Sales Director - F5 Distributed Cloud (XC)

About F5 and Role Overview

F5 is dedicated to enhancing the digital landscape by empowering global organizations to create, secure, and operate applications that enrich our digital experience. We are passionate about cybersecurity, aiming to protect users from fraud while enabling businesses to innovate efficiently. We value people at the core of our operations and foster a diverse community for everyone to thrive.

We are looking for an experienced sales leader specializing in SaaS and security to head the F5 Distributed Cloud (XC) overlay sales team for the Asia Pacific, China, and Japan (APCJ) region. The XC platform is F5's SaaS offering that secures, connects, and delivers applications and APIs across on-premises data centers, public clouds, and edge environments using a unified control plane. Its product range includes web application and API protection (WAAP), API security, bot defense, DDoS mitigation, hybrid multi-cloud, and application delivery, sold through subscription and consumption models targeting Enterprise and Service Provider clients.

Primary Duties and Accountabilities

• Craft and implement an XC go-to-market strategy for the APCJ region aligning with global directions and local market specifics, including goal setting and gap analysis for fiscal year 2027 and beyond.
• Own the commercial SaaS motion for XC in APCJ, managing new ARR, consumption expansion, renewal health, and XC attachment to the existing F5 customer base to grow wallet share.
• Develop sales forecasting for each territory and ensure forecast accuracy in regional and global reviews.
• Help establish annual revenue targets and remain accountable for achieving them.
• Launch new XC products, integrating them seamlessly with core portfolio offerings to expand the F5 footprint without disrupting existing business momentum.
• Lead, coach, and build a high-performing overlay specialist sales team with strong SaaS and security expertise, establishing standards for deal quality and technical proficiency.
• Define clear engagement rules between the overlay and core account teams to enable a coordinated F5 presence for customers.
• Partner with regional RVPs on recruitment, retention, and development of talent with specialized security and SaaS backgrounds.
• Enable the wider sales organization with training and support to sell SaaS security services alongside traditional infrastructure solutions, reserving specialist focus for strategic deals.
• Implement account and territory plans that translate the XC strategy into practical initiatives, targeting install-base expansion and untapped application security and multi-cloud opportunities.
• Engage in executive-level technical and commercial discussions with CISOs, CIOs, cloud architects, and platform engineers to forge strategic partnerships across enterprises, service providers, and channel partners.
• Develop and grow co-selling programs with hyperscalers including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, and coordinate with cloud-native and security channel partners.
• Maintain key customer and partner relationships, track performance metrics, and ensure alignment with sales and strategic objectives.
• Collaborate closely with product marketing to clarify product positioning and value propositions, acting as a credible voice for regional market feedback affecting roadmaps and competitive positioning.
• Adhere to F5's Business Code of Ethics, promptly report violations, and perform other related duties as assigned.

Candidate Profile and Expertise

• Proven track record selling SaaS-delivered security and cloud solutions to Enterprise and Service Provider clients, managing large and complex deals across diverse sales channels.
• Strong application security domain knowledge including areas such as WAF/WAAP, API security, bot defense, and DDoS, with established CISO-level relationships throughout APCJ.
• Fluent in SaaS sales concepts including ARR, net revenue retention, subscription and consumption pricing models, proof-of-value, trial-led selling, renewals, and expansions.
• Knowledgeable about hybrid multi-cloud deployments spanning on-premises, public clouds, and edge environments, with the ability to convey the associated business value effectively.
• Experience working with hyperscaler ecosystems, including cloud marketplaces, co-sell initiatives, and joint account planning.
• Demonstrated success leading in roles that require influencing without direct reporting lines, such as overlays or new business units.
• Expertise in integrating SaaS offerings within established hardware or software businesses to complement existing portfolios.
• Background in sales management with reputable security, cloud, or SaaS organizations.
• Ability to excel in fast-paced, high-pressure, multi-cultural, and international settings.
• Consistent record of exceeding sales quotas with excellent communication and organizational competencies.
• High integrity and professionalism with a strong ethical foundation in all workplace interactions.

Educational and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Over 10 years of experience in selling complex, strategic solutions in the APCJ region, predominantly in security and cloud SaaS domains.
• Direct sales experience in at least two of these areas: application security (WAAP/WAF, API security, bot defense, DDoS), hybrid multi-cloud across on-premises and clouds, application delivery, or cloud-native/Kubernetes platforms.
• Minimum 8 years of managing remote, field-based direct and channel sales teams, including overlay teams specializing in security or SaaS.
• Proven ability to meet and exceed sales targets with detailed ARR and retention metrics.
• Experience engaging with senior leadership including CISOs, CIOs, and cloud architects, and practitioner teams like platform engineering, DevSecOps, and SecOps.
• Strong strategic and analytical capabilities with aptitude for leading in evolving and ambiguous environments.
• Working knowledge of XC domain technologies and SaaS consumption models to communicate effectively with technical and business audiences.
• Preferably experienced in developing relationships with hyperscalers and co-marketing partners.

Work Environment and Travel

• Position is based in either Hong Kong or Singapore, responsible for the entire APCJ region.
• Role requires frequent travel—approximately 50% of time—within APCJ and to global meetings, collaborating across multiple time zones and cultures.

Equal Employment Opportunity

F5 is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without discrimination based on race, religion, color, nationality, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any protected category under local laws. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.