Western Digital Technologies

Senior Director, Core & Ecosystem Strategy

Western Digital Technologies • $180K — $220K *
San Jose, CA 95123In-Person
Enterprise Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 8-10 years in management consulting/corporate strategy or commercial leadership roles.
  • Experience in sales strategy or related role within data storage or adjacent infrastructure.
  • Deep knowledge of data storage and AI infrastructure with technical and commercial awareness.
  • Track record of managing complex strategic projects from inception to senior-level presentation.
  • Strong financial acumen for evaluating business models and market dynamics.
  • Exceptional strategic thinking and structured problem-solving abilities.
  • Outstanding communication skills in executive contexts, including presentations and materials.

Responsibilities

  • Define and execute sales and commercial strategies for the core HDD business.
  • Support strategic projects from ecosystem activation to supply chain optimization.
  • Build and implement an ecosystem strategy involving various cloud and vendor partnerships.
  • Evaluate strategic partnership opportunities with cloud providers and system integrators.
  • Lead end-to-end execution of strategic projects including go-to-market and business model assessments.
  • Translate long-term strategies into actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align strategy with execution.

Benefits

  • Paid vacation and sick leave.
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Life, accident, and disability insurance.
  • Flexible spending and health savings accounts.
  • Employee assistance programs and voluntary benefit options.
  • Tuition reimbursement and employee stock purchase plan.
  • 401(k) plan with company matching.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Core Business Strategy
  • Define sales and commercial strategy for Western Digital's core HDD business in partnership with commercial leadership team to support long-term value capture for the business
  • Support broader portfolio of strategic projects that support Western Digital core business overall. Sample topics can potentially include ecosystem activation, technology assessment, vertical integration strategy, international opportunities, supply chain optimization, and more.
  • Build Western Digital's ecosystem strategy across hyperscalers, neoclouds, sovereign clouds, OEMs, system integrators, and cloud infrastructure software vendors; develop frameworks for how WD orchestrates its role in the broader storage ecosystem considering where to lead, where to partner, and where to enable to maximize value capture.
  • Evaluate strategic partnership opportunities with cloud providers, OEMs, system integrators, and ecosystem players; develop deal structuring frameworks and partner models.

Strategic Project Execution
  • Execute high-priority strategic projects end-to-end including go-to-market strategy, customer and partner frameworks, business model evaluation, and build-vs-buy-vs-partner assessments.
  • Translate long-term strategic priorities into decisions and recommendations that the Executive Leadership Team can act on.
  • Partner closely with GTM and commercial leadership to co-develop strategies that reflect real customer needs and market dynamics, ensuring strategic recommendations translate into commercial action.
  • Collaborate across Product, Engineering, Commercial, Finance, and Legal teams to align strategy with execution and drive cross-functional alignment on the highest-stakes strategic questions facing the company

Executive Communication
  • Deliver strategic briefings, deep dives, and recommendations on competitive dynamics, market trends, and long-term positioning for presentation to senior leadership.
  • Present to C-suite and Board audiences with rigor, clarity, and strategic conviction.
  • Serve as a trusted strategic thought partner to senior business leaders.


Qualifications
  • Minimum 8-10 years of progressive experience spanning top-tier management consulting or in-house corporate strategy and GTM/commercial leadership roles.
  • Required industry experience within a GTM, commercial, sales strategy, or related role at a data storage company (HDD, SSD, storage systems) or directly adjacent infrastructure company (semiconductors, memory, enterprise storage platforms)
  • Deep domain experience in data storage, semiconductors, enterprise/cloud infrastructure, or broader AI infrastructure with fluency in technical and commercial dynamics
  • Proven track record running complex strategic projects end-to-end, from hypothesis development through to analysis and recommendation, with output quality suitable for senior leadership / C-suite.
  • Comfort operating with quantitative rigor in ambiguous, high stakes strategic decisions.
  • Strong financial acumen with the ability to evaluate business models and market economics.
  • Exceptional strategic thinking and structured problem-solving skills.
  • Outstanding executive communication, including materials development, narrative crafting, and live presentation to senior leadership (C-suite and Board).
  • Proven ability to drive alignment and influence senior stakeholders.

Education
  • MBA or equivalent experience required.
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Economics, or a related analytical field.

