Director, Advanced Network Planning

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Canada.

📋 Description

• Oversee the Advanced Network Planning team within the Navigator Network Control Suite Product Line Management organization.

• Lead a group of network analysts who assist Ciena’s largest clients with both tactical and strategic network planning efforts.

• Conduct executive and technical discussions with Ciena’s global sales team and customers.

• Direct the design, optimization, and assessment of optical, IP, and data center network structures.

• Recognize emerging customer and market requirements, transforming them into research themes, product hypotheses, and planning tool concepts.

• Establish the technical research agenda for network planning and optimization strategies.

• Create evaluation criteria and validate methodologies through actual customer network planning projects.

• Articulate and share the technical vision for advanced network planning.

• Offer technical guidance and collaborate with product management, engineering, and product development teams.

• Convert validated concepts into scalable planning capabilities and introduce them to the market.

• Collaborate with hardware teams to model and evaluate alternative network architectures.

• Impact product roadmap decisions using data-driven insights.

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of network planning professionals.

• Establish technical standards and enhance critical capabilities.

⛳️ Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in telecommunications encompassing deep technical roles and positions with product, customer, or business leadership responsibilities.

• 10+ years of proficiency in optical and IP transport technologies, including aspects of network architecture, control, resiliency, capacity engineering, and optimization trade-offs.

• Extensive experience in network planning, architectural analysis, optimization, and utilizing analytical methods for complex customer networks.

• Proven track record of providing technical and product leadership for telecommunications software applications from concept and validation through to productization, deployment, and measurable market adoption.

• Familiarity with AI tools to assist in software code development.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication abilities.

• Demonstrated capacity to assess and implement AI-enabled methods in network planning, optimization, modeling, and decision support.

• Strong judgment regarding data quality, model validation, explainability, operational risk, and measurable customer outcomes.

• Experience utilizing AI-enabled tools and techniques to enhance software development, explore architectures, prototype algorithms, analyze networks, and boost engineering productivity while ensuring technical review and validation.

• Background in developing, deploying, or managing AI and machine-learning technologies in telecommunications or other complex, high-availability settings.

• Customer-facing experience related to network consultancy services or similar roles.

• Practical experience with Python or similar analytical programming tools.

🏝️ Benefits

• Eligibility for discretionary incentive bonuses for non-sales personnel.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• DCPP (Canada) with company matching contributions.

• Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP).

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Company-sponsored holidays.

• Paid sick leave.

• Vacation time.

• Paid Family Leave and other forms of leave.

• Opportunities for professional development.

• Flexible work arrangements.

• Support for employee growth and well-being.