Senior Compliance Readiness Project Manager

Ciena is committed to our people-first philosophy. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a personalized and flexible work environment that empowers an individual’s passions, growth, wellbeing and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.

Why Ciena:

• We are big proponents of life-work integration and provide the flexibility and tools to make it a reality with remote work and potentially, part-time work.
• We believe an inclusive, diverse, and barrier-free work environment makes for empowered and committed employees.
• We recognize the importance of well-being and offer programs and benefits to support and sustain the mental and physical health of our employees and their families and also offer a variety of paid family leave programs.
• We are committed to employee development, offering tuition reimbursement and a variety of in-house learning and mentorship opportunities.
• We know that financial security is important.  We offer competitive salaries and incentive programs, RSU’s (job level specific) and an employee share option purchase program.
• We realize time away to recharge is important.  We offer flexible paid time off!
• Great work deserves recognition. We have a robust recognition program, with ongoing and enhanced awards for exemplary performance.

How You Will Contribute:

Reporting to Senior Director, Enterprise Architecture & Risk Assurance, as the Senior Project Manager – Compliance Readiness Project Manager, you will be responsible to lead compliance readiness initiatives across the organization. This fully remote position is critical in driving organizational alignment with key compliance frameworks and addressing any compliance gaps.

• Lead cross-functional teams to identify, prioritize, and close gaps in compliance with frameworks such as NIST, ISO Certifications, and Secure Controls Framework (SCF).
• Develop and manage comprehensive project plans to drive compliance readiness initiatives, ensuring timely execution and measurable results.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to assess current policies, systems, and processes, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Oversee the development and implementation of policies and standards that align with compliance requirements.
• Facilitate audits and certification processes by ensuring audit readiness across the organization.
• Partner with IT and security teams to evaluate systems and processes for alignment with compliance frameworks and audit requirements.
• Act as the primary point of contact for compliance readiness projects, coordinating efforts across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Monitor compliance metrics, track progress, and provide regular updates to senior leadership.
• Stay informed about changes in compliance regulations and frameworks, ensuring proactive organizational adaptation.

What Does Ciena Expect of You?

• Initiative – you’re a self-starter who works with limited direction and is committed to delivering against aggressive deadlines.
• A customer first mentality – what’s important to the customer is also important to you.
• Agility – with an ability to flex between the strategic and tactical, you manage competing and ever-changing priorities and maintain a balanced and methodical approach to problem solving.

• Communication expertise – you possess the ability to tailor your message and ideas to the audience to ensure understanding and consensus.
• The flexibility to work independently and as part of a broader team – you thrive in a team environment, are comfortable working independently, and know how to get things done in a virtual environment.
• Relationship builder – with a proven ability to influence at all levels, you’re able to quickly develop trusted connections and get work done through others.
• A commitment to innovation – you keep abreast of competitive developments and are always keen to formulate new ideas and problem solve.

The Must Haves:

• 10+ years of project management experience, preferably in a technical or compliance-driven organization.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects, with experience addressing compliance readiness and driving organizational change.
• Strong understanding of compliance frameworks such as NIST, ISO certifications, and SCF.
• Experience working with IT systems to evaluate and implement compliance requirements.
• Excellent organizational, problem-s