Location
  • San Jose, California (must be willing to relocate).
  • Flexibility for remote work within established company policies.
  • 15-25% travel including domestic and international travel to meet with targets, advisors, investors, partners, and industry events.


What Makes This Role Unique

This is a senior strategic leadership position responsible for defining Western Digital's competitive positioning and value capture across its core HDD businesses. The Senior Director will engage directly with the Executive Leadership Team on the highest-priority strategic questions facing the company, requiring exceptional strategic thinking, commercial fluency, and the ability to shape C-suite decisions that determine how Western Digital competes and wins in the AI-driven data economy.

Compensation & Benefits Details
  • An employee's pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to (1) relevant education; qualifications; certifications; and experience; (2) skills, ability, knowledge of the job; (3) performance, contribution and results; (4) geographic location; (5) shift; (6) internal and external equity; and (7) business and organizational needs.
  • The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York. This range may be modified in the future.
  • If your position is non-exempt, you are eligible for overtime pay pursuant to company policy and applicable laws. You may also be eligible for shift differential pay, depending on the shift to which you are assigned.
  • You will be eligible to be considered for bonuses under either WD's Short Term Incentive Plan ("STI Plan") or the Sales Incentive Plan ("SIP") which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance, depending on your role and your performance. You may be eligible to participate in our annual Long-Term Incentive (LTI) program, which consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) or cash equivalents, pursuant to the terms of the LTI plan. Please note that not all roles are eligible to participate in the LTI program, and not all roles are eligible for equity under the LTI plan. RSU awards are also available to eligible new hires, subject to WD's Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
  • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid vacation time; paid sick leave; medical/dental/vision insurance; life, accident and disability insurance; tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts; employee assistance program; other voluntary benefit programs such as supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity; tuition reimbursement; transit; the Applause Program; employee stock purchase plan; and the WD Savings 401(k) Plan.
  • Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole discretion, consistent with the law.

About Western Digital Technologies

Western Technology Investment is a venture capital firm that specializes in offering acquisition financing to revenue-generating firms. The firm provides debt and lease financing to venture capital backed technology companies.

Western Digital Technologies Careers

Join the innovative world of Western Digital Technologies, a leader in data storage solutions, where we are committed to empowering our global team of professionals. This is an unparalleled opportunity to advance your career with a company at the forefront of technological innovation and digital storage.

Work You’ll Do

At Western Digital Technologies, you will be part of a dynamic team that drives data innovation across various industries. Our commitment to excellence and leadership in the technology sector provides a unique platform for professionals to influence the future of digital storage and management solutions.

Explore Job Opportunities and Growth

Western Digital Technologies offers a variety of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and experiences. Whether you’re looking for an entry-level position or a more senior role, our company is eager to support your professional growth through challenging projects and continuous learning opportunities.

Internship Programs

Kickstart your career with Western Digital Technologies through our internship programs. These positions are designed to give you hands-on experience and insights into our day-to-day operations, preparing you for a full-time role in our company. Interns at Western Digital Technologies gain invaluable industry knowledge, networking opportunities, and professional skills under the guidance of experienced mentors.

Benefits and Culture

We pride ourselves on a culture that fosters diversity, innovation, and leadership. Western Digital Technologies is dedicated to providing employees with a supportive work environment where everyone is encouraged to be their best. Our benefits package is comprehensive, including health, dental, and vision insurance, employee wellness programs, and significant career development opportunities.

Join Our Team

We are continuously hiring creative, curious, and motivated individuals who are ready to drive innovation in the technology space. Explore open positions that match your skills and interests on our careers page. At Western Digital Technologies, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Professional Development and Training

Advance your career with Western Digital Technologies through our professional development programs. We offer a range of training and development options, including leadership training, skills enhancement workshops, and diversity training sessions to help you grow as a leader and innovator in our industry.

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Apply Now

Ready to take the next step in your career? Submit your resume, prepare for your interview, and join a team that’s redefining the future of technology. At Western Digital Technologies, your future is waiting.

SEARCH WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES JOBS

Join us at Western Digital Technologies, where your career growth is integrated with innovation and leadership, empowering you to reach new heights in the technology industry.
Learn more about Western Digital Technologies
Size
65,600 employees
Market Cap
$9.9 billion
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Net Income
$167 million
Founded
1970
5 Year Trend
-0.3%
Revenue
$16.3 billion
NASDAQ
WDC
* Ladders Estimates

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