Senior Manager, Strategic Communications - CEO and Strategy

Company Description

WD is building the infrastructure behind the AI-driven data economy.

As AI scales, so does data. Every interaction, every model, every system generates data that must be stored, managed, and made accessible over time. That’s where we come in.

We combine deep engineering expertise with global-scale manufacturing to deliver the storage systems that make AI possible, powering hyperscale data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure worldwide.

This isn’t theoretical work. It’s real systems, at real scale, people solving some of the hardest challenges in technology today.

We’re looking for people who want to build, solve, and operate at that level.

Join us and let’s shape the future of data.

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced, creative and highly versatile communications professional to join our Strategic Communications team as Senior Manager, Strategic Communications, CEO & Strategy.

This role will be a key partner in supporting and strengthening communications for WD’s CEO, working closely with Strategic Communications leadership to help execute and continually strengthen the CEO communications program. The Senior Manager will take on significant responsibility for day-to-day content development while contributing fresh ideas and perspectives to the broader CEO communications strategy. This person will develop executive content across formats and channels, help shape the story and flow for key engagements, and continually look for new and more effective ways to communicate.

The role will also serve as communications partner to WD’s Strategy organization, helping translate company strategy and business priorities into clear, compelling communications. The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and creative storyteller who combines strong executive communications instincts with curiosity, judgment and a willingness to challenge conventional approaches.

Essential Duties & Key Responsibilities

CEO Communications & Storytelling

• Manage a broad range of day-to-day CEO communications deliverables across internal and external audiences, including talking points, presentations, emails, video scripts, briefing materials, and social content.
• Help shape the story, narrative flow, and creative approach for CEO keynotes, company meetings, videos, and other executive engagements.
• Partner with Strategic Communications leadership to help advance the CEO communications strategy, bring fresh ideas and identify opportunities to strengthen the CEO’s platform, extend key narratives and engage audiences in new ways.
• Bring fresh thinking to executive communications, exploring new formats, channels and approaches rather than defaulting to how things have traditionally been done.
• Manage day-to-day CEO social content, including identifying opportunities and developing content.
• Partner closely with the CEO Office and stakeholders across the company to develop briefing materials and prepare the CEO for key engagements.
• Help maintain consistency in the CEO’s voice and messaging while looking for opportunities to make communications more authentic, compelling, and effective.

Strategy Communications

• Serve as the day-to-day communications partner to the Strategy organization and its leadership.
• Help translate WD’s strategy, priorities and direction into clear, engaging communications for key audiences.
• Support Strategy leaders with presentations, talking points, leadership updates, and other communications needs.
• Connect Strategy and CEO communications, helping ensure the company’s strategic direction is reflected consistently and brought to life through compelling stories and examples.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Execution

• Build trusted relationships with the CEO Office, Strategy and partners across Communications, Marketing, Investor Relations and other functions.
• Manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, taking communications from initial concept through review and final execution.
• Anticipate needs, surface opportunities and bring recommendations rather than waiting for direction.
• Provide flexible support across Strategic Communications during high-priority company moments as needed.

Qualifications

Required

• 8+ years of experience in executive communications, corporate communications, strategic communications, or a related field.
• Experience supporting senior executives and developing C-suite-level communications.
• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills across executive presentations, talking points, emails, video, briefing materials and social content.
• Demonstrated ability to bring creative ideas and new approaches to communications, not simply execute established programs or formats.
• Strong ability to translate complex business and strategic topics into clear, compelling narratives.
• Excellent judgment, discretion, and executive presence.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and fast-turn requests without sacrificing quality.
• Ability to work independently, anticipate needs, and navigate ambiguity.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong PowerPoint and visual storytelling skills.

Preferred

• Experience directly supporting a CEO or C-suite executive.
• Experience communicating corporate strategy, transformation or other complex business topics.
• Experience in technology or another fast-moving industry.

Key Attributes

• Creative thinker: Brings original ideas and challenges conventional approaches.
• Exceptional storyteller: Knows how to find the story in complex material and make it resonate.
• Strategic and hands-on: Can think about the bigger picture and then personally create the content that delivers it.
• Proactive and opinionated in the right way: Brings recommendations and a point of view rather than simply taking direction.
• Curious and adaptable: Constantly looks for better ways to communicate and is comfortable changing course as priorities evolve.
• Trusted collaborator: Builds strong relationships, welcomes different perspectives and feedback, and stays focused on getting to the best outcome.

Additional Information

WD is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth), age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status (including domestic partnership status), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, protected medical and family care leave, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We also prohibit harassment of any individual on any of the characteristics listed above. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal” poster. Our pay transparency policy is available here.

WD thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.

WD is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 1.6.2027 (3 months from posting), although we reserve the right to close the application process sooner if we hire an applicant for this position before the application deadline. If we are not able to hire someone from this role before the application deadline, we will update this posting with a new anticipated application deadline.

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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.

Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer of employment. Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to WD Ethics Helpline or email .

Job Type (exemption status): Exempt position - Please see related compensation & benefits details belowSalary Range: 151,700.00-202,200.00Business Function: Employee CommunicationsWork Location: San Jose Great Oaks Headquarters--LOC_WDT_USCA23