Senior Sales Rep, AI Infrastructure & High-Performance Computing (HPC)
22 hours ago
San Jose
Job Description:\n\nCompany 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 This role is core to Western Digital’s AI Infrastructure growth strategy, focused on driving Datacenter HDD and Storage Platform revenue into AI infrastructure build‑outs across High Performance Computing (HPC), National Labs, Sovereign Data, and cloud‑adjacent environments. The Senior Sales Rep, AI Infrastructure & HPC is a quota‑carrying individual contributor who builds and executes territory and account plans, leads partner‑driven pursuits through the U.S. channel ecosystem, and converts platform design‑wins and reference architectures into predictable, repeatable revenue. Coverage model: partner‑first and channel‑led, with direct engagement in priority HPC, National Lab, and Sovereign opportunities alongside SIs/OEMs and end customers. This role is designed for a seller who operates comfortably in architecture‑led, ecosystem selling motions and can translate technical platform value into commercial outcomes through rigorous pipeline, forecast, and close execution.Architecture‑led solution selling across Datacenter HDD and storage platform deploymentsChannel‑led GTM and partner co‑sell motions (SIs, OEMs, distributors, and cloud‑adjacent providers)Complex, multi‑stakeholder deal leadership, from qualification through negotiation and close You’ll sell in close partnership with Business Development and technical leaders, leveraging their architecture, design‑win, and ecosystem expertise, while maintaining clear ownership of the commercial motion, partner execution, opportunity management, forecasting discipline, and revenue delivery. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 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 sellingCloud and AI infrastructure GTMMulti‑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.Reports to: Director of Channel Sales, AI Infrastructure, Enterprise & HPCWorks in close partnership with:Director of Channel Sales, AI Infrastructure & CloudDirector of Business Development, Storage Platforms & AI Datacenter This pairing intentionally mirrors the market:Business Development: provides technical and ecosystem support to the sales motion, driving reference architectures, design‑in/design‑win support, partner enablement, and platform attach guidance to accelerate opportunitiesSenior Sales Rep, AI Infrastructure & HPC (this role): owns territory and account strategy, partner‑led GTM execution, deal progression and close, turning platform wins into predictable, quota‑based revenue Together, these roles cover the same AI infrastructure and HPC segments, with Sales owning the commercial strategy and outcomes, while BD amplifies execution through technical depth, partner alignment, and reusable architectures that speed adoption and attach. Organizational AlignmentReports to: Director of Channel Sales – Datacenter & EnterpriseWorks 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 creationSenior 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. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Revenue, Quota & Execution LeadershipOwn and deliver quota‑based revenue for WD Datacenter Hard Drives and Storage Platforms across HPC, National Labs, and Sovereign Data environmentsDrive complex, multi‑stakeholder deals from qualification through negotiation and closeConvert design‑wins, reference architectures, and platform attachments into predictable revenue streamsBuild and maintain quarterly territory and top‑account plans aligned to the HPC, National Lab, and Sovereign Data landscape (priority accounts, buying centers, partner motions, and close plans)Establish joint pursuit plans with key channel partners (SI/OEM/distributor), including enablement needs, stakeholder maps, and platform attach playsRun a consistent weekly/bi‑weekly operating cadence across active deals (next steps, risks, stakeholder alignment, and close plans) Channel‑Led GTM & Ecosystem SellingExecute through systems integrators, OEMs, distributors, and cloud‑adjacent service providersLead co‑sell and joint pursuit motions with partners aligned to AI infrastructure and cloud consumption modelsWork closely with Channel Marketing and BD to:Drive enablement on AI‑relevant architecturesSupport GTM campaigns and partner readinessInfluence partner prioritization of WD platformsPosition WD as a strategic component of AI and cloud infrastructure, not a commodity supplier Datacenter HDD, Platform & Capacity‑Led SolutionsLead sales for WD’s Datacenter HDD portfolio, including high‑capacity, SMR, and AI‑data‑lifecycle‑aligned solutionsPosition HDDs as foundational infrastructure supporting:Tiered storageObject and data lake architecturesCheckpointing, training data, inference data, and archivalSell Storage Platforms as part of validated architectures, not stand‑alone productsSupport design‑in, POCs, and customer evaluations with BD and technical teams Software‑Defined Storage & Architecture‑Led SellingConfidently position WD hardware within software‑defined storage and cloud‑adjacent ecosystems, including:Object storageDistributed file systemsData lake and AI data platformsTranslate AI, ML, and HPC workload requirements into clear hardware + SDS alignmentSupport adoption of reference architectures, blueprints, and validated designsHelp partners convert architectural value into repeatable sales motions Cross‑Functional & Executive EngagementOperate comfortably alongside:Business Development leadersPartner executivesCustomer infrastructure and cloud teamsServe as a trusted commercial counterpart in advanced HPC and Sovereign cloud pursuitsRepresent WD at industry events, partner forums, and customer briefings tied to active deals Forecasting, Pipeline & Operating DisciplineMaintain high‑confidence pipeline, forecast accuracy, and deal hygieneTrack design‑win stages, platform adoption, and revenue milestonesUse data‑driven insights to prioritize partners, opportunities, and investmentQualifications REQUIRED10+ years in Datacenter, AI infrastructure, HPC or Sovereign Cloud technology salesProven success in quota‑carrying roles managing complex, consultative sales cyclesExperience partnering closely with Business Development, strategic partnerships, and GTM/ecosystem teamsStrong channel orientation with SIs, OEMs, distributors, and cloud‑aligned partners PREFERREDDirect exposure to HPC, National Labs, and/or Sovereign Cloud data platformsFamiliarity navigating regulated procurement and compliance‑driven customer environments (e.g., public sector research, sovereign/regulated data platforms)Experience selling solution stacks (hardware + software + services), not point productsComfort engaging on cloud infrastructure models (IaaS, hybrid, GPU cloud), AI data lifecycle requirements, and storage economics/TCO at scaleBackground working with large SIs, OEMs/ODMs, VARs/VADs, and storage/cloud/AI ecosystems SKILLSArchitecture‑led solution sellingChannel co‑sell and partner influence (SIs/OEMs/distributors)Strategic territory and account planningExecutive‑level communication and stakeholder managementC‑level presentation experienceStrong negotiation and closing skillsKnowledge of datacenter system integration and designGeneral understanding of data center software offeringsForecast rigor, pipeline management, and operating disciplineAbility to partner effectively with BD and technical leaders to accelerate design‑wins and platform adoption What Makes This Role CompellingYou’re selling into AI infrastructure build‑outs, where data growth and capacity demand are acceleratingYou own the commercial motion end‑to‑end, territory planning, partner execution, forecasting, and quota deliveryYou’ll co‑sell with top channel partners (SIs, OEMs, distributors) and enable platform adoption across HPC, National Labs, Sovereign Data, and cloud‑adjacent environmentsAdditional Information 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), age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status (including domestic partnership status), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, protected medical and family care leave, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We also prohibit harassment of any individual on any of the characteristics listed above. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal” poster. Our pay transparency policy is available here. WD thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution. WD is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying. Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 07/28/2026 (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. #LI-VV1 Compensation & Benefits DetailsAn 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 compen