[Hiring] Senior Sales Manager, AI Datacenter, Cloud & HPC @Western Digital

Role Description

This role is core to Western Digital’s AI Datacenter growth strategy, sitting at the intersection of AI infrastructure build‑outs, cloud platforms, High Performance Computing (HPC), and data‑intensive enterprise environments.

The Senior Sales Manager, AI Datacenter, Cloud & HPC is a quota‑carrying individual contributor responsible for translating strategic platform wins and AI datacenter pursuits into scalable, repeatable revenue across the U.S. channel ecosystem.

This role is designed for a seller who already operates at the level of:

• Architecture‑driven solution selling
• Cloud and AI infrastructure GTM
• Multi‑party, ecosystem‑led deals

It requires comfort selling alongside Business Development, technical leaders, SIs, OEMs, and cloud partners, while maintaining rigorous ownership of forecasting, pipeline, and close execution.

Organizational Alignment

• Reports to: Director of Channel Sales – Datacenter & Enterprise
• Works in close partnership with: Director of Business Development – Storage Platforms & AI Datacenter

This pairing intentionally mirrors the market:

• Business Development: new customer acquisition, AI platform attach, ecosystem strategy, and top‑of‑funnel creation
• Senior Sales Manager (this role): commercial execution, partner‑led GTM, deal progression, and revenue realization

Together, these roles pursue the same AI, cloud, and HPC segments, but with a clear separation of strategic creation vs. sales execution.

What You Will Own

• Revenue, Quota & Execution Leadership
  • Own and deliver quota‑based revenue for WD Datacenter Hard Drives and Storage Platforms across AI, cloud, HPC, and enterprise workloads.
  • Drive complex, multi‑stakeholder deals from qualification through negotiation and close.
  • Convert design‑wins, reference architectures, and platform attachments into predictable revenue streams.
  • Build territory and account plans aligned to:
    • AI datacenter buildouts
    • Neo‑Cloud expansion
    • Cloud service providers (CSPs) and GPU cloud ecosystems
    • HPC modernization initiatives
• Channel‑Led GTM & Ecosystem Selling
  • Execute through systems integrators, OEMs, distributors, and cloud‑adjacent service providers.
  • Lead co‑sell and joint pursuit motions with partners aligned to AI infrastructure and cloud consumption models.
  • Work closely with Channel Marketing and BD to:
    • Drive enablement on AI‑relevant architectures
    • Support GTM campaigns and partner readiness
    • Influence partner prioritization of WD platforms
  • Position WD as a strategic component of AI and cloud infrastructure, not a commodity supplier.
• Datacenter HDD, Platform & Capacity‑Led Solutions
  • Lead sales for WD’s Datacenter HDD portfolio, including high‑capacity, SMR, and AI‑data‑lifecycle‑aligned solutions.
  • Position HDDs as foundational infrastructure supporting:
    • Tiered storage
    • Object and data lake architectures
    • Checkpointing, training data, inference data, and archival
  • Sell Storage Platforms as part of validated architectures, not stand‑alone products.
  • Support design‑in, POCs, and customer evaluations with BD and technical teams.
• Software‑Defined Storage & Architecture‑Led Selling
  • Confidently position WD hardware within software‑defined storage and cloud‑adjacent ecosystems, including:
    • Object storage
    • Distributed file systems
    • Data lake and AI data platforms
  • Translate AI, ML, and HPC workload requirements into clear hardware + SDS alignment.
  • Support adoption of reference architectures, blueprints, and validated designs.
  • Help partners convert architectural value into repeatable sales motions.
• Cross‑Functional & Executive Engagement
  • Operate comfortably alongside:
    • Business Development leaders
    • Partner executives
    • Customer infrastructure and cloud teams
  • Serve as a trusted commercial counterpart in advanced AI datacenter and cloud pursuits.
  • Represent WD at industry events, partner forums, and customer briefings tied to active deals.
• Forecasting, Pipeline & Operating Discipline
  • Maintain high‑confidence pipeline, forecast accuracy, and deal hygiene.
  • Track design‑win stages, platform adoption, and revenue milestones.
  • Use data‑driven insights to prioritize partners, opportunities, and investment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in datacenter, cloud, AI infrastructure, or enterprise technology sales.
• Proven success in quota‑carrying roles managing complex, consultative sales cycles.
• Experience working closely with:
  • Business Development
  • Strategic partnerships
  • GTM and ecosystem teams
• Strong channel orientation with SIs, OEMs, distributors, and cloud‑aligned partners.

Requirements

• Direct exposure to AI infrastructure, HPC, or cloud data platforms.
• Experience selling solution stacks (hardware + software + services), not point products.
• Comfort engaging with customers and partners on:
  • Cloud infrastructure models (IaaS, hybrid, GPU cloud)
  • AI data lifecycle requirements
  • Storage economics and TCO at scale
• Background working with:
  • Large Sis, OEMs, ODMs, VARs, VADs
  • Storage, cloud, or AI ecosystems
• Ability to articulate GTM strategy, not just the deal.

Skills

• Architecture‑led solution selling
• Cloud and storage fluency
• Strong partnership and co‑sell instincts
• Strategic account planning
• Executive‑level communication
• Forecast rigor and operating discipline
• Ability to operate at the intersection of Sales and Business Development

Benefits

• 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 benefits
  • Employee stock purchase plan
  • WD Savings 401(k) Plan