Inventory Planning Manager - job 1 of 2

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.

Your Career

Palo Alto Networks is looking for an experienced and knowledgeable individual to own inventory management, E&O analysis and inventory related analytics activities to support our business. This will include actively monitoring, managing our inventory and providing a constant feedback loop to maintain the right flexibility and avoid potential excess.  This individual will need to collaborate with planning, finance and multiple cross functional teams  to achieve all objectives.  The position will report to the Director, Planning.  

Your Impact

• Own and drive the end-to-end process of E&O inventory analysis, reporting, and assessment across multiple product lines and business units.
• Develop and maintain advanced analytical models to identify excess and obsolete inventory trends, root causes, and potential financial impacts.
• Collaborate closely with demand planning, procurement, sales, and finance teams to validate findings and develop actionable inventory reduction strategies.
• Lead periodic inventory health reviews and provide recommendations for inventory adjustments, write-offs, or liquidation.
• Monitor inventory performance metrics and KPIs related to excess and obsolete stock, reporting progress and risks to senior management.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by recommending process changes or technology enhancements to improve E&O visibility and control.
• Manage and refine inventory segmentation and classification criteria to better predict and mitigate future E&O risks.
• Facilitate cross-functional communication and training to promote inventory ownership and accountability throughout the supply chain.

Your Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, or related field; MBA or relevant certification preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in inventory planning, supply chain analytics, or related roles with strong exposure to excess and obsolete inventory management.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, SQL, Power BI, Tableau) and ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle).
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate complex data into actionable business insights.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to influence cross-functional teams.
• Proven track record of driving inventory optimization and reducing financial risk.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and project management skills.
• Must be local to be SF Bay area.

The Team

Our Manufacturing team has extensive business and project-management experience in the contract manufacturing industry. This team has a dedication to, and a consistent track record of, success in all aspects of supply-chain and project management.

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 and knowledge and experience with extensive end-to-end manufacturing and supply chain, 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 $118000 - $191500/YR. 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  [email protected].

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.