Senior Project Manager - Optical Networking & Hardware Product Development

Harvey Nash; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvey Nash is seeking a Senior Project Manager in Ottawa, hybrid, open to relocation within Canada, to lead cross-functional hardware, firmware, and software development programs spanning engineering, manufacturing, quality, and operations.

You'll drive programs from concept to production, coordinating globally distributed teams and ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery aligned with business objectives. The role demands strong leadership and stakeholder management across disciplines.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of Project Management experience leading cross-functional product development programs.
• Experience managing hardware, telecommunications, networking, embedded systems, photonics, or technology focused engineering projects.
• Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle from concept through production.
• Experience working with tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or similar.
• Strong leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and problem solving skills.
• Ability to influence teams and drive outcomes without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex technology and hardware development programs from concept through commercial release
• Develop and manage integrated project plans, schedules, milestones, dependencies, and resource requirements
• Coordinate activities across electrical, mechanical, firmware, software, quality, manufacturing, supply chain, and operations teams
• Drive execution against scope, schedule, cost, and quality objectives
• Identify project risks early, develop mitigation plans, and proactively manage issues throughout the product lifecycle
• Facilitate design reviews, technical reviews, roadmap discussions, and project governance activities
• Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering Leadership on prioritization and delivery planning
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI), manufacturing readiness, and production ramp activities
• Communicate project status, risks, dependencies, and key metrics to senior leadership and executive stakeholders
• Drive collaboration and alignment across geographically dispersed engineering teams

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Agile / Waterfall

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Jira

Azure DevOps

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Job description

Ottawa, ON | Hybrid (Open to relocation within Canada)

I'm currently partnering with an innovative technology company developing next generation optical networking and connectivity products used across telecommunications, networking infrastructure, and data communications environments.

We're looking for a Senior Project Manager to lead complex cross-functional product development programs spanning hardware, firmware, software, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams.

This is a highly visible role where you'll help drive new products from PoC through production, working closely with engineering leadership while coordinating globally distributed teams and ensuring products are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned to business objectives.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead complex technology and hardware development programs from concept through commercial release
• Develop and manage integrated project plans, schedules, milestones, dependencies, and resource requirements
• Coordinate activities across electrical, mechanical, firmware, software, quality, manufacturing, supply chain, and operations teams
• Drive execution against scope, schedule, cost, and quality objectives
• Identify project risks early, develop mitigation plans, and proactively manage issues throughout the product lifecycle
• Facilitate design reviews, technical reviews, roadmap discussions, and project governance activities
• Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering Leadership on prioritization and delivery planning
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI), manufacturing readiness, and production ramp activities
• Communicate project status, risks, dependencies, and key metrics to senior leadership and executive stakeholders
• Drive collaboration and alignment across geographically dispersed engineering teams

What They're Looking For

• 5+ years of Project Management experience leading cross-functional product development programs
• Experience managing hardware, telecommunications, networking, embedded systems, photonics, or technology focused engineering projects
• Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle from concept through production
• Experience working with tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or similar
• Strong leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and problem solving skills
• Ability to influence teams and drive outcomes without direct authority

Nice To Have

• Optical networking, optical communications, optical transceivers, coherent optics, photonics, or telecommunications infrastructure experience
• Experience supporting NPI and manufacturing transitions
• Exposure to embedded systems, hardware validation, qualification, or verification activities
• PMP certification or equivalent project management credentials
• Experience managing globally distributed engineering teams
• Understanding of hardware development processes and product qualification activities

If you're an experienced Project Manager with a background in hardware development, telecommunications, optical networking, photonics, or embedded systems, I'd be happy to discuss the opportunity in more detail.