Head of Supply Chain Optimization

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.

How You Will Contribute:
 

As the Head of Supply Chain Optimization, you will report to the Director of Supply Chain Data and play a pivotal role in shaping the strategy for leveraging data and analytics to optimize supply chain operations across a complex, global organization. This role sits within the Supply Chain Data team, partnering closely with Data Analysts, Data Architects, and business stakeholders, while directly leading a small but impactful team of Data Scientists.

You will work across procurement, planning, engineering, operations and logistics functions to deliver end-to-end supply chain optimization strategies that drive measurable business outcomes, such as cost reduction, service improvement, efficiency gains, and sustainability advancements. Success in this role will depend on your ability to to partner with stakeholders to understand business problems, translate them into analytical approaches, and communicate insights that drive action and alignment across diverse teams and geographies. Additionally, your expertise in change management will be critical to ensuring adoption of data-driven solutions across the organization.

Key responsibilities:

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with stakeholders across procurement, manufacturing, distribution, and other business functions to deeply understand complex supply chain challenges, translate them into analytical approaches, and deliver actionable insights that drive measurable improvements.
• Leadership and Team Development: Lead and develop a team of Data Scientists, empowering them to deliver impactful optimization and advanced analytics use cases while fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning.
• Optimization Strategy: Define and execute the supply chain optimization roadmap, starting with network optimization and expanding into broader decision optimization across the global supply chain.
• Sustainability Integration: Balance cost optimization with sustainability goals, ensuring that decision-making frameworks account for environmental impact and long-term resilience.
• Change Management and Communication: Drive adoption of data-driven decision-making by effectively managing change, aligning stakeholders, and communicating complex analytical concepts in clear, actionable terms to diverse audiences.
• Data Governance and Quality: Contribute to data governance standards and ensure data quality to support robust, scalable analytics that can be trusted across the organization.
• Vision and Strategy: Set the long-term vision for how data science can be used as a consulting capability to deliver transformative business improvements across the global supply chain.

The Must Haves:
 

• Degree in a quantitative field (e.g. Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Operations Research, Engineering, Economics)
• 8+ years of experience in analytics, data science, or quantitative modelling roles
• Proven experience leading and developing data and analytics professionals to deliver measurable business outcomes in complex, global organisations
• Strong expertise in the application of optimisation and statistical modelling techniques to solve business problems
• Hands-on experience with data science tools (e.g. Python, R)
• Strong understanding of data management, data structures, and data quality, including working with incomplete or imperfect data
• Experience contributing to or shaping data governance practices
• Experience working in cross-functional, consulting-style analytics teams
• Proficiency in using BI tools (e.g. Power BI, Looker) to visualize and communicate insights
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex analytics into business decisions that resonate with non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to define strategy and deliver against a long-term

Assets:
 

• Experience with optimisation libraries (e.g. OR-Tools, Pyomo, Gurobi or similar)
• Experience in network analytics
• Familiarity with modern data platforms (e.g. Snowflake) and transformation tools (e.g. dbt)
• Awareness of sustainability and cost optimisation trade-offs in supply chain decision-making

The annual pay range for this position is $169,400 - $270,600

#LI-WH1
 

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.
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.