and remains positive, resourceful, and solutions-focused.
Ability to work onsite at the Santa Clara headquarters, with hybrid flexibility.

Responsibilities

Lead strategic initiatives by structuring complex business challenges into scalable operational reporting frameworks.
Direct operational cadence and intake governance across the global event lifecycle.
Develop, monitor, and own dashboards tracking event performance, attendee engagement, pipeline velocity, and event ROI in partnership with Marketing Strategy and Operations.
Measure event impact across the pipeline, including win-rate lift on engaged accounts, sales-cycle acceleration, and multi-platform adoption.
Synthesize large datasets and deliver actionable recommendations to executive audiences.
Direct event audits and quarterly format optimization, evaluating KPIs and ROI to advise leadership on portfolio investment decisions.
Manage relationship benchmarks and track program metrics to ensure alignment with corporate strategy.
Collaborate with executive leaders, Marketing Strategy and Operations, Field Marketing, Partner Marketing, and Event Experience Managers to align on business objectives.
Evaluate event performance and operational workflows to identify opportunities for optimization.
Champion emerging trends and AI-enabled tools to improve team efficiency, data insights, and planning processes.
Provide coaching and enablement to team members and peers in strategy, project management, and analytics.