Leader, Service Partner Management – Emea, Apac in Belfast

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.

About Ciena

Making a difference in people's lives through design and implementation of leading network technologies. That's what motivates us. Embrace diversity. Celebrate inclusion. Champion ideas. From across the table to around the world, our path to innovation comes from our friendly environment and outstanding people. That's the Ciena network.

Position Overview

This position reports directly to the Vice President, Customer Operations. You will lead the field service partner ecosystem supporting EMEA, APAC & Subsea customers in more than 50 countries, as well as select global strategic business owners (technical support, managed services). Lead and develop an internationally distributed team of 8 members. Drive a budget spend of approximately 50m$. Manage approximately 25 services partners performance geographically spread based on predefined KPI both financials and customer satisfaction based.

Your thoughtful leadership and collaborative, consultative approach will drive the success of both regional and global business owners. You will translate complex business needs into scalable, partner-based field service solutions—including field engineering, installation, and commissioning of telecom networks. You will identify, evaluate, and manage partners capable of fulfilling Ciena's evolving business requirements. You will own the full partner lifecycle: identification, capability assessment, commercial evaluation, contracting, onboarding, operational planning, transition, and 'go live.' You will establish and manage KPIs to ensure optimal performance in cost, value, service quality, customer satisfaction, and business agility.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the services partners business strategy, ensuring alignment with Ciena's global objectives and regional market needs.
• Lead and develop an internationally distributed team, assigning duties and objectives that support both business strategy and individual growth.
• Engage with regional business owners to quantify service, resource, and field competency requirements ('the scope') and associated financials.
• Define and map service partner solutions tailored to regional and global needs.
• Collaborate with regional and global Ciena services stakeholders, as well as the SPLM team, to align partner scope, commercial terms, contracts, and performance expectations with business and customer requirements.
• Prepare and oversee/drive negotiations of Service Partner Agreements in coordination with Ciena Legal and Procurement.
• Drive partner contracting and onboarding, supporting all facets of Service Partner Development from initial engagement through ramp-up and transition to 'steady state' delivery.
• Manage partner performance based on predefined metrics/KPIs, leading both internal and external performance reviews and addressing issues as needed.
• Establish and manage 'change control' regimes for partner relationships.
• Monitor business dynamics—short, medium, and long term—and proactively adjust the delivery engine by remodeling, adding, changing, or removing partners as needed.
• Develop sub-sets of strategic and global Service Partner ecosystems to address specific regional business and operational requirements.
• Drive high resilience best practices and continuous improvement within the partner ecosystem.
• Lead cost reduction initiatives through automation, process improvements, and innovative service delivery models.
• Foster a culture of diversity, inclusion, and collaboration across the international team and partner network.
• Deliver comprehensive and timely reports to regional business leaders and executives.
• Act as a visible leader and ambassador for Ciena, building strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners.

Success Measures

• Your team is fully aligned with regional and global business objectives, operating as a cohesive, high-performing unit.
• The service partner ecosystem is fit-for-purpose, agile, and resilient.
• Partner costs are at or below targeted budget.
• Customer quality metrics consistently exceed 90% for communication, workmanship, site housekeeping, safety, punctuality, and overall field service performance.

Ideal Profile

• Deep knowledge of the telecom marketplace, its dynamics, and emerging trends, with the ability to translate customer requirements into innovative service partner solutions.
• University degree or equivalent certification in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or related field.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in global organizations.
• Experience in the technology or telecommunications industry.
• Proven ability to lead and manage complex, cross-functional initiatives, with a focus on effective partnerships and collaboration for business success.
• Clear understanding of Telecom Services (Deployment & Maintenance and Managed Services).
• Strong knowledge of services and field operations management principles.
• Commercial & contractual negotiation expertise.
• Consistent track record of exceeding agreed-to metrics.
• Team management & performance management experience.
• Experience in business process optimization, continuous improvement, and change management.
• Strategic thinker with a track record of driving financial and operational excellence.
• Ability to influence, collaborate, and gain stakeholder confidence at all levels, developing key internal and external partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to challenge current practices and drive positive change.
• Sense of accountability and commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Strong business acumen, negotiations, and contract management skills, including a working understanding of contractual terms & conditions and risk mitigation.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage conflict and stress in an environment with competing priorities.
• Comfortable working with multiple internal teams, from individual contributors to senior executives.
• Ability to promote a positive and enjoyable work environment for colleagues and customers, fostering engagement and retention.
• Project management skills for keeping projects on schedule and assuring all relevant parties are informed on progress or issues.
• Proven skills in desktop applications such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and project planning software.

Join our 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.