Director, Strategic Communications, IT

Western Digital•San Jose, CA

About The Position

WD is seeking a Director, Strategic Communications to serve as communications lead supporting the Chief Information Officer and the IT organization. The role partners with the CIO and IT leadership to shape strategic narratives, strengthen leadership communications, engage the global IT organization, and increase visibility into IT’s role in enabling WD’s business. The successful candidate will set the vision and strategy for CIO and IT communications, establish effective processes, and advise leaders and partners with sound judgment and disciplined execution. As part of the Strategic Communications team, this role collaborates with executive leaders, Chiefs of Staff, communications colleagues, HR, and cross-functional partners to support leadership effectiveness, organizational alignment, and employee engagement. The position covers executive communications and counsel, IT organizational communications, cross-functional partnership, and measurement and continuous improvement. It also uses AI-enabled tools and modern communications technologies to improve content development, planning, measurement, and team productivity.

Requirements

10+ years of communications experience, including significant executive and internal communications experience supporting senior leaders.
Demonstrated success as a trusted communications advisor and candid coach to senior executives and leadership teams.
Ability to bring structure and focus to fast-moving, ambiguous environments while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships.
Experience leading communications for a large, global function or organization.
Exceptional writing, storytelling, and executive content development skills, including the ability to translate complex business and technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives.
Strong understanding of executive communications, employee engagement, organizational communications, and thought leadership.
Strong executive presence, business acumen, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of an organization.
Collaborative and adaptable approach, strong project management skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Proficiency in PowerPoint and experience leveraging modern communications technologies, including AI-enabled tools.
Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience in technology, semiconductor, infrastructure, cloud, storage, or another complex B2B industry.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary communications advisor to the CIO, providing strategic counsel and executive communications support.
Develop and execute an integrated communications strategy that strengthens the CIO’s leadership platform and advances business and organizational priorities.
Shape narratives about IT strategy, technology, innovation, AI, and IT’s role in enabling WD’s business.
Develop executive content and messaging, including presentations, speeches, briefing materials, leadership communications, talking points, video, and multimedia content.
Support the CIO’s internal and external engagements, including employee forums, leadership meetings, industry events, speaking opportunities, social content, and thought leadership.
Establish planning and preparation processes for purposeful, consistent, and impactful engagements.
Identify opportunities to strengthen the CIO’s visibility and engagement with key audiences.
Lead communications strategy within IT, partnering with IT leadership and communications colleagues to drive alignment around strategy, priorities, culture, and business objectives.
Partner with the Office of the CIO, including the Chief of Staff, to turn priorities into focused communications plans and execute them.
Lead communications for IT all-hands, leadership meetings, organizational announcements, employee engagement initiatives, and other key moments.
Create content that helps IT employees understand the organization’s strategy, priorities, progress, and impact.
Showcase IT innovation and build excitement about AI, emerging technologies, and new ways of working.
Develop resources to help IT leaders communicate effectively and consistently with their teams.
Partner with HR and IT leadership to support the function’s culture, engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
Align CIO and IT communications with broader WD narratives and priorities in partnership with Strategic Communications.
Partner with Employee Communications and other communications colleagues to connect IT priorities to enterprise communications.
Collaborate with Public Relations, Marketing, HR, and other functions to support CIO visibility and thought leadership.
Build trusted relationships across IT and the broader enterprise to drive alignment and effective execution.
Assess communications effectiveness using engagement metrics, stakeholder feedback, and other relevant measures, and use insights to improve.
Leverage AI-enabled tools and modern communications technologies to enhance content development, planning, measurement, and team productivity.

Benefits

Paid vacation time
Paid sick leave
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Life insurance
Accident insurance
Disability insurance
Flexible spending and health savings accounts
Employee assistance program
Voluntary supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity programs
Tuition reimbursement
Transit benefits
Applause Program
Employee stock purchase plan
WD Savings 401(k) Plan
Potential eligibility for bonuses under the Short Term Incentive Plan or Sales Incentive Plan
Potential eligibility for the annual Long-Term Incentive program, which may include restricted stock units or cash equivalents
Potential restricted stock unit awards for eligible new hires