The posting
About Us:
Proofpoint is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity. We protect how people, data, and AI agents connect across email, cloud, and collaboration tools. Over 80 of the Fortune 100, 10,000 large enterprises, and millions of smaller organizations trust Proofpoint to stop threats, prevent data loss, and build resilience across their people and AI workflows. Our mission is simple: safeguard the digital world and empower people to work securely and confidently. Join us in our pursuit to defend data and protect people.
How We Work:
At Proofpoint you’ll be part of a global team that breaks barriers to redefine cybersecurity guided by our BRAVE core values:
Bold in how we dream and innovate
Responsive to feedback, challenges and opportunities
Accountable for results and best in class outcomes
Visionary in future focused problem-solving
Exceptional in execution and impact
Summary
Proofpoint is hiring a Senior Director of Product Marketing to own positioning, messaging, and category strategy across Email Security and Data Security. This role needs an owner who understands both problem spaces deeply, not just how to market them.
This is a high-visibility, cross-functional role at the intersection of product strategy, analyst relations, and executive communications, with direct exposure to company leadership.
Key Responsibilities
- Own positioning and messaging strategy for Email Security and Data Security, grounded in Proofpoint’s human-centric protection approach and leading with the threats and data risk that SEGs, Microsoft Purview, and legacy DLP tooling miss.
- Partner directly with Product Management and Engineering on both roadmaps, bringing strong technical fluency in email threat detection (BEC, phishing, account takeover) and data loss prevention or insider risk to influence, not just translate, product strategy.
- Lead Analyst Relations strategy and direct engagement for the Email Security and Data Security & Governance categories, including Gartner Magic Quadrant and Forrester Wave cycles, working in close partnership with the AR function.
- Build and run competitive takeout programs against Microsoft Purview, Mimecast, Abnormal Security, and other adjacent players, grounded in real technical differentiation.
- Develop board- and executive-ready narratives for company leadership and customer advisory audiences on where email and data risk are heading.
- Represent Proofpoint externally at Gartner Summits, Protect, and other tier-one industry events as a credible technical and strategic voice, not a talking-points reader.
- Build sales enablement that holds up under technical scrutiny from security-buyer personas (CISOs, security architects), not just competitive one-pagers.
- Push thought leadership on email and data security down to the product level, in partnership with the broader PMM thought-leadership motion.
Qualifications
This role requires a combination very few product marketing candidates carry: hands-on technical experience in both email security and data security, plus personal analyst- and board-level narrative credibility. All of the following are required, not a menu to pick from.
- Hands-on technical experience in both email threat detection (e.g. phishing, business email compromise, account takeover) and data loss prevention or insider risk, gained through direct work such as security operations, incident response, or DLP policy administration, not solely a marketing vantage point on either.
- A personal, documented track record briefing Gartner, Forrester, or IDC analysts directly within the last three years, or presenting security strategy to boards or C-suite audiences, with outcomes you can point to (MQ/Wave placement movement, analyst citations, board-level narrative adoption).
- 10+ years in enterprise security product marketing, product management, or GTM leadership, including at least 5 years with direct, hands-on responsibility in both email security and data security specifically, not adjacent categories alone.
- A track record of category-level narrative work, building the story for a category, not just filling in an existing one.
- Executive presence sufficient to represent Proofpoint unaccompanied in front of press, analysts, and enterprise CISOs.
- Bachelor’s degree required; a technical background (security, computer science, or equivalent credential) is strongly preferred over a marketing-only pedigree.
Success in This Role
- Movement on Gartner MQ / Forrester Wave positioning for both categories, with Proofpoint analyst relationships led personally by this person.
- Sales and analyst-facing content holds up under technical questioning from CISOs and security architects without needing an engineer in the room.
- Company leadership uses this person’s narrative framing directly in board- and investor-facing contexts.
- Competitive takeout materials versus Microsoft Purview, Mimecast, and Abnormal Security are credited by field teams as materially improving win rates.
About Proofpoint
Proofpoint is a leading cybersecurity and compliance company that protects organizations’ greatest assets and biggest risks: their people. Our human-centric platform helps customers stop threats, safeguard data, and mitigate compliance risk across email, cloud, and beyond. Proofpoint is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
Why Proofpoint?
At Proofpoint, we believe that an exceptional career experience includes a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Here are just a few reasons you’ll love working with us:
- Competitive compensation
- Comprehensive benefits
- Career success on your terms
- Flexible work environment
- Annual wellness and community outreach days
- Always on recognition for your contributions
- Global collaboration and networking opportunities
Our Culture:
Our culture is rooted in values that inspire belonging, empower purpose and drive success-every day, for everyone.
We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, please reach out to [email protected].
How to Apply
Interested? Submit your application along with any supporting information- we can’t wait to hear from you!
Consistent with Proofpoint values and applicable law, we provide the following information to promote pay transparency and equity. Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets as set out below. Pay within these ranges varies and depends on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The actual offer will be based on the individual candidate. The range provided may represent a candidate range and may not reflect the full range for an individual tenured employee. This role may be eligible for variable compensation and/or equity. We offer a competitive benefits package, including flexible time off, a comprehensive well-being program with two paid Wellbeing Days and two paid Volunteer Days per year, plus a three-week Work from Anywhere option.
Base Pay Ranges:
SF Bay Area, New York City Metro Area:
Base Pay Range: 245,400.00 - 337,370.00 USD
California (excludes SF Bay Area), Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Washington DC Metro, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, Virginia, and Alaska:
Base Pay Range: 197,100.00 - 271,040.00 USD
All other cities and states excluding those listed above:
Base Pay Range: 177,500.00 - 244,090.00 USD
