10+ years in solutions engineering, systems architecture, or advanced technical sales in a technical data center setting
Expertise in optical networking and high-speed connectivity solutions
Strong grasp of emerging technologies like AI data center architectures
Ability to engage and influence technical customer audiences
Exceptional communication and consultative problem-solving skills
Experience with global teams and international collaboration
Responsibilities
Build trust and establish technical credibility with target accounts
Engage with technical stakeholders to understand system requirements
Identify customer pain points and future needs through active listening
Translate customer needs into viable solution concepts
Lead customer engagement in AFL's technology ecosystem
Provide expertise in transceiver technologies and high-speed standards
Design integrated solutions for evolving data center demands
Support strategic partnerships and co-develop solutions with key players
Act as a technical resource for regional Solution Engineers
Enable field teams with technical guidance and frameworks
Establish AFL's thought leadership through publications and industry representation
Align emerging technologies with a 3-5 year adoption window
Benefits
Flexible working environment (office-based or remote)
Moderate travel requirements (domestic and international)
Full Job Description
Position Overview:
The Global Innovation and Technology Manager is a highly seasoned, global technical leader responsible for engaging with advanced customer engineering teams and translating emerging technologies into scalable, differentiated solutions. This role operates at the intersection of innovation, customer engagement, and ecosystem development - driving adoption of next-generation connectivity, optical, and networking technologies across AFL's strategic accounts and partners.
The position requires deep technical credibility, strong consultative engagement skills, and the ability to rapidly conceptualize and position solutions aligned to customer pain points and future-state architectures within a 3-5 year innovation horizon.
Responsibilities:
Advanced Customer Technical Engagement
Build trust and technical credibility quickly within target accounts
Engage directly with highly technical customer stakeholders (engineering, architecture, R&D) to understand complex system requirements
Uncover key pain points, performance gaps, and future-state needs through strong listening and probing skills
Rapidly conceptualize and translate customer requirements into viable solution concepts
Provide expertise in: Transceiver technologies and protocol evolution, High-speed data transmission standards UEC, InfiniBand (IB), LPO, and optical circuit switching.
Design integrated solutions that align with evolving data center and AI infrastructure demands.
Strategic Technical Partnerships
Develop and support strategic partnerships with key ecosystem players (e.g., NVIDIA, Polatis, CPO/OBO initiatives)
Collaborate with partners to co-develop and position joint solutions
Maintain strong awareness of partner roadmaps and alignment opportunities
Global Solutions Engineering Enablement
Act as a senior technical resource and escalation point for regional Solution Engineers
Support complex opportunities, customer workshops, and technical validations
Enable field teams with solution frameworks, messaging, and technical guidance
Technology Thought Leadership
Establish AFL as a leader in emerging technologies through: White papers, blogs, and technical publications, Solution guides and reference architectures.
Represent AFL at industry forums, customer briefings, and technical discussions
Provide forward-looking insights on technology trends and adoption pathways
Innovation & Market Alignment
Support alignment of emerging technologies within a 3-5 year adoption window
Provide feedback to product management and innovation teams based on customer engagement
Help shape solution strategy based on real-world customer demand and ecosystem evolution
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent experience; advanced degree is a plus
10+ years of experience in solutions engineering, systems architecture, or advanced technical sales within a highly technical data center environment
Demonstrated expertise in optical networking, data center infrastructure, or high-speed connectivity solutions
Strong understanding of emerging technologies including AI data center architectures and next-generation interconnects
Proven ability to engage and influence highly technical customer audiences
Exceptional communication, presentation, and consultative problem-solving skills
Experience working across global teams and regions
Working Conditions:
Environment: Office-based or Remote work environment (TBD)
Travel: Moderate travel (domestic and international) as needed.
About AFL Global
AFL Global is a leading provider of integrated solutions in the fiber optics industry. The company offers a wide range of products and services, including fiber optic cable, connectivity, and accessories, as well as engineering, installation, and maintenance services. AFL Global serves a variety of industries, including telecommunications, broadband, electric utility, and enterprise.
