Manager, People Performance Programs

Company Description

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.

Job Description

We are looking for a highly collaborative performance and talent development specialist who is interested in delivering an enterprise performance management experience that builds high performing teams and fosters a culture of innovation at WD. This position reports to the Director of Performance in Talent Development and Inclusion and will partner with a variety of stakeholders and subject matter experts across the company to deliver year-round performance programming, where performance and development are managed continuously.

This is a perfect opportunity if you are looking to be a part of a team that is developing new, future-forward talent development programs, and are eager to take on new opportunities and challenges with curiosity and enthusiasm in a dynamic environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Deliver year-round performance process from inception to execution, including goals, mid-year check-ins, year-end performance reviews, assessments and calibrations, that is in alignment with organizational goals and WD Culture.
• Develop digital and AI program content and tools that are self-directed and build critical capabilities among our employees and managers to understand and take ownership of managing performance continually, using best practices and frameworks
• Develop content and facilitate in-person and virtual education sessions to prepare managers and employees to be accountable to their responsibilities in the performance process and to practice goal setting, assessment, and coaching and feedback techniques to drive performance improvement
• Partner with HR business partner teams to identify functional and regional needs and to augment/localize performance resources as needed to build understanding and drive adoption  
• Define and deploy measurement tactics, including data analysis and visualization, to identify audience needs and show effectiveness of performance program and adoption initiatives, partnering with People Analytics when needed
• Develop assets for change management initiatives to support performance and development adoption
• Ensure that year-round performance management programming elements deliver consistent and fair performance outcomes that fully recognize an employee’s contributions and minimize bias
• Establish strong cross-functional relationships to continuously collect the voice of the business and voice of the employees to be incorporated into our performance and development strategy and experiences

Qualifications

Required:

• 5-10 years experience in Talent Development function at a global company
• Master’s degree in HR, Instructional Design, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development or related field preferred
• Proven experience in:
  • Building performance and development experiences and resources that drive measurable behavioral change
  • Displaying technical prowess, including literacy in software and learning platforms similar to Workday, Cornerstone, and AI fundamentals
  • Ideating, creating, and delivering modern talent experiences as part of a larger AI-driven learning transformation
  • Using a consultative approach to translate employee needs into engaging resources
  • Managing projects with the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines and measure progress and success against competing priorities
• Demonstrates key skillsets and mindsets:
  • Strong analytics, communications, and presentation skills  
  • Working in a global, corporate environment (cultural intelligence)
  • Goal-oriented, proactive, accountable, and passionate about driving business-driven outcomes
  • Uses a design-thinking and data-driven approach to decision-making
  • Challenges the status quo to move beyond traditional ways of doing things
  • Maintains a positive attitude and forward-thinking approach despite challenges
  • Embraces continual, lifelong learning
  • Actively seeks out industry research and benchmarking
  • Ability to manage the uncertainty of change and work in an agile environment
  • Can influence without authority
  • A peer coach with strong connection to team

Additional 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 jobs.accommodations@wdc.com 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 11/25/26, 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.

Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer of employment. Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to WD Ethics Helpline or email compliance@wdc.com.