Communications Manager-Product & Engineering

WD is building the infrastructure behind the AI-driven data economy. As AI scales, so does data. Every interaction, every model, every system generates data that must be stored, managed, and made accessible over time. That’s where we come in. We combine deep engineering expertise with global-scale manufacturing to deliver the storage systems that make AI possible, powering hyperscale data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure worldwide. This isn’t theoretical work. It’s real systems, at real scale, people solving some of the hardest challenges in technology today. We’re looking for people who want to build, solve, and operate at that level. Join us and let’s shape the future of data. The Communications Manager is an embedded communications partner for WD’s Product and Engineering org. You will design and deliver employee-facing communications that keep engineers, product teams, and technical leaders aligned to strategy, connected to culture, and ready for change—operating with speed and rigor in a complex, innovation-led environment.  You’ll report to the Director, Strategic Communications — Product & Engineering, who owns end-to-end strategic communications for the product org (executive comms, external narrative, enterprise alignment).   You operationalize and activate that strategy at the org level, owning channels, cadences, campaigns, and leader support for the P&E organization.  Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Communication Strategy & Planning  Build and execute the P&E internal communications strategy and calendar aligned to WD’s product roadmap, operating model, and growth priorities.  Translate corporate and product strategy into clear, employee-ready narratives for technical audiences.  Own communications intake, prioritization, and sequencing for P&E, balancing urgency, impact, and employee capacity to ensure clarity and reduce noise.  Leader Advisory & Executive-Ready Content  Draft and ghostwrite org‑wide emails, updates, narratives, Q&As, and presentations for P&E leaders, often working from high‑level inputs and shaping them into clear, employee‑ready content.  Coach leaders on tone, clarity, and cadence to strengthen credibility and trust.  Content Creation & Writing  Write, edit, and publish high‑quality employee‑facing content across multiple formats, including org‑wide emails, articles, newsletters, messaging, narratives, and campaign materials.  Serve as a hands‑on writer for the P&E organization with a focus on —owning first drafts and final copy, not just review or approvals.  Translate complex product, engineering, and operating model topics into clear, engaging, and accessible stories for technical and non‑technical audiences alike.  Channel & Event Management  Act as editor-in-chief for P&E channels (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, newsletters), ensuring message discipline and reduced noise.  Maintain a consistent cadence of written communications that keeps P&E employees informed, aligned, and engaged—balancing clarity, brevity, and narrative coherence.  Produce, project manage and run the P&E All Hands/Ask Me Anythings, including content, logistics, delivery and follow up.  Change & Transformation Communications  Lead communications for P&E change (reorgs, mechanism rollouts, operating model shifts), connecting the “what/why/so what” to business outcomes.  Partner tightly with HR, and program leads to plan sequencing and ensure a successful campaign.  Proactively identify emerging issues, points of employee confusion, or change risks within P&E; surface insights and recommendations to leaders to enable timely, confident action.  Storytelling, Culture & Engagement  Source and elevate stories about product milestones, engineering innovation, and culture moments that show how our values come to life (Customers, Results, Connection, Excellence, Innovation).    Share product stories across WD to showcase innovation, strengthen company-wide understanding of our roadmap and deepen connection to our mission and values.  Measurement & Insights  Set targets and analyze channel/event metrics, pulse feedback, and sentiment; recommend improvements that increase reach, comprehension, and action.  Partnership & Governance  Serve as a connector between Strategic Comms, P&E leadership, HR, Internal Comms and Corporate Comms, and program teams to maintain alignment with WD’s broader narrative, mission, and brand standards.   What You’ll Bring  Required  8+ years in employee/internal communications (or adjacent roles) with proven success in complex, technical organizations.  Exceptional writing and editing skills; ability to translate engineering/product topics into clear, human centered messages.  Demonstrated experience planning and executing change communications across large, distributed teams.  Strong stakeholder management and consultative skills; confident advising senior leaders and pushing back with data and rationale.  Channel operations experience (SharePoint, Teams/Slack, newsletters, town halls); strong slides/story design in PowerPoint.  Program/project management rigor and high attention to detail.  Preferred  Fluency in the software/hardware product lifecycle, and data‑center/cloud ecosystems.  Familiarity with the role data storage plays in AI.  Experience building measurement frameworks for internal communications (reach, engagement, comprehension, action).  WD is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth), ag