Product Line Manager

Ciena is a global leader in high-speed connectivity committed to a people-first approach and technological innovation. This Product Line Manager role in the Interconnects Product Line Management team is responsible for shaping strategy, commercialization, and lifecycle execution of high-speed optical and electrical interconnect technologies. The position involves cross-functional leadership and collaboration with technology partners to drive market adoption and business outcomes.

Responsibilities:

• Define product strategy and multi-year roadmaps for optical and electrical interconnect technologies including co-packaged optics, near-packaged optics, advanced optical packaging, and electrical interconnects
• Lead commercialization efforts for optical and electrical interfaces, associated technologies, and in-house components
• Establish commercial offers and pricing structures aligned with industry norms
• Develop business cases and secure approvals for new features and initiatives
• Partner with marketing teams to create product positioning and customer-facing materials including presentations, data sheets, and competitive analyses
• Serve as a primary interface between engineering, sales, customers, and external technology partners
• Assess customer requirements, technology trends, regulatory considerations, and competitive dynamics to guide roadmap decisions

Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering
• Experience: 10+ years of technical experience in telecommunications or the component industry
• Application of high-speed interconnect technologies including co-packaged optics, near-packaged optics, active electrical and copper cables, coherent, direct detect, SerDes, PHYs, and electro-optics
• Background in optical and electrical interconnect architectures and emerging component standards
• Utilization of component commercialization models including modules, bare die, and chiplets
• Experience defining commercialization requirements such as SDKs, documentation, and sales enablement frameworks
• Background working with cross-functional modem, component, and R&D teams to define and prioritize features and roadmaps
• Ability to gather and translate customer and internal stakeholder requirements into product specifications and proposals, including responses to RFIs and RFPs
• Clear communication and presentation skills across technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives with minimal direction in a virtual or cross-functional environment
• Experience with direct detect and coherent optical technologies
• Background interfacing directly with external technology partners
• Prior experience in product management, solutions architecture, technical marketing, FAE, or sales engineering roles
• Experience influencing component or subsystem product strategies across multiple market consumption models
• Exposure to global customer engagements, trade shows, or industry forums
• Willingness to travel approximately 20%, including international travel