Director of Product Management at Western Digital

San Jose, California, United States

Western Digital Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Data Storage, Technology, Cloud ComputingIndustries

Requirements

  • 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: Deep understanding of how storage integrates with cloud environments and its role in enterprise systems
  • Proven ability to articulate and quantify the value of software solutions, including ROI and organization benefits
  • Customer obsession: A relentless focus on understanding and addressing customer needs
  • Strategic situational awareness: Ability to decipher unspoken customer needs, synthesize insights, and uncover opportunities
  • Excellent presentation and storytelling skills, with the ability to simplify complex concepts for diverse audiences
  • Experience running executive-level meetings and engaging with customer leadership to build trust and influence decisions
  • Strong collaboration skills

Responsibilities

  • Build and nurture deep relationships with strategic customers, understanding their needs and motivations
  • Drive customer adoption of storage-enhancing host software by demonstrating its value, ROI, and impact on their organization
  • Act as the primary advocate for customers, ensuring their feedback and needs are clearly understood and addressed
  • Develop and execute a product roadmap that addresses customer challenges and delivers profitable, market-leading solutions
  • Develop and deliver compelling presentations to customer stakeholders, showcasing the benefits of new technologies and approaches
  • Collaborate with customers to identify opportunities for improving their operations and solving storage-related challenges
  • Provide guidance on tradeoffs and strategies, ensuring customers make informed decisions that align with their goals
  • Lead a team of customer-facing experts, ensuring they are equipped to deliver exceptional service and insights
  • Conduct executive-level meetings with customer leadership, fostering trust and alignment
  • Serve as a thought leader, representing the company in discussions about storage technology trends and future needs

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Product ManagementEnterprise StorageCloud EnvironmentsCustomer AdvocacyCustomer RelationshipsStorage TechnologiesHost SoftwareROI Analysis

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

Is this position remote or on-site?

This is an on-site position.

What are the key responsibilities for the Director of Product Management?

Key responsibilities include building relationships with strategic customers, driving adoption of storage-enhancing host software, acting as customer advocate, developing product roadmaps, delivering presentations, collaborating on operations improvements, leading a team, and serving as a thought leader.

What skills and experience are required for this role?

The role requires a strong background in enterprise storage, significant experience with cloud environments, and exceptional skills in customer advocacy.

What is the team structure like for this position?

You will lead a team of customer-facing experts and be part of a customer-focused team dedicated to delivering impactful solutions.

What makes a strong candidate for this Director of Product Management role?

A strong candidate has experience in enterprise storage and cloud environments, excels in customer advocacy and relationship-building, and can lead teams while developing product roadmaps and delivering executive presentations.

Western Digital

Provides data storage solutions and services

About Western Digital

Western Digital provides a variety of data storage solutions, including Network Attached Storage (NAS), Storage Area Network (SAN), private cloud, and hyper-converged infrastructure. Their products are designed to help businesses manage and store data efficiently and reliably. For example, their all-flash arrays are optimized for high input/output applications, while the JetStor brand offers cost-effective NAS and SAN arrays that support multiple host ports for improved performance. What sets Western Digital apart from its competitors is its extensive experience in the data storage market and its ability to cater to a wide range of clients, from large corporations to small businesses. The company's goal is to deliver high-value storage solutions that meet the diverse needs of its customers, ensuring they have the tools necessary for effective data management.

San Jose, CaliforniaHeadquarters
2014Year Founded
$927.9MTotal Funding
IPOCompany Stage
Data & Analytics, Enterprise SoftwareIndustries
10,001+Employees

Benefits

Paid sick leave & vacation time
Medical/dental/vision insurance
Life, accident, & disability insurance
Tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts
Employee assistance program
Tuition reimbursement
Employee stock purchase plan
Western Digital Savings 401(k) Plan

Risks

Seagate's HAMR technology may outperform Western Digital's ePMR in high-capacity HDDs.
Toshiba's HAMR and MAMR technologies intensify competition in the storage market.
Focus on consumer products may neglect enterprise client needs, risking market share.

Differentiation

Western Digital leads in high-capacity HDDs with 32TB UltraSMR and ePMR technology.
The company offers diverse storage solutions, including NAS, SAN, and private cloud.
Western Digital's SanDisk and WD_BLACK brands target creators and gamers effectively.

Upsides

Growing demand for high-capacity storage driven by AI and data-intensive applications.
Recent product launches cater to the expanding gaming and content creation markets.
Advancements in ePMR technology enhance Western Digital's competitive edge in HDDs.

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