Hybrid Customer Success Advocate at Ciena

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.

How You Will Contribute:

Reporting to Sr. Director, Franchise Leader, as Customer Success Advocate,

you will be responsible for development and nurturing the relationships of Ciena’s Top Customers. The Success Advocate promotes retention, loyalty and advocacy by developing & driving a World Class Customer Experience.  The Success Advocate is the primary contact for driving customer outcomes, customer intake, onboarding, and issues prevention by ensuring alignment between operations and contractual requirements to proactively prevent issues, creating a near effortless journey throughout the customers lifecycle.

Customer Success is absolutely vital to Ciena’s long-term growth & profitability. We will be successful when our customers recognize they are receiving tangible value from Ciena products and services.

The Contribution:

• Align Ciena’s services to strategically meet customer needs to retain as well as expand business and deepen the relationship
• Establish yourself as the de facto trusted advisor with all customers by developing rock solid customer relationships across your customer’s business including Engineering, Operations, Finance, Procurement, and Implementation.
• Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment within the Services organization and company.
• Closely collaborate with Sales to deliver a positive and welcoming onboarding experience for our customers making sure the Customers Success Value Points and Outcomes are fully understood and documented.
• Ensure that key hand-offs during the customer lifecycle are executed flawlessly with no negative impact to the customer experience.
• Meet with customers to understand their goals and the value Ciena can bring to their business by identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities that can help Customer expand & improve their business.
• Ability to analyze customer base and recommend effective segmentation to drive appropriate customer interactions and touchpoints
• Initiate and maintain comprehensive Customer Success Plans & Playbooks that define and document Customer Journey, Persona Maps & Key Success Indicators in support of driving new business growth and greater advocacy and reference-ability
• Collaborating with Account Management and Delivery & Service teams, foster a success oriented and accountable environment, ensure that Ciena’s customers achieve their desired outcomes and maximize value of Ciena’s Services
• Drive and influence the value, usage and adoption of our products and services using metrics developed collaboratively with other functional teams. Leverage understanding of data analytics and best practices.
• By closely monitoring customer success health and key indicators and close Customer interaction, take the lead in proactively resolving customer specific product and services issues prior to a negative impact to the Customers Experience.
• Ensure prompt response and information delivery of Customer requests and queries
• Work collaboratively with our Sales Team and the Customer Technical Advocate to assists with accurate and on time renewals with new services identified that drive improved outcomes for our customers.   
• Conduct regular customer operational and business reviews, highlighting customer success achievements, proactively suggesting solutions to customer concerns, and driving identified improvement opportunities

The Must Haves:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Engineering, Marketing or Communications preferred or relevant years of work experience.
• Preferred 1 to 2 years in technology industry in a role related to customer engagement or success in a Services role
• Excellent communication & presentations skills
• Interface and manage all levels of a global organization
• Leadership qualities with high integrity.
• Out of the box thinker – Change Agent
• Ability to influence through persuasion, negotiation, and consensus building
• Ideally a combined background of both pre-sales and post-sales experience
• Strong analytical skills and a deep understanding of value drivers and KPI in recurring revenue business models with ability to translate data into actionable insights and improved customer success
• Relentless passion to drive business growth
• Breadth of technology, Services, and strong business acumen.
• Strong business judgment and ability to think through complex business issues.
• A dynamic personality that is collaborative, empathetic, passionate, and customer focused.
• Results-driven mentality, with a bias for speed and action and a relentless passion for increased revenue and growth

Pay Range:

 The annual pay range for this position in US is $88,600 - $141,500. 

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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.