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Senior Director, Technology Strategy

Role overview

Communication networks are undergoing fundamental architectural change as they restructure in support of data center expansion for cloud and AI based services. Networking and fabric systems are becoming disaggregated and constituent technologies consumed as interconnects (e.g., pluggables, components or systems-on-a-chip as part of integrated racks of connectivity, servers and storage). This disruption is creating new business opportunities across traditional and non-traditional networking markets.

As part of the Corporate Strategy organization, the Senior Director, Technology Strategy will play a leading role in helping Ciena to develop and execute on a multi-faceted strategy related to expanding the company's addressable market opportunity for optical technologies in support of interconnect markets inside and outside the data center.

Primary duties and responsibilities

• Facilitate the development and execution of a long-term corporate strategy to grow and accelerate the company's optical interconnect business
• Develop and leverage an external network of industry leaders, customers, analysts and peers to learn about and influence optical interconnect strategies for both networking systems and data center fabrics; proactively stimulate and drive idea flow; remain aware of industry developments; and perform forward-thinking analyses about opportunities and risks
• Partner with internal functions (PLM, R&D, Sales and Supply Chain) to conduct situational analyses of and generate actionable insights on existing and adjacent optical interconnect markets inside and outside the data center. Such analyses may include industry and technology trends and drivers influencing architectures, commercial and product consumption models, market size, growth, profitability, competitive landscape, comparative advantage, and risk
• Based on strategic analyses, identify potential market entry points and intercepts, and assess and prioritize potential technology and business opportunities, for both the company's WaveLogic and adjacent technologies in support of interconnect markets
• Collaborate with functional leaders to provide build business cases for, make recommendations on, and facilitate executive decision-making about, strategic investment priorities and decisions for optical interconnect technology inside and outside the data center, including with respect to product portfolio, commercial and product consumption models, and go-to-market approach. Investment alternatives may include R&D, commercial and technical agreements, M&A, strategic alliances, and/or corporate venture capital investments
• Provide leadership to the Corporate Strategy organization and other functions on a wide range of activities relevant to strategic decision-making, including support on business intelligence, industry research and data analytics of existing and adjacent markets, strategic planning and corporate development activities

Education and experience

• Bachelor's and Masters of Science degrees in electrical engineering, computer science or equivalent
• MBA or similar management-related master's degree is preferred
• Ten years of industry experience, with at least five years of demonstrated experience and leadership in optical interconnect technology strategy and business development
• Proven track record in the incubation, development and management of products associated with optical interconnect markets (including knowledge of architectures, processes and commercial models)
• Experience in working with data center architecture and operations at global scale
• Knowledge of semiconductor business and commercial models

Skills and behaviors

• Ability to evangelize and articulate strategy, products and solutions to customers and partners at both business and technical levels
• Capable of successfully engaging and interacting across multiple functions and corporate levels to drive change management and business outcomes
• Adept at considering business strategy and developing or evaluating alternative solutions and outlining potential risks and benefits to assist in management decision-making
• Strong quantitative, analytical and conceptual skills to solve complex problems
• Strong verbal and written communication, organization, presentation and interpersonal skills
• Excels in a fast-paced, high growth environment and able to be a self-starter within a highly collaborative domain
• Ability to work effectively with geographically and technically diverse teams
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience with other applicable tools