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.
The Paid Media Lead is a role within Digital Marketing at Ciena, responsible for defining and executing the end-to-end strategy for programmatic display and paid placements in key trade publications, with video activation across channels such as YouTube where appropriate. This role owns planning, activation, optimization, measurement, and budget allocation, supporting global programs across regions. You’ll operate as both strategist and hands-on practitioner, translating marketing objectives into scalable, high-performing media programs. This role brings discipline and accountability to how we invest in both programmatic and premium trade media. You’ll shape where and how we show up in the market—and make sure those investments actually perform.
How you will make an impact:
· Own the programmatic display strategy across awareness, consideration, and demand programs, including video activation across channels such as YouTube and Connected TV
· Plan, launch, and manage campaigns across Demand Side Platforms (e.g., DV360, Google Adwords, YouTube), including audience strategy, inventory selection and media mix decisions
· Define and execute media buy strategy for priority trade publications, including site selection, sponsorships, high-impact placements, and contextual alignment
· Own the paid media budget, including planning, allocation, forecasting, pacing, and performance-based reallocation
· Develop and continuously refine targeting strategies (first- and third-party data, contextual, intent, ABM, retargeting) across display, trade media, and video environments
· Support and guide display and video media strategy across regions, ensuring consistency in approach while allowing for local nuance
· Define and execute media buy strategy for priority trade publications, as well as video placements across YouTube and Connected TV
· Lead negotiations with publishers, platforms, and vendors to maximize value, audience quality, and performance within budget constraints
· Leverage ZoomInfo Marketing to support audience strategy, account-based targeting, and activation across programmatic
· Drive ongoing optimization across bids, budgets, pacing, creative rotation, frequency, and reach
· Partner closely with analytics, web, and content teams to ensure strong measurement, attribution, landing-page performance and lead conversion.
· Translate performance data into clear insights and recommendations for stakeholders—what’s working, what’s not, and what to do next
· Manage agency, vendor and publisher/platform relationships, holding them accountable to transparency, budget discipline, and results
· Stay ahead of industry shifts (privacy, cookies, identity, AI-driven optimization) and proactively evolve the programmatic approach
· Apply strong project management skills to prioritize and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, ensuring deadlines and business goals are met.
· Maintain meticulous attention to detail while managing shifting priorities and ensuring the quality of deliverables.
The Must Haves:
· 5–8+ years of paid media experience with direct ownership of paid media budget
· Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or related field.
· Strong command of DSPs, audience strategies, and measurement frameworks
· Strong knowledge and expertise of advertising platforms (Google Adwords, Zoominfo Marketing, etc)
· Working knowledge of YouTube buying and measurement
· Experience in keyword and contextual targeting and audience targeting techniques, with the ability to derive actionable insights from complex datasets.
· Experience with publisher-direct and trade publication media buys
· Strong financial and analytical mindset
· Comfortable operating at both strategic and executional levels
· Clear communicator who can push back on ineffective or low-value media buys
· Experience in B2B, enterprise, or long buying-cycle environments preferred
· Ability to effectively communicate, engage, and work well with internal clients
· Proven aptitude in a high velocity environment
· Ability to reprioritize multiple projects as deadlines and objectives change
· Ideal candidate can understand and translate technical concepts accurately to a non-technical audience
· Works proactively and always thinks ahead
· Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to “think outside of the box”
Pay Range:
The annual pay range for this position in Canada is $73, 200 - $116, 900
The annual pay range for this position in the USA is $84, 700 - $135, 300
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.
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What We Do
Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) is a global leader in networking systems, services, and software. We build the world’s most adaptive networks to enable our customers to deliver richer, more connected experiences for all users. At our core, Ciena is a company rooted in people. We prioritize deep, collaborative relationships within our teams and alongside our customers, partners, and communities around the world. For three-plus decades, we’ve brought our humanity to our relentless pursuit of innovation. We continue to lead the evolution of networking with a strong track record of industry firsts. As end-user expectations skyrocket, our customers and their networks must transform. Ciena powers this transformation by driving next-generation solutions built for maximum openness and agility—today and into the future. Corporate/Brand Values: • Customer First • Integrity • Velocity • Innovation • Outstanding People We're the perfect size for you to make an impact. W Only Ciena has the depth of expertise and the culture of collaboration and partnership required to help our partners evolve. We do this by strategically integrating hardware, services, and software in an open environment to ensure our clients’ networks are ‘fit for flexibility’ today and into the f
Why Work With Us
We are known for our industry-firsts, including the first coherent optical solution, converged packet-optical platform, and intelligence automation platform. Our commitment extends beyond innovation, logging in over 35,000 volunteer hours and $2 million to worthy causes in 2023. We're the perfect size and culture for you to make a difference.
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