Director, Solutions Product Line Management

Ciena Government Solutions•Denver, CO

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. This role serves as the technical and strategic interface between product management, sales, and customers—translating complex customer requirements into winning solutions that leverage Ciena’s innovative routing, switching, and optical capabilities. The ideal candidate blends deep networking expertise, market insight, and business acumen—acting as the “tip of the spear” in developing and evangelizing differentiated IP/Ethernet solutions that address explosive traffic growth driven by AI/LLMs, 5G/6G, cloud, and next-generation digital services.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in product management, network architecture/design, or technical pre-sales within the telecom or networking industry.
Deep knowledge of IP/MPLS, SR-MPLS, SRv6, EVPN/IPVPN, BGP/MP-BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, and Ethernet technologies including MEF services, Ethernet OAM, and FlexE
Solid understanding of network timing and synchronization (PTP, SyncE, G.8275), QoS, and OAM concepts and technologies
In-depth knowledge of and familiarity with IETF, IEEE, and MEF standards relevant to IP/Ethernet.
Strong understanding of network management, orchestration, and SDN implementations and their importance role in an overall solutions context
Awareness of optical networking fundamentals such as coherent DWDM, photonic line systems / ROADMs, and OTN is highly desirable.
Strong grasp of IP/Optical convergence, AI infrastructure, data center and cloud connectivity, mobile transport (4G/5G/6G), and enterprise multi-cloud/SASE architectures.
Understanding of virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and SDN concepts (centralized control, PCE, Netconf/YANG, open APIs).
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.

Nice To Haves

Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives with minimal oversight.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills with the ability to engage both technical and executive audiences.
Entrepreneurial mindset — comfortable taking ownership, driving clarity, and executing with speed.
Willingness to travel globally as needed.

Responsibilities

Customer and Market Engagement Act as the primary PLM interface for strategic tenders and new opportunities—defining solution approaches, product recommendations, and competitive positioning.
Together with account teams and strategic sales, lead consultative engagements with service providers, MSOs, large enterprises to define optimal solutions based on their technical and business needs.
Serve as a thought leader in the IP networking domain, representing Ciena at customer events, industry forums, and conferences.
Solution Definition and Demand Generation Develop solution frameworks and value propositions that showcase how Ciena’s routing & switching portfolio solves real-world challenges—focusing on IP/optical convergence, metro/aggregation, IP service edge, cloud interconnect, and mobile transport.
Identify emerging applications and technologies that can drive demand and revenue growth across multiple market segments.
Collaborate with sales teams to define target solution / application opportunities and go-to-market priorities.
Cross-Functional Leadership Coordinate cross-functional resources across RSD—including Solutions Engineering & Introduction (SE&I), hardware and software PLMs, and network / product line architects—to design, validate, and launch integrated customer solutions
Provide direct input to product PLMs on roadmap priorities based on customer feedback, competitive dynamics, and evolving market needs.
Partner with solution and product marketing to create compelling collateral (presentations, white papers, solution briefs) and support Ciena events such as PowerHours, Connections, and key trade shows.

Benefits

Ciena offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, participation in 401(K) (USA) & DCPP (Canada) with company matching, Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation time.
We also comply with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

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