Junior Product Life Cycle Program Manager

Ciena•Ottawa, ON

1d•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. At Ciena, this role drives the successful planning and launch of new products that support our customers’ most demanding connectivity needs. Serving as a central leader across engineering, product, and customer‑facing teams, the Project Manager ensures that every product release progresses with clarity, discipline, and a focus on delivering high‑quality outcomes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in computer science, engineering, or a related field
3-5 years of technical leadership experience, including 1-3 years in project management
Proven success leading complex software and hardware project deliveries
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including influence and negotiation
Solid project‑management capabilities across planning, risk assessment, issue resolution, and performance tracking
Ability to motivate and guide cross‑functional teams toward shared goals
High attention to detail with strong organizational and problem‑solving skills

Nice To Haves

Experience in product‑development environments
PMP certification
Demonstrated skill in managing change, ambiguity, and evolving priorities
Ability to quickly learn technical concepts related to network products
Experience working in fast‑paced, highly collaborative technology organizations

Responsibilities

Lead cross‑functional teams through Ciena’s new product introduction and lifecycle management processes
Coordinate release plans that deliver committed scope on schedule and with high quality
Mitigate risk by developing and executing comprehensive risk‑management plans
Manage project schedules, scope, quality, and cost, ensuring transparent reporting to stakeholders
Identify performance issues and guide the team through recovery planning and execution
Maintain centralized project documentation and ensure data accuracy in project‑status systems
Support early customer engagements by coordinating deliverables and resolving pre‑release issues