Global Process Owner - Sales and Operations Planning

Ciena is seeking an exceptional and visionary Global Process Owner (GPO) for the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP – Forecast to Build) business process. This critical leadership role sits within our newly formed Enterprise Transformation Office (ETO), which is focused on driving modern, efficient, and automated global processes.  This role requires a unique blend of strategic leadership, deep subject matter expertise in S&OP, and a passion for modern technology and data-driven transformation. 

As the GPO, you will be responsible for designing, governing, and continuously improving the end-to-end S&OP process across the enterprise. This role ensures alignment between demand forecasting, supply planning, and operational execution to enable accurate, timely, and efficient decision-making that supports business growth and transformation objectives.  You will transform our planning capabilities from a functional exercise into a core, cross-functional, and executive-led business management process 

Key Responsibilities: 

Process Ownership and Strategy 

• Design and Govern the Global Process: Define, standardize, and own the 'To-Be' global S&OP process.  Ensure the process is scalable, flexible and adaptable. 

• Establish and Monitor Governance: Define clear process governance, roles, responsibilities, and decision-making rights (e.g., RACI) functional areas. Drive adherence to the standardized process globally. 

• Define and Measure Performance: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for the S&OP process.  Monitor and report on process performance, driving accountability and transparency. 
   

Transformation and Continuous Improvement 

• Lead Digital Transformation: Serve as the business lead for the implementation and optimization of planning technologies, as needed.  Ensure system capabilities align with the 'To-Be' process design. 

• Automate and Incorporate AI: Identify and champion opportunities to inject automation and AI/Machine Learning into the S&OP workflow, particularly in areas like statistical forecasting, scenario planning, and capacity constraint modeling, to enable "planning at the speed of the business." 

• Establish S&OP Process Roadmap: Develop and manage a continuous improvement roadmap for the S&OP process maturity, ensuring we are leveraging best-in-class methodologies and emerging technologies to enhance efficiency and decision quality. 

• Drive Continuous Improvement: Drive process optimization initiatives aligned with enterprise transformation goals, leveraging automation, AI, and advanced analytics. 
   

Cross-Functional Leadership and Change Management 

• Drive Cross-Functional Alignment: Collaborate with and influence stakeholders across all regions and functions to ensure the S&OP process is adopted, valued, and drives alignment between strategic, financial, and operational plans. 

• Subject Matter Expert (SME): Act as the ultimate Subject Matter Expert for the Forecast to Build process, providing guidance and resolving cross-functional disputes and process deviations. 

• Facilitate Change: Serve as a change agent, driving process transformation and building alignment across stakeholders.  Partner with the ETO Change Management team to develop training, communication, and support materials to ensure successful global adoption of new processes and tools. 

Qualifications and Skills Required:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Supply Chain, Operations, or Planning roles, with 7+ years focused on designing, implementing, and running formal S&OP processes on a global scale. 

• Proven experience as a Global Process Owner or Business Process Owner for a major end-to-end business process. 

• Deep expertise in Advanced Planning Systems (e.g., Kinaxis, SAP IBP, Anaplan, Oracle) and their integration within a complex ERP landscape. 

• Demonstrated ability to influence and partner with senior-level executives and leaders across multiple functional domains (Sales, Finance, Operations). 

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. 
   

Preferred :

• Experience with AI/ML applications in forecasting, inventory optimization, or supply chain risk modeling. 

• MBA or Master’s degree in a relevant field. 

• Experience working at a publicly traded technology company with a fast-paced, high-growth environment. 

• Certifications such as CPIM or CSCP. 

Behavioral Traits: 

• Curiosity and Creativity: 

• Demonstrates curiosity to explore alternative approaches and adapt best practices to fit the organization’s needs. 

• Thinks creatively to solve complex problems without scrapping existing processes entirely. 

• Consultative Mindset: 

• Operates like a consultant, blending operational expertise with strategic thinking. 

• Provides flexible, solution-oriented recommendations tailored to organizational realities. 

• Strong Interpersonal Skills: 

• Builds trust and relationships across all levels of the organization. 

• Balances assertiveness with empathy to influence change effectively.