Sr Manager, FP&A
About The Position
At Palo Alto Networks, the mission is to protect our digital way of life by solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. The company values Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion, and integrates AI into its operations. Collaboration is emphasized, with most teams working from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and precision. This role is for a Finance AI Transformation Lead, a non-typical finance position focused on building a new team at the intersection of finance, data science, and artificial intelligence. The goal is to architect the next-generation finance operating model, moving towards an "AI-first" FP&A function. The role involves partnering with senior leaders across Finance, IT, and the wider business to design and implement novel solutions from the ground up. This is a unique opportunity to define a career at the forefront of the industry, building sophisticated models, discovering insights in complex data, and influencing multi-billion dollar decisions.
Requirements
- 8+ years of experience in Financial Systems Strategy or Finance Transformation.
- Deep architectural understanding of the "Data Journey"—from transactional ERPs (e.g., SAP, Oracle) to EPM platforms (e.g., Pigment, Anaplan).
- Track record of re-engineering workflows to eliminate "toil" and improve data integrity through robust governance and change management.
- Proficiency in the Modern Finance Tech Stack.
- Familiarity with data analysis and hands-on experience operationalizing AI to solve specific FP&A pain points (e.g., automated variance commentary or predictive forecasting).
- Strong problem-solving. Demonstrated ability to navigate high-ambiguity environments and "blue ocean" projects.
- Ability to take a vague executive vision and translate it into a solution, resolving any blockers along the way
- Excellent project management skills with a track record of successful system implementations and leading cross-functional initiatives end to end
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work with finance leadership and cross-functional teams.
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems or a related field.
Nice To Haves
- MBA or advanced technical certification is a plus
- Proficient in SQL and Python for data manipulation
Responsibilities
- Lead initiatives to develop AI agents and automated workflows that can be scaled across different finance FP&A teams
- AI-First Process Redesign: Moving beyond automating existing spreadsheets, you will lead the redesign of processes from the ground up to be AI-native (e.g., shifting from manual variance analysis to real-time, agentic anomaly detection).
- Strategic Finance Tech Stack advisor - evaluate existing ERP systems, emerging AI vendors and assess where we should build vs. buy to ensure we have a scalable, high-performance infrastructure to support the next-gen Finance organization
- Deliver Insights: Leverage AI to uncover KPIs and business drivers that enable proactive discussions with executive leadership on resource allocation and investment decisions
- Change Leadership: Lead cross-functional teams (Data Engineers, Finance SMEs, IT) to define the business objectives, align on approach / technical solution and drive projects from "proof of concept" to deployment
Benefits
- A description of our employee benefits may be found here.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Number of Employees
5,001-10,000 employees
