Ciena · 1 day ago
Director, Solutions Product Line Management
Denver, CO
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$158K/yr - $252K/yr
10+ years expCiena is a global leader in high-speed connectivity, committed to a people-first approach. The Director of Solutions Product Line Management will serve as the technical and strategic interface between product management, sales, and customers, translating complex requirements into innovative solutions while leading engagements with service providers and enterprises.
CollaborationDeliverySoftwareTelecommunications
Hiring Manager
Whitney Hatchett
Responsibilities
Act as the primary PLM interface for strategic tenders and new opportunities—defining solution approaches, product recommendations, and competitive positioning
Together with account teams and strategic sales, lead consultative engagements with service providers, MSOs, large enterprises to define optimal solutions based on their technical and business needs
Serve as a thought leader in the IP networking domain, representing Ciena at customer events, industry forums, and conferences
Develop solution frameworks and value propositions that showcase how Ciena’s routing & switching portfolio solves real-world challenges—focusing on IP/optical convergence, metro/aggregation, IP service edge, cloud interconnect, and mobile transport
Identify emerging applications and technologies that can drive demand and revenue growth across multiple market segments
Collaborate with sales teams to define target solution / application opportunities and go-to-market priorities
Coordinate cross-functional resources across RSD—including Solutions Engineering & Introduction (SE&I), hardware and software PLMs, and network / product line architects—to design, validate, and launch integrated customer solutions
Provide direct input to product PLMs on roadmap priorities based on customer feedback, competitive dynamics, and evolving market needs
Partner with solution and product marketing to create compelling collateral (presentations, white papers, solution briefs) and support Ciena events such as PowerHours, Connections, and key trade shows
Qualification
Required
10+ years of experience in product management, network architecture/design, or technical pre-sales within the telecom or networking industry
Deep knowledge of IP/MPLS, SR-MPLS, SRv6, EVPN/IPVPN, BGP/MP-BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, and Ethernet technologies including MEF services, Ethernet OAM, and FlexE
Solid understanding of network timing and synchronization (PTP, SyncE, G.8275), QoS, and OAM concepts and technologies
In-depth knowledge of and familiarity with IETF, IEEE, and MEF standards relevant to IP/Ethernet
Strong understanding of network management, orchestration, and SDN implementations and their importance role in an overall solutions context
Awareness of optical networking fundamentals such as coherent DWDM, photonic line systems / ROADMs, and OTN is highly desirable
Strong grasp of IP/Optical convergence, AI infrastructure, data center and cloud connectivity, mobile transport (4G/5G/6G), and enterprise multi-cloud/SASE architectures
Understanding of virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and SDN concepts (centralized control, PCE, Netconf/YANG, open APIs)
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field; advanced degree preferred
Preferred
Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives with minimal oversight
Exceptional communication and presentation skills with the ability to engage both technical and executive audiences
Entrepreneurial mindset — comfortable taking ownership, driving clarity, and executing with speed
Willingness to travel globally as needed
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
Company
Ciena
Ciena collaborates with customers to unlock the strategic potential of their networks and and change the way they perform and compete.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Ciena has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (34)
2024 (21)
2023 (36)
2022 (44)
2021 (30)
2020 (29)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
unknown1997-02-07IPO
1995-12-01Series C
1994-12-01Series B
Leadership Team
Gary Smith
President & CEO
Kevin Kimberlin
Co-Founder
Recent News
2026-01-06
2026-01-03
Company data provided by crunchbase