Director, Government Relations – National Security, Economic Security Policy

Job Description:

  • Lead Ciena’s engagement on government initiatives affecting the development, manufacture, movement, sale, and trusted use of networking equipment worldwide
  • Report to the Vice President, Government Relations
  • Anticipate and help shape national-security, economic-security, supply-chain, cybersecurity, trade, and technology policies
  • Translate evolving government requirements into business implications
  • Coordinate policy responses across Government Relations, Legal, Trade Compliance, Product Security, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Sales, and other functions
  • Develop public policy priorities by weighing risk, impact, and the company’s ability to influence policy positions
  • Monitor and assess initiatives affecting telecommunications, networking equipment, critical infrastructure, advanced technologies, global supply chains, and international trade
  • Evaluate policy effects on product design, component sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, research and development, market access, customer eligibility, and government procurement
  • Develop risk assessments, scenarios, and executive recommendations
  • Maintain a global view of conflicting or overlapping requirements across the United States and other priority markets
  • Develop and execute advocacy strategies for national-security policies
  • Represent Ciena with Congress, U.S. departments and agencies, foreign governments, regulators, embassies, and international institutions
  • Develop regulatory comments, consultation responses, legislative proposals, briefings, testimony, and executive talking points
  • Advance company priorities through direct engagement, trade associations, and industry coalitions
  • Lead policy work involving telecommunications supply chains, product security, cybersecurity, foreign investment, research security, cross-border technology controls, data, cloud, artificial intelligence, technology sovereignty, industrial policy, and supply-chain resilience

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in public policy, international affairs, law, economics, political science, engineering, cybersecurity, or a related field
  • 10+ years of experience in government, corporate government relations, public policy, national security, international trade, telecommunications, technology, or a related field
  • Demonstrated understanding of how national-security and economic-security policies affect globally integrated technology companies
  • Experience engaging senior government officials, legislators, regulators, or national-security agencies
  • Ability to analyze complex policy proposals and translate them into clear commercial and operational implications
  • Strong writing, briefing, advocacy, coalition-building, and executive-communication skills
  • Experience leading cross-functional work without direct authority over participating functions
  • Sound judgment when handling sensitive, confidential, or politically complex matters
  • Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required
  • Experience with telecommunications networks, networking equipment, semiconductors, critical infrastructure, or other advanced-technology industries is nice to have
  • Familiarity with export controls, sanctions, supply-chain security, cybersecurity regulation, government procurement, domestic-content requirements, or investment screening is nice to have
  • Experience working across North America, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific is nice to have
  • Government service in a national-security, trade, economic, telecommunications, cybersecurity, or foreign-policy role is nice to have
  • Advanced degree in law, public policy, international affairs, business, cybersecurity, or a related discipline is nice to have

Benefits:

  • Discretionary incentive bonus eligibility for non-Sales employees
  • Medical, dental, and vision plans
  • 401(k) (USA) with company matching
  • Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Company-paid holidays
  • Paid sick leave
  • Vacation time
  • Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence in compliance with applicable laws
  • Development opportunities
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Support for employee growth and well-being
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