Director, Supply Chain Planning and Capital Chief of Staff and Strategy

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

Role Summary

The Director, Strategy & Chief of Staff is a strategic operator and trusted advisor to the VP of Supply Chain, Capital, and Inventory Planning in a fast‑paced technology environment. This leader drives clarity, prioritization, and execution across a portfolio that supports hardware development, cloud infrastructure growth, digital supply chain systems, and capital-intensive scaling initiatives.

You will help shape long‑term strategy, align cross‑functional teams (Product, Engineering, Finance, Manufacturing, Data/Analytics), and ensure operational excellence across planning cycles. This role is ideal for a high‑capacity, tech‑savvy leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy, operations, analytics, and executive enablement.

Scope

• Supply Chain, Capital, and Inventory Planning for Western Digital’s entire portfolio supporting $12B/year revenue growing at ~20% per year
• 10 Global Factories supporting wafer, Head, Substrate, Media, and final Hard Disk Drive assembly and test
• Four Primary Customer Segments – Cloud, Client, Platforms, and Consumer/Channel

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Technology Enablement

• Co-develop multi‑year supply chain and capital strategies that support hardware launches, global fulfillment, infrastructure scaling, and automation investments.
• Lead strategy formulation for digital supply chain transformation—tools, data platforms, forecasting systems, and end-to-end visibility solutions.
• Evaluate emerging technologies (AI/ML models for demand planning, IoT for inventory tracking, supply chain digital twins) and drive adoption roadmaps.

Chief of Staff Responsibilities

• Serve as the VP’s strategic advisor and operational proxy across both internal and external stakeholder forums.
• Orchestrate operational rhythms such as QBRs, annual planning, OKR cycles, and investment prioritization reviews.
• Ensure alignment between engineering, product, operations, and finance on roadmap dependencies, data needs, and capital allocations.
• Structure decision-making frameworks and eliminate operational friction across teams.
• Work with the VP on the Organizational Strategy, hiring decisions, and talent development

Executive Communication & Storytelling

• Craft narrative-driven, data-backed presentations for C-level, Board, and cross-functional executives.
• Translate operational complexity into simple, strategic insights that guide executive decision-making.
• Represent the VP in leadership meetings, program reviews, vendor engagements, and operational forums as needed.

Cross-Functional Program & Portfolio Management

• Partner with functional leaders on mission‑critical programs such as capacity expansion, dual‑sourcing strategies, supply chain resiliency efforts, and next‑gen planning tool deployments.
• Establish a program management structure to track progress, risks, KPIs, and outcomes across a diverse portfolio of initiatives.
• Build business cases and analytical models that drive investment decisions for cloud infrastructure, hardware supply, and automation.

Operational Excellence in a Scaling Tech Environment

• Design scalable processes that maintain agility—balancing rapid innovation cycles with operational stability and governance.
• Partner with Finance, Engineering, and Product to align capital budgets with technology roadmaps and infrastructure timelines.
• Develop mechanisms for data-driven supply chain decisions—supporting real‑time analytics, cost modeling