Director, GCC Operational Excellence

Ciena•Baltimore, MD

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people-first approach. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well-being, and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact. How You Will Contribute Serve as a trusted advisor to the VP and GCC Leadership Team, aligning operational priorities with organizational goals and driving strategic leadership initiatives. Supported by your Business Operations team, you will lead the operating cadence of the organization, managing financial and non-financial performance metrics and reporting on annual, quarterly, and monthly bases. Oversee strategic business initiatives from development through execution, including program management for critical initiatives and organizational change management through the Transformation Board. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by introducing AI and automation to streamline processes and optimize GCC workflows. Lead workforce planning, including capacity modeling, headcount planning, and budget management, ensuring alignment with strategic outlooks and organizational priorities. Manage financial operations, including vendor expense budgets, partnering with FP&A functions to ensure compliance, accuracy, and operational efficiency. Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting tools for visibility into key metrics, enabling data-driven decision-making and near real-time availability. Oversee Quality Management and Knowledge Management practices to enhance GCC staff efficiency and customer self-service capabilities. This role requires a hybrid work model. Candidates located within a reasonable distance of a Ciena office must be willing to work from the office 60% to 80% of the time. Flexibility will be considered based on individual circumstances and business needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (BS/BA) in a relevant field or equivalent experience; advanced degree preferred.
10+ years of experience in business operations, with proven financial expertise in fast-paced, high-growth environments.
Demonstrated people management experience, including leading teams, fostering collaboration, and driving alignment across organizational levels, geographies, and cultures.
Advanced proficiency in tools like Excel for managing complex data sets and financial analysis.
Exceptional analytical and technical skills, with the ability to manage ambiguity and prioritize effectively.
Strong presentation and communication skills, capable of influencing and collaborating across organizational levels.
Proven track record of strategic thinking and aligning operational priorities with organizational objectives.

Nice To Haves

Experience introducing AI and automation to streamline processes.
Expertise in managing multi-million-dollar vendor expense budgets and partnering with FP&A functions.
Familiarity with Business Continuity Planning (BCP) to ensure organizational resilience.
Ability to create and manage communications content for presentations, All Hands meetings, and leadership sessions.
Experience fostering collaboration across diverse functions, geographies, and cultures.
Demonstrated ability to handle highly sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
Above-average knowledge of tools such as Anaplan, Workday, Oracle, Salesforce, Microsoft 365 (particularly PowerPoint) and to a lesser extent Kantata.
Comfort in dealing with large amounts of data is highly beneficial.
Familiarity with data-driven tools and workflows is advantageous.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted advisor to the VP and GCC Leadership Team, aligning operational priorities with organizational goals and driving strategic leadership initiatives.
Lead the operating cadence of the organization, managing financial and non-financial performance metrics and reporting on annual, quarterly, and monthly bases.
Oversee strategic business initiatives from development through execution, including program management for critical initiatives and organizational change management through the Transformation Board.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement by introducing AI and automation to streamline processes and optimize GCC workflows.
Lead workforce planning, including capacity modeling, headcount planning, and budget management, ensuring alignment with strategic outlooks and organizational priorities.
Manage financial operations, including vendor expense budgets, partnering with FP&A functions to ensure compliance, accuracy, and operational efficiency.
Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting tools for visibility into key metrics, enabling data-driven decision-making and near real-time availability.
Oversee Quality Management and Knowledge Management practices to enhance GCC staff efficiency and customer self-service capabilities.