As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people-first approach. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well-being, and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.

At Ciena, we are driven by our mission to create a more connected, intelligent, and human digital future. As a global leader in high‑speed networking, we build world‑class technology—while nurturing a culture that puts people first. Our teams thrive in an environment that balances innovation, growth, and belonging. Join us and help shape the digital backbone powering the world’s most essential networks.

As CIO, become the strategic technology leader who enables Ciena’s next era of growth, agility, and differentiated performance. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this role sets the vision and strategy for all enterprise technology and digital capabilities while partnering closely with R&D, Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and the Executive Leadership Team.

How You Will Contribute:

• Drive an enterprise‑wide technology strategy and roadmap that accelerates revenue growth, margin expansion, product velocity, and operational excellence• Advise the Executive Leadership Team and Board by translating complex technologies into clear business outcomes and return on investment
• Lead global infrastructure strategy and operations across cloud, on‑premises, high‑performance computing labs, and low‑latency networks supporting a distributed workforce
• Oversee the full enterprise applications portfolio, promoting simplification, user experience, and adoption of productivity‑enhancing tools including modern AI platforms
• Shape and govern Ciena’s next‑generation enterprise AI strategy, enabling responsible use across engineering, analytics, operations, and customer‑facing knowledge systems
• Establish a modern enterprise architecture that supports scale, acquisition integration, data quality, and real‑time decision intelligence
• Champion world‑class cybersecurity, zero‑trust principles, and compliance across SOX, ISO 27001, GDPR, and global data‑sovereignty requirements

The Must Haves:

• 15+ years of progressive technology leadership experience with 7+ years as CIO, CTO, or senior IT executive in a global technology or telecommunications‑related company• Expertise leading enterprise IT in engineering‑centric environments with complex R&D lab infrastructure and a large remote workforce
• Deep knowledge across cloud infrastructure, high‑performance compute environments, enterprise applications, modern architecture, data platforms, and AI adoption at scale
• Demonstrated ability to influence and engage C‑suite and Board stakeholders through business storytelling, financial acumen, and measurable outcomes
• Experience managing large global IT budgets and achieving efficiency gains without compromising performance or security
• Strong vendor negotiation background across hyperscalers, service providers, and enterprise SaaS ecosystems
• Proven success building and leading diverse, high‑performing global teams

Nice to Haves:

• Experience within networking, optical systems, semiconductor, or data‑center technology environments
• Background driving enterprise‑wide digital transformation or modernization initiatives
• Prior leadership overseeing large‑scale cloud migrations or hybrid/multi‑cloud architectures
• Familiarity with AI governance frameworks and responsible‑AI operating models
• Exposure to M&A‑related technology integration and enterprise‑architecture rationalization
• Master's degree or MBA

Not ready to apply?

Join our Talent Community to get relevant job alerts straight to your inbox.

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.