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Senior Direct Product Management

Company Description

At Western Digital, our vision is to power global innovation and push the boundaries of technology to make what you thought was once impossible, possible.

At our core, Western Digital is a company of problem solvers. People achieve extraordinary things given the right technology. For decades, we’ve been doing just that—our technology helped people put a man on the moon and capture the first-ever picture of a black hole.

We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, HDDs, and platforms for business, creative professionals, and consumers alike under our Western Digital®, WD®, WD_BLACK™, and SanDisk® Professional brands.

We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest-growth organizations in the world. From enabling systems to make cities safer and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and hyperscale cloud providers, to meeting the massive and ever-growing data storage needs of the AI era, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.

Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. Together, we can build the future of data storage.

Job Description

We are seeking a Senior Director of Product Management to lead the development of innovative storage products that address the evolving challenges of data centers. This individual will work closely with our largest customers to understand their needs, solve critical storage problems, and deliver profitable, high-impact solutions.

This role demands a deep understanding of enterprise storage, significant experience with cloud environments, and expertise in translating customer insights into actionable roadmaps. You will lead a team of product experts, driving strategy, execution, and success for the company and our customers.

Key Responsibilities

  • Build and maintain tight relationships with key customers, deeply understanding their needs and motivations.
  • Develop and execute a product roadmap that addresses customer challenges and delivers profitable, market-leading solutions.
  • Serve as the customer’s advocate within the company, ensuring internal teams align with their goals.
  • Drive strategic planning by synthesizing customer input, market trends, and technical insights into clear, actionable strategies.
  • Lead and inspire a team of product experts and contributors to execute on customer goals.
  • Present compelling strategies and tradeoffs to executive stakeholders and customer leadership.
  • Navigate complex problems with many unknowns, breaking them down into simple, actionable plans.
  • Balance competing priorities, weighing customer needs, technical feasibility, and business goals.
  • Build consensus across cross-functional teams and secure buy-in for critical initiatives.

Qualifications

 

Required Skills and Qualifications

  • Enterprise storage expertise with a strong foundation in either HDD or SSD technologies.
    • If no HDD experience, extensive interaction with enterprise SSDs and cloud environments is required.
  • Cloud experience: Understanding how storage is used in the cloud and its integration into enterprise solutions.
  • Strategic situational awareness: Ability to decipher unspoken customer needs, synthesize insights, and uncover opportunities.
  • Strong big-picture thinking: Balance long-term strategy with immediate problem-solving.
  • Excellent communication skills: Clearly articulate complex ideas to varied audiences and build compelling presentations.
  • Proven ability to run executive-level meetings, influence stakeholders, and drive decisions.
  • Exceptional customer obsession, with a deep understanding of their needs and a passion for solving problems.
  • Demonstrated ownership: Ability to drive cross-functional teams to deliver results on time and on plan.
  • Strong enterprise orientation, finding win-win outcomes and working collaboratively across teams.
  • Leadership experience, with the ability to inspire, develop, and build high-performing teams.
  • Outstanding organizational and time management skills.
  •  
  • Preferred Qualifications
  • 10+ years of work experience in a technical role
  • 5+ years of team leadership
  • Technical degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering.
  • MBA or equivalent experience is an asset.

What You Bring

  • Experience forming and executing strategies for enterprise storage solutions.
  • A proven track record of successfully balancing priorities across technology, customer needs, and business goals.
  • Situational awareness and the ability to drive actionable outcomes from ambiguity.
  • Exceptional listening skills, a problem-solving mindset, and a customer-first orientation.

Additional Information

Western Digital 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.

Western Digital 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.

Western Digital 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 [email protected] 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 05/12/2025 (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.

 

#LI-TD1

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.
  • You will be eligible to participate in Western Digital’s Short-Term Incentive (STI) Plan, 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 Western Digital’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 Western Digital 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.
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Average salary estimate

$175000 / YEARLY (est.)
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$150000K
$200000K

If an employer mentions a salary or salary range on their job, we display it as an "Employer Estimate". If a job has no salary data, Rise displays an estimate if available.

What You Should Know About Senior Direct Product Management, Western Digital

Join Western Digital as a Senior Director of Product Management, where you will spearhead the innovation of our cutting-edge storage products tailored for data centers. Your mission will be to collaborate closely with major clients, delving into their unique challenges and delivering impactful solutions that drive profitability. With a rich history that includes supporting the monumental achievements of putting a man on the moon and capturing the universe's wonders, Western Digital is a company that values creative problem-solving. You’ll leverage your extensive expertise in enterprise storage, particularly with HDD or SSD technologies, and your profound understanding of cloud environments to craft strategies that address customer and market needs. Leading a team of product specialists, you will guide the development of a dynamic product roadmap and serve as the voice of the customer inside the organization, ensuring alignment with their objectives. Your role will involve strategic planning, facilitating executive-level discussions, and fostering collaboration across cross-functional teams, all while nurturing the professional growth of your team members. Here at Western Digital, we embody a bold vision where today’s challenges transform into tomorrow’s innovations. If you’re ready to shape the future of data storage, we would love to hear from you!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Senior Direct Product Management Role at Western Digital
What are the main responsibilities of a Senior Director of Product Management at Western Digital?

