Director – Manufacturing Quality

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.

This leadership role drives manufacturing quality strategy execution and operational excellence across the APAC manufacturing ecosystem. The position serves as an independent authority on product and process quality across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Customer Quality, and manufacturing partners. Success enables superior customer outcomes, operational excellence, and long-term business growth.

How you will make an impact:

• Lead execution of the Manufacturing Quality strategy across APAC, aligning regional quality objectives with business priorities, customer expectations, and operational goals.
• Lead and develop a regional quality organization across geographically distributed teams, fostering technical excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Lead the regional quality governance framework across contract manufacturing partners and suppliers, including performance management, risk reviews, and escalation processes.
• Serve as an independent quality authority across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and partner organizations, ensuring products, processes, testing, and manufacturing requirements meet established standards prior to release or customer deployment.
• Drive quality transformation initiatives focused on defect reduction, process capability, reliability improvement, cycle-time improvement, cost of poor quality reduction, and customer satisfaction.
• Partner with Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, and Customer Quality teams to ensure quality readiness for new product introductions, manufacturing transfers, site expansions, supplier transitions, and scale-up programs.
• Lead escalation management for complex customer and manufacturing quality issues through structured root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions.

The must haves:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related technical discipline.
• Education: Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience: 15+ years of experience in manufacturing quality, supplier quality, operations, or engineering leadership within complex, high-technology manufacturing environments.
• Experience: 5+ years of people leadership experience, including leadership of managers, senior technical professionals, and cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience leading quality programs and driving execution across contract manufacturing, supplier, and manufacturing operations environments.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Customer Quality, manufacturing partners, and business functions.
• Application of quality systems, manufacturing process controls, reliability methodologies, supplier quality management, structured problem-solving techniques, and risk-based decision-making.

Nice to haves:

• Industry experience in optical networking, telecommunications, photonics, electronics manufacturing, semiconductor, or other complex technology products.
• Experience leading quality across high-volume manufacturing operations, outsourced manufacturing models, and global supply chains.
• Certifications: Certifications or advanced training in Six Sigma, Quality Management Systems, Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, Reliability Engineering, or Supplier Quality disciplines.
• Experience applying APQP, PPAP, FMEA, DOE, SPC, MSA, reliability engineering, supplier development, and structured problem-solving frameworks.
• Experience supporting or leading manufacturing transfers, site expansions, new site qualification, supplier transitions, or regional scale-up initiatives.
• Experience using quality analytics, dashboards, predictive indicators, and risk metrics to drive business reviews and proactive risk mitigation.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers, EMS providers, and global supplier

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.