Sales Operations Analyst

Sales Operations Analyst (Contract) - Palo Alto Networks

This role is a contract assignment at Palo Alto Networks. Contractors will not be employed by Palo Alto Networks but through our trusted staffing partners.

Location:

Remote, India
Duration:  12 Months

Job Description

Rebate & Incentive Program Management
Incentive Calculation:  Own the end-to-end calculation and administration of complex, performance-based partner rebates and incentives
Performance Tracking:  Monitor and validate partner achievement against specific targets (e.g., Bookings, Revenue, Consumption, or Utilization metrics) to determine payout eligibility
Financial Reconciliation:  Conduct regular audits of incentive data to ensure financial accuracy, resolving discrepancies between booked revenue and system data prior to payout approval

Data Analysis & Technical Querying
Advanced Querying:  Design and execute complex  SQL queries  (e.g., within Google Big Query) to mine large datasets across multiple systems (CRM, Cloud Telemetry, Transactional databases)
Data Integrity:  Manage data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes to ensure clean, reliable data is used for all program calculations
Automation:  Develop automated workflows and scripts to streamline manual data processes, reducing cycle time for reporting and payments

Reporting, Dashboards & Visualization
Dashboard Design:  Build and maintain dynamic dashboards and reports (using tools like Tableau, Power

BI, or CRM-native tools) to provide stakeholders with real-time visibility into program health and partner performance
Custom Reporting:  Create specialized views and widgets within internal platforms to track specific KPIs, such as "Earned vs. Suspended" funds or cohort-based performance trends

Operational Support & Process Optimization
Scenario Modeling:  Perform ad-hoc financial modeling and sensitivity analysis to support leadership in designing future incentive structures or adjusting program caps
System Support:  Serve as the primary technical point of contact for data-related inquiries, troubleshooting system errors, and ensuring data alignment across sales and finance tools
Process Engineering:  Proactively identify opportunities to improve data hygiene and operational efficiency within the incentive management lifecycle

Communication & Documentation
Stakeholder Communication:  Translate complex data findings and statistical models into clear, actionable business insights for non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership
Documentation & Presentation:  Create high-quality, professional documentation and presentations (using Google Docs/Slides) to summarize program performance, methodology, and strategic recommendations

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Act as a bridge between technical teams (Data/Engineering) and business teams (Sales/Finance), ensuring that data outputs are understood and effectively utilized for decision-making

Skills
Technical Proficiency:  Advanced expertise in  SQL  (writing complex queries, joins, and optimizations) and familiarity with cloud data warehouses like  Google Big Query

Data Visualization:  Proven ability to design and build dynamic dashboards and reports using tools such as  Tableau , Power

BI, or CRM-native reporting engines

CRM & Systems:  Experience navigating and extracting data from CRM platforms (e.g.,  Salesforce ) and internal data systems (e.g., OSSOT)

Data Analysis & Modeling:  Strong analytical skills with the ability to manage large datasets, perform financial reconciliation, and model complex incentive/rebate scenarios (e.g., cohort analysis, performance tracking)

Automation:  Experience scripting or building automated data workflows to reduce manual processing and improve data hygiene

Operational Acumen:  Understanding of sales operations, channel programs, or incentive compensation mechanics

Communication:  Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to translate technical data and statistical models into clear, non-technical business insights for leadership

Documentation & Presentation:  Proficiency in Google Docs/Slides for creating executive summaries, process documentation, and strategic presentations

At…