Position: VMware: Director of Product Management, Security

Company:

Virtualization is that coveted, fast-growing industry that provides the platform for professional growth and the excitement of being an early stage innovator. VMware (NYSE: VMW) is the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the data center. Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2007 revenues of $1.33 billion, more than 100,000 customers, nearly 18,000 partners, and 6,000 employees working in 36 countries, VMware is one of the fastest-growing public software companies.

Responsibilities:

The Director of Product Management for Security has responsibility for guiding and augmenting the team that is charged with extending the reach of virtual infrastructure and virtualization management to include security, both within VMware itself and in conjunction with the security partner ecosystem. The role requires an individual with strong leadership, partnering and analytical skills who can lead a team and create a shared vision for VMware’s security direction; foster a vibrant ecosystem to deliver security products on top of the VMware platform; help to build products from existing ideas; and help to develop new ideas based on industry experience and contact with customers, prospects and partners. The ideal candidate possesses a unique blend of business and technical savvy; a big-picture vision, and the drive to make that vision a reality. He/she must enjoy spending time in the market to understand customer problems, and find innovative solutions for the broader market.

Responsibilities include:

- Guiding and augmenting a world-class product management team: the Director must develop an exemplary team of product managers who can lead the company into its next phase of hyper-growth
- Aligning the security vision with the overall company goals and vision, and leading the effort to create product positioning and messaging across the security domain. The Director will deliver web content, whitepapers, and demonstrations to drive customer adoption, and ensure technical marketing alignment with key partners
- Leading the definition of next-generation security technologies: the Director and his/her team will lead efforts to identify new target products or markets that VMware can attack, leveraging the game-changing power of virtualization to bring “better than physical” security to the IT environment
- Managing the product development process from inception to product delivery
- Managing communications with industry analysts, including the positioning of VMware technologies within the broader infrastructure software market
- Working closely with sales to identify and address broad industry and product trends

Sample first 180 days expectations:

- Establish and evangelize a clear charter, vision, and product strategy for the security suite of products and technologies; create a decision making framework based on that vision that can be used to evaluate new product opportunities and to make build/buy/partner decisions
- Lead the product management efforts around defining the next generation of security modules for 2009, culminating in the team delivering specific market and product requirements documents and the incorporation of those documents into a specific engineering plan

Requirements:

- At least 6-10 years of experience in product management in the security industry
- At least 4-5 years experience managing a team of product managers
- BA/BS required, in Computer Science or related technical degree preferred, MBA desirable
- Excellent listening, oral and written communication/presentation skills with strong ability to influence people at all levels and in various functions
- Strong awareness of technology trends and potential influence on VMware’s business
- Strong teaming skills and experience to bring together diverse views.

Contact Information:

hayley charnaw
sr. recruiter - core technology
650.427.2130
hcharnaw AT vmware DOT com