Job purpose:

As a Senior Product Acceleration Specialist, you will play a critical role in driving Okta's success through the deployment and implementation of new products. You will serve as a trusted advisor to our Product and Go-To-Market (GTM) Field teams and customers, empowering them to unlock the full potential of our solutions.

We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, and hands-on technical leader who has deep experience in the Okta platform and the broader Identity industry. You will be instrumental in driving the design, development, and optimization of our products to deliver unparalleled customer experiences. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Customer Success, and GTM, to identify areas for improvement and propose innovative solutions that exceed customer expectations. You will have a unique focus on supporting the design, building, and operation of a lab environment to demonstrate integration patterns and strategic use cases, and to create powerful demonstrations that drive our roadmap.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Collaborate closely with Okta stakeholders, including internal teams, customers, and external partners, to gather requirements, analyze needs, and document solutions.
• Provide clear and concise technical communication to stakeholders at various levels, including functional and technical requirements.
• Serve as a deep technical expert on Identity and Access Management, providing actionable recommendations to Product Management teams on integration concepts, feature gaps, and market opportunities.
• Design, build, and maintain the cutting-edge lab environment that powers all testing, solution validation, and high-impact product demonstrations.
• Deliver hands-on training and mentoring to customers and Okta Field teams on product features and functionality.
• Act as a bridge between customer needs and Product Management to inform product development and roadmap priorities.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with internal teams such as Product Management, Engineering, Presales, Sales, Professional Services (PS), Enablement, and others to address complex issues and drive solutions.
• Engage with senior management and other stakeholders within Okta to drive strategic initiatives and partnerships.
• Conduct hands-on technical implementation, troubleshooting, and testing of products to ensure high-quality delivery.
• Manage multiple concurrent release programs simultaneously, prioritizing tasks and resources effectively.
• Support a global, distributed team across multiple time zones by providing flexible working arrangements and regular communication.
• Mentor and guide less experienced team members, sharing expertise and best practices to drive knowledge sharing and growth within the team.
• Advocate for product adoption and usage through thought leadership content creation (e.g. blogs, videos, articles) and community engagement (e.g. forums).

Qualifications:
Highly motivated, experienced, and self-driven professional with a strong background in cyber security and identity and access management, looking for a technical role with a focus on delivering new product innovations to external customers.

Technical Skills

• Strong background in identity and access management with expertise in various Okta product offerings
• Proven experience in cyber security, including Privileged Access Management (PAM), Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR), and Security Posture Management (SPM)
• Experience with cyber security frameworks and standards (e.g., NIST, PCI-DSS)
• Knowledge of enterprise web technologies, cloud architectures, and complex IT landscapes
• Expert-level experience with Microsoft Active Directory, including Certificate Services (AD CS) and Federated Services (ADFS).
• Strong understanding of identity federation and user management protocols; SAML 2.0, WS-Federation, OAuth, OpenID Connect, SCIM
• Expertise in implementing robust access control models using RBAC, ABAC, IBAC, GBAC, and SOD
• Proficiency in governance frameworks such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or GDPR
• Experience installing, configuring, and managing server and desktop operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS).
• Proven ability to automate infrastructure using scripting (e.g., PowerShell, Python) or IaC tools (e.g., Terraform).
• Experience with modern Endpoint Management systems (e.g., Microsoft Intune, Jamf, VMware Workspace One).
• Strong foundation in networking (on-prem and cloud) and experience managing virtualized environments

Communication Skills

• Proven ability to effectively communicate with diverse stakeholders, including internal teams and external customers at all levels of an organization.
• Skilled at presenting complex technical information in a clear and accessible manner that meets the needs of both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Adept at crafting engaging presentations that convey key insights and solutions, while also being mindful of tone and audience sensitivity.
• Possesses strong active listening skills, allowing for a deep understanding of customer business goals, objectives, and priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills with sales team experience
• Communicates effectively with customers to identify needs and evaluate alternative technical solutions with customers.
• Continually seeks opportunities to increase customer satisfaction and deepen client relationships.
• Manages client expectations effectively.

Professional Experience

• 8+ years of technical experience delivering identity solutions to external customers (e.g., Professional Services/Sales Engineering/Support)
• 2+ years of software Sales or Pre-sales experience: selling identity solutions to large enterprise customers, developing and executing sales strategies to drive revenue growth, building strong relationships with key decision-makers
• Relevant cybersecurity certifications, such as CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH, are required for this role
• A Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Information Technology or related discipline is required. 
• Strong background in identity and access management, with expertise in various Okta product offerings
• Experience in Process Improvement, Decision-making, Managing Processes, Multi-tasking, Planning, Analyzing Information, and Developing Standards

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P18170