Principal AI Program Manager

Company Description

At WD, 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, WD 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®, and WD_BLACK™.

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, WD 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

WD is seeking a Principal AI Program Manager to lead enterprise-scale AI initiatives across the organization. This role operates at a strategic level, partnering with senior stakeholders to define and execute a comprehensive AI roadmap, while ensuring operational excellence, governance, and measurable business impact.

You will act as a critical bridge between business priorities, technology capabilities, and execution teams—driving alignment, scalability, and value realization across multiple concurrent AI programs.

Essential Duties  & Responsibilities

Strategic Stakeholder Alignment

• Develop and own the enterprise AI roadmap, aligned with corporate priorities and cross-functional stakeholder needs
• Partner with executive leadership to define clear outcomes, success metrics, and timelines for AI initiatives
• Drive alignment across IT, Product, Engineering, and Business functions to ensure cohesive execution
• Translate business objectives into scalable AI-enabled solutions and prioritized programs

Program & Project Execution

• Lead multiple concurrent AI programs from ideation through delivery and adoption
• Establish program structures, milestones, and delivery frameworks across complex initiatives
• Drive execution rigor, risk management, and dependency tracking across cross-functional teams
• Ensure delivery of measurable outcomes, including productivity gains, cost efficiencies, and innovation impact

Governance & Operational Excellence

• Establish and scale program governance frameworks for AI initiatives

Financial Planning & Resource Management

• Develop and manage budgets, including resource allocation, vendor spend, and workforce planning
• Optimize onboarding strategies for FTEs and contingent workers

Operational Excellence

• Implement standardized processes, KPIs, and reporting to ensure program health and performance visibility
• Drive continuous improvement through data-driven insights

Talent Development & Agile Ways of Working

• Champion Agile methodologies and modern delivery practices
• Mentor and grow program managers, engineers, and cross-functional talent
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous learning

AI Technology Enablement

• Maintain strong understanding of AI/ML tools, platforms, and emerging technologies
• Identify and deploy tools that improve productivity, automation, and decision-making across teams

Vendor & Partner Management

• Identify, evaluate, and onboard strategic vendors and partners, including contingent workforce
• Establish frameworks for vendor assessment, interviewing, and selection
• Manage vendor performance, contracts, and deliverables to ensure quality and alignment with business outcomes
• Build scalable partner ecosystems to support AI program delivery

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field
• Deep experience in program management, IT, or technology leadership roles
• Proven experience leading enterprise-scale AI/ML or data-driven initiatives
• Strong track record of managing multiple complex pr