Director, Sales Engineering

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

📋 Description

• Spearhead and further develop a Sales Engineering team encompassing Engineering, Support, Operations, and New Product Introduction functions.

• Oversee the engineering of network solutions, providing technology introductions, technical interfaces, support, and leadership to key Global Cloud Networking accounts.

• Propel the adoption of Ciena products and solutions within customer accounts.

• Generate customer data to inform product strategies and future developments at Ciena.

• Collaborate across Ciena to address engineering, support, and business challenges.

• Foster technical and sales engagements that align with customer requirements and Ciena’s hardware and software directions.

• Construct and communicate solutions to customers in conjunction with internal and external organizations.

• Articulate Ciena’s competitive strengths in coherent transmission, data center interconnect, software, services, and routing and edge offerings.

• Partner with engineering, services, and operations teams to enhance customer experiences and define customer engagement strategies.

• Assist SE leaders in a dynamic environment.

• Prepare and deliver business strategy reviews to senior management that cover opportunity size, progress, technology gaps, and risks.

• Oversee solutions sales and business development for the GCN vertical, concentrating on Software and Routing & Edge strategies.

• Ensure precise and timely reporting, forecasting, order, and revenue execution.

• Cultivate relationships with Operations, PLM, Software, and Support teams.

• Make routine sales management decisions in line with company policies and procedures.

• Travel to GCN customers primarily in the US, with occasional international travel and visits to Ciena R&D headquarters in Ottawa, Canada.

• Execute other assigned duties.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience, is required.

• 12 to 15+ years of technical experience in the telecommunications/data communications industry, including networking software and hardware, architecture, PLM, and/or solution development.

• Familiarity with the Cloud Networking ecosystem, operations, planning, engineering, software environments, and emerging applications.

• Experience in team management and project/product management.

• Comprehensive understanding of cloud networks across Data Center, Edge, and Core.

• In-depth knowledge of SDN and network element APIs.

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, utilizing data and metrics to support strategic narratives.

• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation, organizational, time management, planning, prioritization, execution, and follow-up skills.

• Proven leadership, problem-solving, and project management capabilities.

• Strong and respected relationships with ICP decision-makers.

• Ability to work effectively across internal and external organizations and within a globally matrixed sales team.

• Capability to perform and communicate outside standard business hours when necessary.

• Professional conduct and appearance.

• Master's Degree is preferred.

• Sales management experience is preferred.

• Prior experience in Sales Engineering and with ICP is strongly preferred.

• Willingness to travel 25% or more, including customer visits and occasional international travel.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans.

• 401(k) participation with company matching.

• DCPP participation with company matching.

• Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP).

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Company-paid holidays.

• Paid sick leave.

• Vacation time.

• Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

• Discretionary incentive bonus eligibility for non-Sales employees.

• Sales commission eligibility for Sales employees.

• Development opportunities.

• Flexible work arrangements.

• Accommodation measures for employees with disabilities.