Western Digital Technologies

Senior Director, Corporate Development

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

Qualifications

  • Minimum 8-10 years in M&A, investment banking, private equity, or corporate ventures.
  • Experience in highly technical industries such as storage, semiconductor, or telecom is required.
  • Proven track record of full-cycle M&A transaction ownership, including negotiation and post-merger activity.
  • Exceptional financial modeling skills to develop complex valuation and deal models independently.
  • Strong strategic thinking abilities for executing creative deal structures.
  • Cross-functional deal management experience across key business functions.
  • Adept at influencing C-suite and Board-level executives with compelling presentations.

Responsibilities

  • Own the complete M&A lifecycle including target identification and negotiation.
  • Lead complex transaction executions aligned with corporate strategic priorities.
  • Develop financial models and rigorous valuation frameworks for potential deals.
  • Maintain a proprietary deal pipeline by engaging with various industry stakeholders.
  • Optimize corporate portfolio through strategic acquisitions and partnerships.
  • Support corporate venture investment strategy by sourcing high-potential technology startups.
  • Deliver investment recommendations and synthesize market intelligence for executive leadership.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including medical/dental/vision insurance.
  • Paid vacation time and sick leave.
  • Tuition reimbursement and employee stock purchase plans.
  • Flexible spending and health savings accounts.
  • Participation in annual bonus and stock incentive programs.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Key Responsibilities

M&A Lifecycle Ownership
  • Own the full M&A lifecycle end-to-end: target identification, due diligence, valuation, structuring, negotiation, and close across both the core HDD business and new ventures spanning a wide spectrum of deep tech opportunities including but not limited to photonics, magnetics, and nano-fabrication.
  • Lead complex transaction execution including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, spin outs/ins, creative capital structures, divestitures, and vertical integration aligned to Western Digital's strategic priorities.
  • Develop rigorous valuation frameworks, financial models, and deal structures.

Deal Pipeline and Portfolio Optimization
  • Build and maintain a proprietary deal pipeline across data storage, AI/cloud adjacencies, and deep-tech by engaging with bankers, investors, startups, and operators to source high-quality opportunities aligned with Western Digital's strategic direction.
  • Optimize the corporate portfolio through appropriate acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic partnerships and evaluate build-vs-buy-vs-partner decisions for new capability development, technology acquisition, vertical integration, and market entry.

Corporate Venture & Strategic Investments
  • Support corporate venture investment strategy by building relationships with VCs, accelerators, and ecosystem partners to source and invest in high-potential technology companies and startups that are aligned with WD's strategic priorities.
  • Assess emerging technologies and business models in storage, data infrastructure, AI, and deep-tech related to New Ventures for potential minority investment or strategic partnership.

Executive Communication
  • Deliver investment recommendations and executive briefings to the Executive Leadership Team (C-suite) and Board of Directors to translate complex deal opportunities into clear, actionable investment priorities.
  • Synthesize market intelligence, competitive analysis, and financial modeling into compelling investment theses and strategic recommendations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with key stakeholders across the business (Engineering, Product, Finance, Commercial, Legal, HR) to coordinate on key deal activities and integration planning with long-range strategic plans and integration planning.


Qualifications
  • Minimum 8-10 years in M&A, investment banking, private equity, corporate development, venture capital, or corporate ventures.
  • Industry experience in a highly technical field required e.g., storage, semiconductor, infrastructure, aerospace/defense, biopharma, telecom, etc.
  • Proven M&A execution and deal track record with full-cycle transaction ownership, including deep experience with financial modeling, due diligence, negotiation, and post-merger activity.
  • Exceptional financial modeling capability with the ability to independently build sophisticated valuation and deal models from scratch.
  • Strong strategic thinking with the ability to think through and execute creative deal structures and economics to onboard new partners and acquisition targets and align on value creation.
  • Proven cross-functional deal management experience across Legal, Finance, Product, Engineering, and business unit stakeholders.
  • Track record ofbuilding and leveraging relationships across bankers, investors, advisors, operators, and internal stakeholders.
  • Experienced in presenting to and influencing C-suite and Board-level executives .

Preferred Qualifications
  • AI-adjacent experience (data, storage, software, memory subsystems) and/or prior experience working with or for hyperscale cloud providers, semiconductor companies, or large OEMs.
  • Direct venture investing experience in deep-tech with a track record of sourcing, structuring, and managing minority investments.
  • Active external network (bankers, VCs, advisors) to support independent deal flow.
  • Experience with cross-border M&A and international transaction structuring.
  • Familiarity with various corporate venture capital models and strategic investment portfolio management.

Education
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field.
  • MBA from top-tier business school preferred.

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 critical strategic leadership position responsible for driving Western Digital's inorganic growth agenda through M&A, joint ventures, divestitures, and venture investments. The role owns the full deal lifecycle end-to-end and directly shapes the company's portfolio evolution, strengthening the cord HDD business while expanding into new areas for growth. The Senior Director will engage directly with senior leadership on multi-hundred-million to multi-billion dollar transactions, requiring exceptional deal execution capability, financial rigor, and the ability to shape C-suite decisions that define Western Digital's future.

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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