Head of Services Innovation & Strategic Projects

Ciena; United States; Remote; USD 122,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision plans

401(K) with company matching

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Job summary

Ciena, the global leader in high-speed connectivity, seeks a visionary executive to lead the operating system for Services innovation. You will direct a cross-functional team, govern portfolios, and drive investment decisions and commercialization strategies.

Role emphasizes building a data-driven innovation funnel, developing P&Ls, and delivering measurable business value through strategic initiatives across the Services portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Business Administration, advanced degree asset.
• Significant leadership experience in telecommunications services, innovation and portfolio management.
• Ability to lead cross-functional programs under uncertainty.
• Strong business-case, investment and financial skills.
• Experience with experimentation, prototyping, customer validation and commercialization.
• Credible executive presence and ability to influence across boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Create and lead the operating system for Services innovation, including intake, prioritization, experimentation, governance, funding and handoff to portfolio ownership.
• Direct a team of innovation PLMs and cross-functional contributors while maintaining accountability for decisions, milestones, risk and business outcomes.
• Lead special projects sponsored by Services leadership with strategic, ambiguous or cross-portfolio scope.
• Develop the Services innovation strategy, priorities and portfolio in alignment with growth objectives.
• Oversee evaluation of addressable market, customer need, strategic fit, feasibility, investment, risk and route to market.
• Own governance of the innovation portfolio and financial performance reporting.
• Develop team capability and performance expectations; remove cross-functional barriers.

Skills

Leadership

Portfolio management

Product management

Strategy development

Business development

Experimentation & prototyping

Customer validation

Commercialization

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Advanced degree

Job description

Ciena, the global leader in high-speed connectivity, seeks a visionary executive to lead the operating system for Services innovation. You will direct a cross-functional team, govern portfolios, and drive investment decisions and commercialization strategies.

Role emphasizes building a data-driven innovation funnel, developing P&Ls, and delivering measurable business value through strategic initiatives across the Services portfolio.