Product Life Cycle Project Manager

Ciena is committed to our people-first philosophy. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a personalized and flexible work environment that empowers an individual’s passions, growth, wellbeing and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.
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Position Summary:

We are looking for a motivated and talented individual to join the Product Life Cycle Project Management team in Ottawa, Canada or remotely within North America (Eastern time zone).

The Project Manager (PM) provides a critical role in managing new product releases and will be responsible for leading cross-functional teams in the planning, execution, and delivery of products to market.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the cross functional team through Ciena’s defined new product introduction process.
• Responsible for developing and coordinating new release plans that will deliver projects on time with committed content and with high quality.
• Proactively manage project risk through the development and execution of a risk management plan.
• Manage, track and report project status (schedule, content, quality, and product cost).
• Document and communicate project status, obstacles, and resolutions to management. 
• Identify project performance problems and issues and work with the team to develop a recovery plan for review and approval by management.
• Ensure that project team members adhere to defined new product introduction processes and that exceptions are documented and approved.
• Negotiate timing and deliverable commitments from project team members.
• Develop and maintain a central repository project site and ensure project status database is kept up to date.
• Manage key early pre-release customer engagements, ensuring deliverables and support are in place and that all customer issues raised are tracked and addressed.
• Contribute to project management process improvement opportunities.

Required SKILLS

• Strong written and oral communication skills to interface effectively with team members, peers and senior management. Ability to listen, persuade and achieve win-win negotiation results. 
• Strong project management skills, such as organizing and planning projects, establishing goals and monitoring performance, assessing risks, and anticipating and efficiently resolving problems. 
• Team building skills – empower and motivate cross-functional team members, including suppliers, to achieve common goals. 
• Leadership skills – display persistence and positive attitude.
• Detail oriented, well-organized, and methodical.
• Adaptable to rapidly changing situations and moods and appropriately determine priorities.
• Acumen for problem solving. Ability to lead in an environment of change – flexibility, creativity and patience. 
• Ability to learn and grasp technical concepts related to products being developed.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree. A degree in computer science, engineering or related discipline is an asset.
• 2 to 5 years of experience in project management.
• PMP Certification is an asset.
• Experience applying influence, consultative and negotiating skills.
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and able to work at a detailed level in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills with ability to navigate through a complex organization.

Compensation and Benefits

The annual pay range for this position is $71,100 - $113,500 CAD

Pay ranges at Ciena are designed to accommodate variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions, and locations, reflecting our diverse products, industries, and lines of business. Please note that the pay range information provided in this posting pertains specifically to the primary location, which is the top location listed in case multiple locations are available.

Non-Sales employees may be eligible for a discretionary incentive bonus, while Sales employees may be eligible for a sales commission. In addition to competitive compensation, Ciena offers a comprehensive benefits package, including 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, and vacation time. We also comply with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

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At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard. Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.

Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.

If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.