Customer Engagement Manager

Ciena Corporation; United States; Remote; USD 82,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision plans

401(K) with company match

Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Paid holidays

Paid sick leave

Vacation time

Job summary

Ciena Corporation is seeking a Customer Engagement Manager to drive successful managed services programs in ICT environments. You will partner with customers, partners, and cross-functional teams to deliver projects aligned with business objectives while ensuring a high-quality customer experience.

In this role, you will lead onboarding from quote through activation, optimize schedules and resources, and provide ongoing performance reporting with risk management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, business, or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of ICT experience with program or project management in managed services, optical, cloud, or virtualization delivery.
• Proficiency in negotiation, collaboration, customer-facing communication, and SOW management.
• Monitoring incident management activities and coordinating resolution per SLAs.
• Managing customer communications, escalation items, and service delivery actions.

Responsibilities

• Drive managed service onboarding projects from quote acceptance through activation and ongoing performance reporting.
• Deliver project scope while optimizing schedules, costs, resources, and third-party deliverables.
• Lead customer engagement activities and serve as the escalation point for managed service delivery matters.
• Manage multiple customer projects and coordinate stakeholder communications.
• Present executive-level project updates, tracking reports, and status communications.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks throughout the lifecycle.
• Collaborate with Services, Product, Supply Chain, Sales, partners, and customers to achieve objectives.

Skills

Negotiation

Influence

Collaboration

Customer-facing communication

SOW management

Incident management

Customer communications

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree (EE/CE/CS/Business)

Tools

Project management tools

Financial tools

Job description

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena builds the critical infrastructure powering the AI era. We’re a technology company shaping the future of networking, guided by innovation, integrity, and collaboration. Through development opportunities, meaningful work, and flexibility, Ciena supports growth and well-being—on and off the job. Connect with a career that matters.

Customer Engagement Management plays a critical role in ensuring successful managed service delivery and customer satisfaction across complex technology programs. This position works closely with customers, partners, and cross-functional teams to deliver projects that align with business objectives while maintaining a high-quality customer experience. Success in this role contributes to effective project execution, operational excellence, and long-term customer relationships.

How you will make an impact

• Drive managed service onboarding projects from quote acceptance through service activation and ongoing performance reporting.
• Deliver project scope while optimizing schedules, costs, resources, and third-party deliverables.
• Lead customer engagement activities and serve as the escalation point for managed service delivery matters.
• Manage multiple customer projects and coordinate stakeholder communications.
• Present executive-level project updates, tracking reports, and status communications.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Collaborate with Services, Product, Supply Chain, Sales, partner, and customer teams to achieve project objectives.

The must haves

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, business, or equivalent experience.
• Experience: 8+ years of relevant experience in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) field with program or project management responsibilities supporting managed services, optical, cloud, or virtualization delivery projects.
• Application of negotiation, influence, collaboration, customer-facing communication, and statement of work management practices.
• Monitor incident management activities and coordinate resolution in alignment with service level agreements.
• Manage customer communications, escalated incidents, action items, and service delivery activities to support customer satisfaction.
• Coordinate technical support and field engineering activities to address operational issues and critical equipment maintenance requirements.
• Demonstrated skills utilizing desktop applications, project management tools, financial tools, and the ability to travel in support of customer projects.

Nice to haves

• Experience: Experience with managed services and build-operate-transfer projects.
• Certifications: PMP certification and virtualization or networking technology certifications.
• Education: MS OR MBA.
• Experience: Experience with multivendor and software professional services supporting communication service provider or enterprise customers.
• Certifications: ITIL v4/6 Foundation ITSM Certification.
• Experience: Service Provider experience.

Pay Range

Pay Range: The annual pay range for this position is $82,300 - $131,500 USD #LI-WH1 #LI-Remote Pay ranges at Ciena are designed to accommodate variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions, and locations, reflecting our diverse products, industries, and lines of business. Please note that the pay range information provided in this posting pertains specifically to the primary location, which is the top location listed in case multiple locations are available. Non-Sales employees may be eligible for a discretionary incentive bonus, while Sales employees may be eligible for a sales commission.

Benefits

• 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
• vacation time

We also comply with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination. Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.

Dig deeper into who we are, what we do, and what you can expect as a member of our team. Meet the people who are shaping the future of communication and explore the culture we’ve built together at CienaLife.