Director of Software Engineering

Director of Software Engineering, IT - Licensing

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 take our mission of protecting the digital way of life seriously. We are relentless in protecting our customers and we believe that the unique ideas of every member of our team contributes to our collective success. Our values were crowdsourced by employees and are brought to life through each of us everyday - from disruptive innovation and collaboration, to execution. From showing up for each other with integrity to creating an environment where we all feel included.

As a member of our team, you will be shaping the future of cybersecurity. We work fast, value ongoing learning, and we respect each employee as a unique individual. Knowing we all have different needs, our development and personal wellbeing programs are designed to give you choice in how you are supported. This includes our FLEXBenefits wellbeing spending account with over 1,000 eligible items selected by employees, our mental and financial health resources, and our personalized learning opportunities - just to name a few

At Palo Alto Networks, we believe in the power of collaboration and value in-person interactions. This is why our employees generally work full time from our office with flexibility offered where needed. This setup fosters casual conversations, problem-solving, and trusted relationships. Our goal is to create an environment where we all win with precision.

Job Description

Your Career

The Director of Software Engineering will be a hands-on, strategic leader responsible for the entire software development lifecycle of our IT licensing and software asset management platform. This role requires a unique combination of deep technical expertise in Java and C#, strong people management skills, a comprehensive understanding of software licensing, and a proven track record of leveraging AI to drive innovation. The ideal candidate will manage a team of engineering managers and senior engineers across multiple locations, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and operationally excellent software. You will be a key player in optimizing our software spend, ensuring compliance, and building a world-class engineering culture in our Bangalore office.

Your Impact

• Technical Leadership & Hands-On Contribution:

  • Serve as the top technical expert for the IT licensing platform, capable of diving into code (Java, C#) to troubleshoot complex issues, review architecture, and provide technical guidance to the teams.

  • Drive the technical roadmap, architectural decisions, and the adoption of modern development practices (e.g., microservices, cloud-native architecture).

  • Champion the use of AI technologies to enhance the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and improve platform capabilities.

• AI Development and Integration:

  • Directly contribute to and oversee the development of applications and systems using AI technologies to automate and optimize IT licensing processes, such as predictive analytics for license usage and anomaly detection for compliance risks.

  • Champion efficiency gains in the SDLC by leveraging AI tools, including AI-assisted code generation, automated testing, and intelligent monitoring systems.

• Team & People Management:

  • Lead, mentor, and grow a team of software engineering managers and engineers.

  • Foster a high-performance culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.

  • Oversee talent acquisition and development, including hiring, training, and performance management for a globally distributed team.

• Operational Excellence:

  • Instill a strong DevOps mindset and a focus on operational excellence.

  • Be responsible for the reliability, scalability, and availability of the licensing platform.

  • Implement and manage monitoring, logging, and incident response procedures to maintain a high level of operational health.

• IT Licensing & Stakeholder Management:

  • Act as the subject matter expert on software licensing models (e.g., perpetual, subscription, SaaS) and software asset management (SAM) best practices.

  • Collaborate with finance, legal, procurement, and vendor management teams to optimize software spend, manage vendor relationships, and ensure license compliance.

  • Provide strategic guidance on licensing strategies and tools, presenting recommendations to senior leadership.

• Cross-Geographic Collaboration:

  • Work closely with engineering and business teams in different time zones (e.g., U.S., Europe) to align on priorities and deliver cohesive solutions.

  • Be a cultural ambassador, promoting effective communication and seamless collaboration between the Bangalore team and other global offices.

Qualifications

Your Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

• 15 years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing multiple teams.

• Proven experience leading and scaling engineering teams in a geographically distributed model, specifically with offshore or global delivery centers.

• MUST HAVE: Hands-on experience managing systems with complex integration and leading complex data migration and integration projects.

• Hands-on, practical experience with AI development, including building applications and systems that leverage AI technologies.

• A demonstrated track record of championing and implementing AI tools to improve the efficiency and quality of the software development lifecycle.

• Deep hands-on technical expertise in Java and C#, including a strong understanding of modern frameworks, design patterns, and distributed systems.

• Demonstrable experience with software asset management (SAM), IT licensing, and vendor management.

• Strong knowledge of operational excellence, including DevOps, CI/CD, cloud technologies (e.g., Azure, AWS), and observability tools.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills. Must be able to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Additional Information

The Team

Working at a high-tech cybersecurity company within Information Technology is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You'll join the brightest minds in technology, creating, building, and supporting tools and enabling our global teams on the front line of defense against cyberattacks.

We're connected by one mission but driven by the impact of that mission and what it means to protect our way of life in the digital age. Join a dynamic and fast-paced team of people who feel excited by the prospect of a challenge and feel a thrill at resolving technical gaps that inhibit productivity.

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

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.

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.

Experience LevelExecutive Level

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