Flex

Director of Strategy for Communications Business Unit

Flex$130K — $180K *
Telecommunications & Hardware
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related technical discipline (Master's or PhD preferred)
  • 5+ years of experience in optical networking, switch architecture, or silicon photonics within data center and networking industries
  • Proven track record in developing or managing optical modules and transceivers
  • Strong understanding of network architectures, including top-of-rack and optical circuit switching
  • Excellent communication and executive-level presentation skills
  • Proven ability to bring hardware products from ideation through launch
  • Strong analytical skills with ability to use data for product decisions

Responsibilities

  • Define the roadmap for high-speed networking and optical switches
  • Drive strategic partnerships to accelerate innovation
  • Evaluate make-versus-partner strategies for optical integration
  • Lead development of solutions aligned with business objectives
  • Collaborate with engineering and R&D to meet customer needs
  • Translate market trends into compelling product requirements
  • Perform market analysis to identify strategic opportunities

Benefits

  • Full range of medical, dental, and vision plans
  • Life Insurance
  • Short-term and Long-term Disability
  • Matching 401(k) Contributions
  • Vacation and Paid Sick Time
  • Tuition Reimbursement
Full Job Description
Job Summary

The Director of Strategy for Communications Business Unit will contribute to defining infrastructure solutions, products, and services roadmaps, focused on high-speed networking, optical, switching, smart NICs/DPUs, Satcom, and Enterprise AI platforms spanning Enterprise OEM, storage and cybersecurity. This role will be central to shaping Flex's leadership across advanced connectivity domains - including optical transceivers, co-packaged optics, silicon photonics, smart NIC/DPU architectures, AI-driven infrastructure, storage systems, and secure networking platforms - as part of the Communications business group. This position is based in Austin, TX.

In this role, you will be responsible for Flex's communications and infrastructure strategy across networking, optical, switching, Enterprise AI, storage, and cybersecurity, including technology partnerships, platform architectures, and product lifecycle planning. You will lead efforts in defining requirements, aligning cross-functional execution, and driving innovation and competitiveness across key growth vectors. You will interface with internal engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams, as well as external customers and ecosystem partners.

What a Typical Day Looks Like
  • Define the roadmap for high speed networking, optical and switches, aligning with customer requirements, hyperscaler trends, and emerging standards (e.g., 800G/1.6T optics, co-packaged switch modules).
  • Drive strategic partnerships to accelerate innovation and ensure competitive differentiation.
  • Evaluate and define make-versus-partner strategies for optical and switch integration.
  • Lead the development of solutions aligned with the Communications business objectives and key market trends.
  • Collaborate with engineering and R&D teams to define and develop solutions that meet evolving customer and industry needs.
  • Translate customer feedback, market trends, and technology roadmaps into compelling product requirements.
  • Work closely with sales, business development, and marketing to position products effectively and support customer engagement strategies.
  • Perform market and competitive analysis to identify strategic opportunities and threats.
  • Stay ahead of market and technology trends in silicon photonics, optical switching, Smart NICs, transceivers, and Satcom to inform investment and R&D priorities.
  • Engage directly with communications and enterprise customers to gather insights and shape product strategies.
  • Coordinate with supply chain and operations teams to ensure manufacturability, cost optimization, and high-quality delivery.
  • Manage and monitor key metrics such as adoption, revenue, gross margin, and customer satisfaction.


The Experience We're Looking to Add to Our Team
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related technical discipline (Master's or PhD preferred).
  • 5+ years of experience in optical networking, switch architecture, or silicon photonics within data center, networking, and semiconductor industries.
  • Proven track record in developing or managing optical modules, transceivers, or photonic integration strategies.
  • Strong understanding of network architectures, including top-of-rack, spine-leaf, and optical circuit switching.
  • Demonstrated ability to translate technology insights into business strategy and drive execution across large, matrixed organizations.
  • Excellent communication and executive-level presentation skills.
  • Ability to collaborate across engineering, operations, and business development teams in a fast-moving global environment
  • Proven track record in bringing hardware products from ideation through launch and sustaining.
  • Ability to synthesize technical details into customer value propositions and business impact.
  • Strong analytical skills with an ability to use data to support product decisions and trade-offs.
  • Familiarity with open-source frameworks (e.g., OCP, SONiC) and regulatory environments related to IT infrastructure
  • Passion for innovation, sustainability, and building next-generation infrastructure solutions.


What you'll receive for the great work you provide:
  • Full range of medical, dental, and vision plans
  • Life Insurance
  • Short-term and Long-term Disability
  • Matching 401(k) Contributions
  • Vacation and Paid Sick Time
  • Tuition Reimbursement

Application Deadline:

Applications for this job position will be accepted for at least five days following the job posting start date below and continuing until the end date below or until the position is filled. This posting may close sooner due to application volume.
Job Posting Start Date 07-21-2026 Job Posting End Date 10-31-2026
Job Category
Sales - Marketing - Account Mgmt

Is Sponsorship Available?
No

About Flex

Flex Ltd. is an American Singaporean-domiciled multinational electronics contract manufacturer. It is the third largest global electronics manufacturing services (EMS), original design manufacturer (ODM) company by revenue, behind only Pegatron for what concerns original equipment manufacturers. Flex has manufacturing operations in over 30 countries, totaling approximately 200,000 employees.
Learn more about Flex
Size
172,648 employees
Market Cap
$9.7 billion
Industry
Net Income
$421 million
Founded
2016
5 Year Trend
+1.8%
Revenue
$23.3 billion
NASDAQ

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