Public Relations Manager

Public Relations Manager

In this Individual Contributor role, you will serve as the connective tissue across WD's PR and Analyst Relations team —you will surface the right stories at the right moment, ensuring programs move forward with clarity and momentum. You will also own the team's communications calendar and be the person who keeps priorities coordinated across the organization, translating that visibility into proactive communications thinking that keeps pace with a fast-moving business.

That strategic vantage point also positions you to play a central role in day-to-day media relations across North America. This means proactively developing and pitching stories, responding to media inquiries with speed and precision, and building genuine, lasting relationships with the journalists and outlets that matter most to our business. The ideal candidate is a skilled storyteller who understands the B2B and enterprise technology media landscape — someone who can take WD's business and technology priorities and shape them into compelling narratives, sharp press materials, and story angles that earn high-impact coverage and build lasting brand presence.

You will also play an important supporting role in keeping the program's operational foundation running smoothly. This includes contributing to budget tracking and vendor management, helping ensure spend stays aligned with priorities and nothing falls through the cracks. Day to day, you will also monitor the news cycle — tracking coverage of WD, our competitors, and the broader storage and data infrastructure landscape — and flagging developments that warrant a response, an opportunity, or a shift in strategy.

This role is based at either our San Jose or Irvine offices.

Responsibilities

• Help manage day-to-day media relations in North America, including proactive pitching, reactive inquiries, and ongoing journalist relationship development
• Develop compelling story angles, pitches, press releases, and Q&As that translate WD's business and technology priorities into media coverage that drives impact
• Work with agency partners and subject matter experts to develop narratives and communications plans and assets that boost engagement with target audiences
• Track and report on program status, milestones, and communications activity across the PR and Analyst Relations team on a regular cadence
• Support C-suite visibility program including speaking submissions, awards, contributed content, and media briefings
• Help build and execute creative campaigns for momentum media activity outside the main news cycle
• Track, measure, and report on coverage and program performance; translate data into actionable insights and recommendations
• Maintain communications calendar that maps upcoming campaigns, product launches, events, and announcements to identify alignment and storytelling opportunities
• Proactively identify gaps, conflicts, and white space in the communications schedule; surface opportunities and risks to stakeholders early
• Partner with content, social, and digital teams to ensure PR narratives are amplified across owned and paid channels for consistency and reach

Qualifications

• 5–8+ years of communications experience (including project management experience) within a global tech company or agency
• A strong background of B2B / enterprise technology experience; knowledge of data storage, cloud infrastructure, or AI landscape is a plus
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs with multiple concurrent workstreams and deadlines
• Experience creating and managing multi-channel communications campaigns across earned, owned, and paid channels
• Proven media relations skills; established network of technology and business journalists and editors in North America is a plus
• Metrics-based approach with experience using tools such as Meltwater to measure and report on PR performance
• Experience managing external PR agencies and holding partners accountable to agreed KPIs
• Ability to interface with stakeholders at all levels, across departments and geographies, and act as a strategic advisor to the comms leadership team
• Exceptional communications, writing, and presentation skills
• Outstanding judgement and creative problem-solving skills
• Curious, flexible and the ability to think creatively
• Effective team player, while also being able to work independently
• Enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, self-motivated, and can thrive under pressure
• Someone who has a sense of humor
• Experience at a leading brand a plus
• Bachelor's degree in communications, or a related field; advanced degree a plus