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.

How You Will Contribute

- 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 clear accountability for decisions, milestones, risk and business outcomes.
- Lead special projects sponsored by Services leadership where the opportunity is strategic, ambiguous, cross-portfolio or not yet owned by an established portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

- Develop the Services innovation strategy, priorities and portfolio in alignment with Services strategy, technology direction and growth objectives.
- Establish an innovation pipeline and decision forums with SPLM, Services R&D;, Services CTO, Business Development, Finance, delivery and regional stakeholders.
- Oversee evaluation of addressable market, customer need, strategic fit, feasibility, investment, risk, differentiation and route to market.
- Direct rapid prototyping, customer co-creation, pilots and evidence development; stop, iterate, transfer or scale initiatives based on defined criteria.
- Own governance of the innovation portfolio, R&D; investment recommendations, special-project plans and executive reporting.




- Develop and challenge P&Ls; and business cases for complex innovation opportunities, pilots and special projects, including revenue potential, cost structure, margin, investment requirements, risks and sensitivities.
- Maintain ongoing financial tracking across the innovation funnel using relevant P&L; and investment KPIs; provide performance, variance, risk and opportunity reporting as needed.
- Assess expected and realized revenue, margin, adoption and return after commercialization, and use the evidence to recommend whether initiatives should be continued, scaled, transferred, redirected or stopped.
- Help direct Innovation and R&D; spend by comparing investment requirements, strategic value, commercial potential, expected return and portfolio priorities; formal budget ownership remains with the accountable budget owner.
- Ensure tested concepts transition cleanly to an accountable portfolio owner through NSI, commercial readiness, delivery readiness and enablement.
- Develop team capability, objectives and performance expectations; allocate work and remove cross-functional barriers.
- Run horizon scanning and scenario-planning activities that feed Services strategy and portfolio choices.
- Maintain visibility of tools and automations being developed across Services to encourage reuse and reduce duplication.

Measures of Success

- A healthy,



transparent innovation funnel with timely evidence-based decisions.
- Conversion of priority concepts into scalable services, reusable assets or clear stop decisions.
- Business value from innovation investments, pilots and special projects.
- Quality of opportunity P&Ls;, business cases, ongoing financial tracking and recommendations on innovation investment and commercialization.
- Solid cross-functional participation and clean ownership transitions into the operating portfolio.
- Effective team leadership, prioritization and development.

The Must Haves

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration or equivalent relevant experience; advanced degree is an asset.
- Significant leadership experience in telecommunications services, innovation, portfolio management, product management, strategy or business development.
- Demonstrated ability to lead teams and complex cross-functional programs under uncertainty.
- Strong business-case, investment, portfolio, commercial and financial skills.
- Demonstrated ability to develop complex opportunity P&Ls;, interpret portfolio-level financial performance, track relevant P&L; and investment KPIs, and communicate implications and recommendations to senior leadership.
- Experience with experimentation, prototyping, customer validation and commercialization.
- Credible executive presence and the ability to influence across organizational boundaries.

Assets

- Experience with Services R&D;, AI, automation, software-enabled services or digital operations.
- Experience with partnerships, acquisitions, ecosystem development or new-business incubation.
- Formal innovation, design-thi

📌 Director, Services Innovation (Canada)
🏢 Ciena
📍 Canada