As a Senior Director of Product Management at Western Digital, you will be responsible for leading the strategy and execution of innovative storage products. Your key responsibilities include developing a product roadmap that addresses customer challenges, advocating for customers' needs within the company, driving strategic planning, and leading a talented team of product professionals.

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What qualifications are required for the Senior Director of Product Management position at Western Digital?

To qualify for the Senior Director of Product Management role at Western Digital, candidates should possess extensive expertise in enterprise storage, particularly with HDDs or SSDs, and have experience with cloud environments. A technical degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related fields, along with 10+ years of relevant technical experience and 5+ years in team leadership, is highly preferred.

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How does the Senior Director of Product Management at Western Digital interact with customers?

In the role of Senior Director of Product Management at Western Digital, you will build and maintain strong relationships with key customers. This involves deeply understanding their needs and motivations, advocating for them internally, and ensuring that your product strategy aligns with their goals for successful outcomes.

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What leadership qualities are important for a Senior Director of Product Management at Western Digital?

Successful Senior Directors of Product Management at Western Digital should exhibit exceptional leadership skills, including the ability to inspire and develop high-performing teams, communicate effectively with diverse audiences, and drive consensus across cross-functional teams. A passion for customer solutions and problem-solving is also critical.

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What role does strategic planning play for the Senior Director of Product Management at Western Digital?

Strategic planning is pivotal for the Senior Director of Product Management at Western Digital. You will need to synthesize customer insights, market trends, and technical data to formulate actionable strategies that both drive product innovation and meet customer needs while supporting long-term business goals.

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Common Interview Questions for Senior Direct Product Management
How would you prioritize customer needs versus technical feasibility for a product at Western Digital?

In approaching priorities, begin by understanding customer needs through direct feedback and market research. Assess the technical team's capabilities and balance this with business objectives. Propose solutions that align all three aspects to create a viable product roadmap.

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Can you share an example of how you navigated a complex product issue in your previous role?

Certainly! Describe a specific challenge you faced, how you broke it down into manageable tasks, and the steps you took to resolve it. Highlight your analytical skills, team collaboration, and decision-making process that led to a successful outcome.

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What strategies would you use to lead a product team effectively?

Leading a product team involves clear communication, setting transparent goals, and fostering an environment of collaboration. I believe in regular check-ins to gauge progress and address any hurdles promptly while celebrating team achievements to boost morale.

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How do you ensure alignment among stakeholders when developing a new product?

Alignment among stakeholders is essential for success. I advocate for regular cross-functional meetings, where I present detailed product plans and gather feedback to incorporate differing perspectives and secure consensus for the development process.

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What role does data play in your product management decision-making?

Data plays a critical role in informing product decisions. I utilize data analytics to evaluate market trends, customer behavior, and product performance, which helps shape product features, prioritize development efforts, and define success metrics.

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How do you approach developing a product roadmap?

Developing a product roadmap starts with gathering input from customers, market analysis, and internal capabilities. I prioritize features based on customer impact, technical feasibility, and business goals, ensuring that the roadmap is dynamic and adaptable to change.

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Can you describe your experience with cloud storage solutions?

Discuss your working experience with cloud storage solutions, focusing on specific projects where you used cloud technologies to enhance data storage or accessibility. Highlight your understanding of how storage integrates into enterprise environments and drives customer value.

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What techniques do you use to keep your team motivated?

Motivating my team involves recognizing individual contributions, providing opportunities for professional growth, and maintaining an open line of communication. I also encourage team autonomy in decision-making, fostering ownership of their projects.

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What is your approach to handling difficult conversations with stakeholders?

My approach is to be transparent, listen actively, and remain composed. I aim to understand their concerns fully and address them constructively while focusing on collaborative solutions that advance the product goals.

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What trends do you see shaping the future of data storage?

I see trends like AI integration, increasing demand for cloud solutions, and advancements in performance and efficiency shaping the future of data storage. It's essential to stay ahead of these trends to innovate and meet customer expectations effectively.

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At Western Digital, we believe in the promise of data and we’re redefining how the world keeps and leverages it. We power the technology and develop the solutions that transform the possibilities of data into reality. At every step, we innovate wi...

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DATE POSTED
April 23, 2025

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