Senior Director, Head of WD Capital

Job description

Western Digital is seeking a Senior Director to lead and own WD Capital, the company's corporate venture capital (CVC) arm. This individual will serve as the primary owner of WD Capital's strategy and execution: managing and adding value to the existing investment portfolio, building a thesis-driven pipeline of early-stage, strategically relevant companies, and leading the full investment lifecycle across sourcing, diligence, structuring, negotiation, closing, and ongoing portfolio governance.

The role requires a rare combination of venture investing experience, technical depth, and the credibility to operate as a trusted partner to business and technical leaders, as well as the executive team.

Portfolio Ownership & Management

• Own the existing WD Capital portfolio end-to-end; monitor performance, support portfolio companies, manage board/observer seats, evaluate follow-on investment decisions, and drive exit and liquidity outcomes.

Pipeline Development

• Build and continuously refresh a thesis-driven pipeline of early-stage companies aligned to Western Digital's strategic and technology priorities.

Investment Thesis Development

• Partner with business leaders, CTO’s office, and Corporate Strategy to develop, test, and evolve investment theses that create strategic value for Western Digital.

Deal Leadership (Soup-to-Nuts)

• Personally lead sourcing, screening, due diligence, valuation, deal structuring, negotiation, and closing for all new investment opportunities.

Executive & Investment Committee Engagement

• Prepare and present investment recommendations, portfolio reviews, and market insights to the Investment Committee and executive leadership.

Ecosystem & Relationship Building

• Cultivate a strong network across the venture ecosystem (investors, institutional VCs, founders, and accelerators) to ensure strong deal flow and syndicate access.

Program Strategy & Governance

• Define and evolve WD Capital's investment strategy, governance framework, and operating processes; establish WD Capital as a best-in-class CVC program.

Market & Technology Intelligence

• Track startup, technology, and competitive landscape trends relevant to Western Digital's markets and translate them into actionable investment and strategic insights.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Work closely with Legal, Finance, Corporate Strategy, and Business leadership to align investments with corporate objectives and ensure disciplined execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline required (e.g., Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or related field).
• 12+ years of relevant experience spanning venture capital and/or corporate venture capital, with direct experience having led or built a corporate venture capital program or fund.
• Prior experience working within an institutional venture capital fund (e.g., as an investor progressing through Associate, Principal, or Partner-track roles).
• Demonstrated track record independently sourcing, evaluating, negotiating, and closing early-stage technology investments from start to finish.
• Experience managing a portfolio of venture investments, including board/observer responsibilities and follow-on/exit decision-making.
• Strong financial modeling, valuation, and deal structuring skills, with sound judgment on risk and strategic fit.
• Deep familiarity with technology sectors relevant to Western Digital (storage, semiconductors, data infrastructure, AI/ML infrastructure, or adjacent deep tech domains).
• Executive presence and strong written/verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to senior leadership, investment committees, or boards.
• Established network and credibility within the venture capital and startup ecosystem.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree - MBA, or MS/PhD in a technical field.
• Prior board director or board observer experience with venture-backed companies.
• Experience building or scaling a CVC function within a large technology or industrial company.

Familiarity with Western Digital's core markets

• storage, flash/NAND, data infrastructure, and related ecosystems.

Strategic thinking

• connects emerging technology and startup landscape to corporate strategy.

Deal leadership

• drives complex, multi-stakeholder transactions to closure with rigor and speed.

Ownership & autonomy

• operates as the accountable owner of the CVC function.

Relationship building

• builds trust with founders, co-investors, and internal executive stakeholders.

Analytical rigor

• sound judgment on valuation, risk, and strategic fit. Travel Moderate travel required (estimated 20–30%) for portfolio company engagement, sourcing, and industry events.