Principal Program Manager at Western Digital — San Jose, CA

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

As the Principal of PMO you will play a vital role in developing, prioritizing, aligning, mobilizing, and executing the transformation roadmap for Global Supply Chain. Special emphasis will be on identifying and adopting AI tools across the E2E Supply Chain. Your responsibilities will be to develop a transformation roadmap that entails identify key initiatives, develop business case, prioritize and align with key stakeholders, secure roadmap approval from the leadership, mobilize teams, ensure initiatives are progressing on time with expected impact and report out progress on a regular cadence to confirm progress on Supply Chain transformation. In addition, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to drive improvements, lead the change management, streamline processes, and ensure compliance to enhance financial & business performance.

Core Areas of Accountability

• Supply Chain Strategy & Future Design
• Synthesize supplier and technology roadmaps with Company objectives to shape industry influence.
• Establish a long-term vision for the global supply chain, including network design, tier-2/3+ risk identification, and resiliency frameworks.
• Continuously scan external environment for disruptors (geopolitics, technology, ESG shifts) and integrate foresight into Company supply chain strategy.
• Supply Chain Digital Transformation & AI enablement
• Lead implementation of AI/ML solutions for demand forecasting, inventory optimization, network design, predictive maintenance, and intelligent automation
• Drive end-to-end digitization of supply chain processes using cloud platforms, IoT, control towers, and digital twins
• Own the digital modernization agenda for supply chain (automation, AI, advanced analytics, digital twins, BOTs) with decentralized execution and close partnership & alignment with IT.
• Establish data governance, accessibility, and quality standards to enable advanced decision-making.
• Develop and manage the innovation pipeline, execute change management while ensuring speed and readiness for next-generation supply chain models.

Supplier Relationship & Performance Management

• Own the supplier segmentation framework, report cards, and executive business review cycles.
• Lead supplier engagement forums, innovation summits, and structured events to foster stronger partnerships.
• Drive continuous improvement in supplier performance against cost, resiliency, innovation, sustainability, and performance metrics.
• Define best in class KPIs, establish dashboards and variance analysis, and conduct benchmarking exercise against competitor and adjacent industries

Transformation Program Leadership

• Lead cross-functional transformation programs spanning planning, procurement, logistics, and distribution
• Establish program governance, KPIs, benefits realization tracking, and executive reporting
• Manage third-party technology partners, system integrators, and consulting firms
• Program Management & Governance
• Lead the Supply Chain Program Management Office (PMO) to enforce disciplined execution of strategic initiatives.
• Lead Supply Chain Governance Councils to align priorities, resolve issues, ensure enterprise-wide transparency, and deliver results.
• Standardize KPIs and reporting to measure performance and drive accountability.
• Business Process Improvement & Talent Innovation
• Shape the future of work in supply chain by defining emerging roles, required skills, and digital fluency.
• Improve existing processes for better business results & verify adherence to supply chain processes
• Mentor and develop high-potential leaders to ensure long-term organizational capability.

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, finance, supply chain or a related field (advanced degree preferred).
• Minimum of 0-12+ years of progressive global supply chain leadership experience with proven transformation track record utilizing digital tools.
• Must be a supply chain expert - Strong understanding of end-to-end supply chain processes
• Supply Chain corporate experience coupled with blue chip consulting experience preferred but not mandatory
• Experience in Hi-Tech supply chain preferred but not mandatory
• Deep knowledge and experience in adopting and implementing digital (automation, AI, advanced analytics, digital twins, BOTs) tools in supply chain
• Specific experience deploying AI/ML, advanced analytics, or automation in supply chain environments
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated success influencing at the C-suite level
• Global experience that demonstrates ability to navigate broad cultural & geopolitical environments.
• Demonstrated track record of ability to build and execute strategic plans and articulate vision to others, including executives.
• Proven leadership and team management skills, with the ability to lead a team, drive results, and foster a collaborative work environment.

Skills

• Robust intrinsics: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.
• Strategic Visionary: Can translate complex global trends into actionable supply chain strategies.
• Collaborative Influencer: Proven ability to mobilize diverse stakeholders inside and outside direct reporting lines.
• Change Leader: Skilled at driving change management, adoption, and cultural shift at scale.
• Results-Oriented: Consistently delivers measurable business impact while balancing cost, risk, and sustainability.
• People Developer: Builds high-performing teams, fosters innovation, role models cross organizational partnership, and ensures organizational succession strength.
• Strong program management skills and ability to hold others accountable for deliverables to ensure program plan timelines are successfully met.

Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 9/25/2026 (3 months from posting), although we reserve the right to close the application process sooner if we hire an applicant for this position before the application deadline. If we are not able to hire someone from this role before the application deadline, we will update this posting with a new anticipated application deadline.

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Compensation & Benefits Details

• An employee’s pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to (1) relevant education; qualifications; certifications; and experience; (2) skills, ability, knowledge of the job; (3) performance, contribution and results; (4) geographic location; (5) shift; (6) internal and external equity; and (7) business and organizational needs.
• The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York. This range may be modified in the future.
• If your position is non-exempt, you are eligible for overtime pay pursuant to company policy and applicable laws. You may also be eligible for shift differential pay, depending on the shift to which you are assigned.
• You will be eligible to be considered for bonuses under either WD’s Short Term Incentive Plan (“STI Plan”) or the Sales Incentive Plan (“SIP”) which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance, depending on your role and your performance. You may be eligible to participate in our annual Long-Term Incentive (LTI) program, which consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) or cash equivalents, pursuant to the terms of the LTI plan. Please note that not all roles are eligible to participate in the LTI program, and not all roles are eligible for equity under the LTI plan. RSU awards are also available to eligible new hires, subject to WD's Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
• We offer a 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; the Applause Program; employee stock purchase plan; and the WD Savings 401(k) Plan.
• Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.