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Sr Distribution Operations Manager

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Job ID 10089748 Location Glendale, California, United States / Burbank, California, United States Business Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology Date posted Jun. 14, 2024

Job Summary:

Department/Group Overview:

On any given day at Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology, we’re reimagining ways to build magical viewing experiences for the world’s most beloved stories while also transforming Disney’s media business for the future. Whether that’s evolving our streaming and digital products in new and immersive ways, powering worldwide advertising and distribution to enhance flexibility and efficiency, or delivering Disney’s unmatched entertainment and sports content, every day is a moment to make a difference to partners and to hundreds of millions of people around the world.

A few reasons why we believe you’d love working for Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology

  • Building the future of Disney’s media business: DE&E Technologists are building the infrastructure that will power Disney’s media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come.

  • Reach & Scale: The products and platforms this group builds and operates delight millions of consumers every minute of every day – from Disney+ and Hulu, to ABC News and Entertainment, to ESPN and ESPN+, and much more.

  • Innovation: We develop and implement groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms and improve how audiences experience sports, entertainment & news.

Content Operations is ultimately responsible for successfully delivering Disney’s entertainment and sports content to millions of people every day. This involves developing, operating, and running a global content supply chain – the myriad of steps involved from taking a finalized TV show/movie, or live piece of content, from inside Disney to audiences around the globe, in their preferred language and format. This team also handles technology operations in Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Job Summary:

The role encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities aimed at ensuring the smooth operation and optimization of schedules across multiple platforms. This includes supervising research, planning, validation, and publication activities for prominent platforms such as Disney+, Hulu, Broadcast, EST, SVOD, and others. Negotiating and providing regular updates to essential team members is a crucial aspect of this role, demanding adept problem-solving skills and a broad perspective to identify effective solutions. Furthermore, the role extends to leading functional teams or projects, serving as a valuable resource for standard processes and quality assurance while building and maintaining relationships with internal clients, particularly with Global Content Planning.

Collaboration and coordination are central to this role as the individual serves as a liaison with regional teams, fostering strong relationships with Distribution Operations and local programming teams. They take charge of projects or accounts characterized by significant resource requirements, risk factors, and complexity, including budget forecasting. Their leadership extends to driving the execution and delivery of multiple high-profile accounts, often categorized as Tier 0 clients, where effective communication of deadlines and expectations across functional teams is paramount. Moreover, they possess an interest in innovation, regularly identifying and proposing creative solutions to sophisticated problems, and communicating these to the senior executive team for consideration.

Operating across diverse territories including US/CA, EMEA, APAC, LATAM, China, and India, the individual performs extensive research across all inventories, systems, and tools used for servicing operations. They orchestrate sophisticated localization efforts for foreign language dub audio and subtitles while handling Tier 0 clients (global platforms) as well as Tier 1 clients (domestic platforms) and Tier 2 clients (local/territory platforms). Their capacity to supervise large volumes of orders weekly, exceeding 500, underscores their pivotal role in ensuring efficient content localization and servicing across various platforms and regions.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:

  • Handling Forecast, Planning, and Internal Client Communications

  • Leading high-profile projects/orders and executive reporting

  • Running performance metrics

  • Handling collaborator relationship

Required Education, Experience/Skills/Training:

Basic Qualifications

  • Experience with handling high profile projects with minimum guidance (7+ years).

  • Required Education: Bachelor’s degree or from an accredited institution or equivalent experience.

  • Ability to conduct sophisticated work important to the organization and contribute to measurable team and/or organizational objectives that are largely operational.

  • Considered well developed and highly skilled and proficient in leading content distribution related projects with minimum guidance.

  • Ability to operate optimally in ambiguity and a willingness to adjust as needed.

  • Critical thinking and the ability to focus on long-term scalability and growth of the business.

  • Clear written and verbal communication and proven facilitator.

  • Communicates Optimally developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.

  • A collaborative spirit, especially when getting things done, and a high degree of comfort communicating with executive level business partners.

  • Decision Quality, ability to make good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.

  • Ability to dissect workflows and make tool recommendations that lead to more efficient and effective processes.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Cultivates Innovation, ability to create new and better ways for the organization to be successful.

  • Familiarity with production and post-production workflows and UHD, HDR, and Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos technologies.

  • Ability to question the way we do things and recommend alternative solutions that drive impact for the business.

  • Comfortable using various data management systems and tools (e.g. Google and Microsoft suites, Smartsheet, Airtable, & Tableau).

  • Thorough understanding of data security standard processes a plus.

  • A personal affinity for the brands and franchises of The Walt Disney Company.


The hiring range for this position in Burbank, CA and Glendale, CA is $111,900 to $136,700 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

About Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology:

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Technology (DE&E Technology) provides the technological backbone and product development for Disney’s two media business units, while helping to keep the company at the vanguard of innovation – enabling the Company to continuously leverage technology to enhance storytelling and creativity, while delivering scalability, flexibility, and efficiency for its businesses.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Disney Streaming Technology LLC, which is part of a business we call Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology.

Disney Streaming Technology LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION FOR EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS

The Walt Disney Company and its Affiliated Companies are Equal Employment Opportunity employers and welcome all job seekers including individuals with disabilities and veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or apply for a position, email Candidate.Accommodations@Disney.com with your request. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or correspondence. We will only respond to those requests that are related to the accessibility of the online application system due to a disability.

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Global Opportunities

US & Canada

The Walt Disney Company entertains, informs and inspires people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.

LATAM

The Walt Disney Company Latin America is the leading family entertainment company in Latin America and has been present in the region since the 1940’s when Walt Disney traveled to Brazil, Argentina and Peru.

EMEA

Disney EMEA aims to drive growth, innovation and brand affinity across an extremely diverse collection of countries with a team of over 6,000 employees operating in 59 markets with offices in 29 countries.

India

The Walt Disney Company entertains, informs and inspires people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.

APAC

For over 70 years, The Walt Disney Company has been entertaining consumers in Asia Pacific – and enriching people’s lives. Today’s consumer can discover new branded experiences in many ways and in many markets across the APAC region.

nighttime view of the Spaceship Earth attraction at Walt Disney World in Florida

The Walt Disney Company is a global community of unparalleled storytellers, creative minds, and innovative technologies, with offices located across the globe.

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