Global Innovation & Technology Manager

AFL manufactures industry-leading fiber optic cable, connectivity and accessories and provides engineering and installation services for some of the largest telecom customers in the world. Our company was founded in 1984 with a single fiber opticcableand today, we manufacture thousands of products, generate an excess of $3B in revenue, and employ approximately 12,000 associates worldwide. At AFL, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset.

We hire and traineach individual, investing in them to ensure success in their careers. With a commitment to professional development and growth, let us connect you to your next career opportunity.

• Flexible time off policy
• 401K Company match (up to 4% - dollar for dollar)
• Professional development, training, and tuition reimbursement programs
• Excellent medical, dental, vision, and life insurance policy options
• Opportunities for career advancement with an industry leading company!

The Global Innovation  and Technology

Manageris a highly seasoned, global technical leader responsible for engaging with advanced customer engineering teams and translating emerging technologies into scalable, differentiated solutions. This roleoperatesat 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.

• 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

• Lead customer engagement across AFL’s emerging technology ecosystem including:
  Connectors (EBO, MMC, SN-MT, ganged solutions), Fiber & cable technologies (MCF, HCF, advanced fiber designs), Networking & switching architectures.
• Provide expertise in:
  Transceiver technologies and protocol evolution, High-speed data transmission standards UEC, Infini Band (IB), LPO, and optical circuit switching.
• Design integrated solutions that align with evolving data center and AI infrastructure demands.

• 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

• 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

• 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 insight on technology trends and adoption pathways

• Support alignment of emerging technologies within a 3–5 year adoption window
• Provide feedback to product management and innovation teams based on…