Program Manager, TA Business Operations

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 Program Manager, TA Business Operations serves as the operating backbone of Ciena's global Talent Acquisition function, enabling programmes, projects, and commitments to remain on track across North America, EMEA, APAC, and India. This individual contributor role partners closely with the Senior Director, Talent Acquisition & HRBP, EMEA to establish operating discipline, identify risk early, strengthen accountability, and provide recommendations that support effective decision-making. The role applies business operations, programme management, recruiting data, and technology inputs to improve execution across the global function.

How you will make an impact

• Lead end-to-end delivery of cross-functional Talent Acquisition initiatives, including process redesign, organisational changes, and systems rollouts, with defined owners, milestones, and risk logs.

• Drive accountability across HR Technology, Learning and Development, HR Data, Compliance, Legal, recruiting managers, and other cross-functional partners by tracking commitments, escalating slippage early, and proposing a course of action.

• Own the global Talent Acquisition operating cadence, including recurring reviews, dashboard readouts, action tracking, follow-through, and a single source of truth for initiatives, owners, and deadlines.

• Partner with the Senior Director as a constructive thought partner by pressure-testing plans, identifying blind spots, preparing briefing materials, talking points, and pre-reads, and representing the Senior Director in select forums.

• Govern the Talent Acquisition reporting framework with stakeholders, ensuring hiring volume, time-to-fill, pipeline health, offer acceptance, diversity, and recruiter productivity metrics are consistently defined, reviewed, and applied to business decisions.

• Partner with Compliance and Legal to align recruiting practices with applicable employment policies, right-to-work requirements, and screening obligations across operating geographies.

• Optimise Talent Acquisition operations by monitoring vendor performance and budget spend, recommending renewal, consolidation, and cost actions, resolving process friction, and defining requirements and outcome measures for recruiting technology, automation, and AI-enabled tools.

The must haves

• Experience: 8+ years in business operations, programme or project management, or chief-of-staff-type roles; recruiting or HR domain experience is a plus.

• Track record of managing an operating cadence for a senior leader or function, including reviews, reporting, and follow-through without repeated direction.

• Demonstrated management of senior stakeholders across regions and time zones, including driving accountability without formal authority.

• Application of workforce and recruiting data, including dashboards, post-implementation reviews, and funnel metrics, to inform decisions; systems administration experience is not required.

• Written and verbal English communication experience, including preparation of materials for executive or board-level audiences.

Nice to haves

• Certifications: Project or programme management credential, including PMP, PgMP, Six Sigma, or equivalent experience.

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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.