Job Summary

We are seeking a Principal Product Manager to lead the strategy, roadmap, and lifecycle management of NetApp's Enterprise Storage networking portfolio. This role owns end-to-end networking product management across cluster interconnects, storage network fabric, Fibre Channel SAN switching, and high-speed frontend connectivity. This PM operates at the intersection of storage platform strategy and networking ecosystem evolution - partnering closely with systems engineering, ONTAP engineering, supply chain, finance, and go-to-market teams to ensure NetApp's networking solutions are competitive, deliverable, and directly enabling customer success in AI, enterprise, and large-scale workloads. The role carries both strategic and operational responsibility: defining multi-generation networking roadmaps and supply strategies while simultaneously driving active NPI programs, managing partner and vendor relationships, and maintaining product lifecycle discipline across a broad portfolio.

Job Requirements

Networking Strategy & Roadmap
- Define and own the comprehensive Enterprise Storage networking strategy, spanning cluster fabric, storage backend networks, frontend high-speed Ethernet, Fibre Channel SAN, and switched enclosure platforms.
- Develop a multi-generation networking roadmap aligned to NetApp's platform strategy and competitive requirements, with clear prioritization across speed transitions, form factors, and delivery models.
- Identify and evaluate emerging networking technologies and architectures - including AI-optimized Ethernet fabrics, next-generation switch platforms, and flexible customer-managed network models - and define NetApp's positioning and adoption path.
- Establish and maintain clear swim-lane guidance for when each networking tier applies, reducing field ambiguity and improving deal velocity.

New Product Introduction & Lifecycle Management
- Lead multiple concurrent NPI programs across switch platforms, optics, cables, network interface cards, and switched enclosures - driving requirements, prioritization, and cross-functional execution through all lifecycle phases.
- Define clear, well-structured product requirements for semester planning, engineering, and operations teams, ensuring networking programs are aligned to platform launch schedules and customer commitments.
- Evaluate multi-source and multi-vendor qualification strategies to improve supply resilience across critical networking components.

Partner & Vendor Ecosystem
- Own and develop strategic relationships with key networking vendors across switching, optics, and connectivity - including both incumbent and emerging suppliers.
- Drive joint roadmap alignment and early-engagement programs with ecosystem partners to ensure NetApp's platform and software requirements are reflected in partner product plans.
- Evaluate and define flexible customer-managed network models (e.g., customer-provided switch infrastructure) to support large-scale, high-velocity deployment scenarios, including tradeoffs in support boundary, margin, and field experience.

Customer, Market & Business Requirements
- Gather and synthesize requirements from enterprise customers, OEM partners, AI and hyperscale-adjacent accounts, and the field organization to inform networking priorities and design decisions.
- Translate customer and market needs into clear product requirements, competitive positioning, and business cases - connecting networking investments to platform win rates, deal velocity, and revenue impact.
- Partner with GTM, sales, and field teams to develop prescriptive, solution-led networking guidance and reference architectures for AI, SAN, and large-scale enterprise workloads.

Go-to-Market & Field Enablement
- Develop and maintain networking solution packaging, configuration guidance, and field-facing swim-lane documentation to ensure consistent, scalable deployment practices.
- Partner with product marketing to ensure networking advancements are integrated into platform messaging, AI and enterprise solution stories, and field enablement content.
- Drive adoption metrics, track deployment friction signals, and implement corrective actions to improve customer time-to-value.

Cross-Functional Leadership
- Serve as the single point of accountability for Enterprise Storage networking across engineering, supply chain, operations, finance, marketing, and field sales.
- Communicate networking strategy, roadmap, and tradeoffs clearly to executive leadership, field organizations, and external partners.
- Influence platform-level decisions - including interconnect architecture, NIC selection, and enclosure design - that span multiple storage product lines.

Qualifications

Required
- 10+ years of product management or technical product planning experience in enterprise infrastructure, storage, networking, or related hardware/software domains.
- Strong understanding of data center networking architectures, including high-speed Ethernet, Fibre Channel SAN, and cluster fabric design.
- Proven experience leading complex NPI programs through all lifecycle phases, from requirements definition through qualification, GA, and sustaining through EOL.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multi-vendor ecosystems, including partner roadmap alignment, qualification strategy, and supply risk management.
- Experience driving cross-functional execution across engineering, supply chain, operations, and go-to-market teams.
- Strong communication and executive presence, with the ability to represent complex networking tradeoffs clearly to senior stakeholders.

Preferred
- Familiarity with enterprise storage platforms and how networking infrastructure enables storage system performance, scalability, and supportability.
- Experience with AI infrastructure, large-scale cluster fabrics, or high-performance computing networking.
- Background in product lifecycle management including EOA strategy, stocking optimization, and operational tooling.
- Experience working with OEM partners or in multi-partner delivery models.

Compensation:
The target salary range for this position is 227,800 - 338,800 USD. The salary offered will be determined by the candidate's location, qualifications, experience, and education and may be outside of this range. The range is based on 'On Target Earnings' (OTE) representing the total potential earnings, which is the sum of the base salary and potential commission earned when performance targets are achieved. Final compensation packages are competitive and in line with industry standards, reflecting a variety of factors, and include a comprehensive benefits package. This may cover Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement or Pension Plans, Paid Time Off, various Leave options, employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stocks (RSU's). These offerings are subject to regional variations and governed by local laws, regulations, and company policies. We will provide detailed information about the specific benefits for your region during the recruitment process.