Product Development Operations Lead

This role supports Product Development Operations. The Operations Lead will partner with key internal stakeholders including 3rd party commercialization, Franchise, Creative Design and Product Design to ensure the team is running efficiently and that ways of working and individual projects are managed effectively.

Areas of Responsibility

• Establish timelines and manage projects to meet key milestones based on needs and assets and Product to Market (PTM) calendars.
• Identify and escalate when deliverables are off-calendar in a timely manner.
• Facilitate milestone meetings, employing strategies for effective and strategic meeting management.
• Maintain comprehensive project tracking to monitor and report project progress.
• Reporting and data analysis skills with the ability to analyse and derive data insights, using initiative to deep dive into data to illustrate business performance and present back to key stakeholders.
• Partner with SIP team and studio to manage sensitive assets that are shared with Licensees and various vendors at the delivery process.
• Manage Legal/Business Affairs/Trademark/Music clearance process for product design, ensuring full adherence to brand and compliance guidelines where required.
• Continually evaluate processes to proactively drive efficiencies in ways of working, leveraging systems and technology to improve departmental performance.
• Build relationships with global partners to drive efficiencies and align on and share best practices.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key external partners and internal stakeholders to maximise opportunities and develop efficient ways of working.

Training and Professional Development

• Build links with other TWDC functions to develop broader knowledge of the business
• Operate with integrity, champion change and be a good ambassador for the Walt Disney Company
• Operate as part of an effective and inclusive team by demonstrating an awareness of others; welcoming and valuing unique perspectives and ideas; offering support, sharing knowledge and best practices in order to contribute to overall departmental commitments
• Promote and maintain an inclusive workplace, championing diversity and inclusion and make use of available resources to extend knowledge and best practice.
• Take ownership of your professional development through regular career conversations with your line manager and utilising available resources such as D Learn, instructor-led courses and on the job learning.

Areas of Accountability

• Accountable to Senior Operations Manager
• Accountable for effectively establishing timelines for managing deliverables on projects to meet key milestones based on needs and assets and Product to Market (PTM) calendars.
• Accountable for pulling, analysing and manipulating data to meet business needs.
• Accountable for delivering against annually agreed performance commitments.
• Accountable for cultivating and maintaining productive relationships and collaborating across departments internally and externally.
• Accountable for operating within all legal and compliance parameters.

Experience and Professional Qualifications Required

• Degree-level education in a related field or equivalent work experience .
• Proven project management experience within a creative or design environment .
• Data analyst skills with proven ability to pull, manipulate and present data in support of business KPIs.
• Proven experience of building effective relationships and managing stakeholders within a large, multi-national, matrix organisation.

Skills Required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for internal and external communication.
• Computer literate including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook or Mac OS, and proficiency with data management software programs.
• Strong organisational skills; ability to prioritise projects and tasks.
• Well-developed project management skills with proven ability to plan and implement projects and commercially driven initiatives.
• Strong attention to detail and accurate record-keeping skills.
• Ability to build and foster collaborative partnerships across functions and departments.
• Problem solving skills.
• Ability to think strategically and with a solution-oriented approach.
• Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Flexible and adaptable with demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and deliver from development to implementation in a fast paced environment.
• Proactive and demonstrates strong initiative able to manage day-to-day work-flow with minimal supervision.

Additional Information

• Contribution to ad-hoc projects as the business requires.
• Flexible hours may be required to meet business needs.

Equal opportunity

The Walt Disney Company is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion or belief, sex, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, disability or pregnancy or maternity. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.