Manager, Digital Forecasting (Disney Entertainment)

The Entertainment Forecasting team sits in the middle of business analytics and strategy by forecasting viewership across Primetime, Cable, News and Syndicated platforms and currencies (i.e.- linear and digital). This provides the business with targets in support of monetization, strategic consultation around programming, new measurement and risk planning. The team works across many stakeholders, providing a unique view of the business. 

The Manager of Forecasting on the Disney Entertainment (DE) Research, Insights & Analytics team will lead a group of business analysts that will be responsible for full scale execution of the forecast workflow. This will include data ingestion QA to working with the science team on specific models on the front end. This forecast process includes short (current quarter/current year) and long term (next year, 5-year, 10 year) forecasts as well as tactical (deal specific) and strategic/ad-hoc analysis across a number of different business units and distribution end points. This person needs to be able to balance the art and science of forecasting to identify user consumption patterns, short- and long-term trends, emerging insights, data anomalies, while understanding contextual drivers and make strategic recommendations to Sr leadership. These forecasts will be in support of the DTCI P&L’s for digital.

The Digital Forecasting Manager will be responsible for building strong partnerships across multiple segments and cross-functionally with stakeholders across digital product and ad tech, ad sales, finance, distribution, programming and marketing. They will partner with other leaders in Disney Entertainment to ensure knowledge sharing, transparency and help in setting KPI standards and cross-functional communication.

Responsibilities:

• Leadership: We are looking for a proven leader who has a demonstrated past of leading successful projects, setting priorities, and driving initiatives in a fast-paced environment. We are looking for a leader who is results oriented and relationship driven, can motivate a variety of different teams and functional positions, and can effectively communicate complex initiatives/trends/data issues to internal/external stakeholders.

• Deep-Dive Analysis: Analyze user behavioral data to identify patterns, uncover opportunities, and create common understanding of how people are interacting with the platform and content. With the ability to tie these granular trends back to broader Entertainment portfolio and industry stories by connecting dots and trends that otherwise go unnoticed.

• Forecasting/Modeling: Collaborate with analytics teams by leveraging statistical and machine learning to measure and project a user’s engagement with the Disney platforms across many KPI’s. Drive changes to the science in the forecast that will enhance the forecast accuracy.

• Partnership: Partner closely with business stakeholders to identify and unlock opportunities, and with other data teams to improve platform capabilities around data modeling, testing platforms, and data visualization.

• Data Quality: As a subject matter expert on internal/external data sources, ensure anomalies/bugs are escalated and if needed workarounds developed to ensure the data is as clean as possible, as these KPI’s will become the source of truth for various groups. 

• Operations: Execute viewership and supply models to support the corporate forecast cycle, scenario planning and content analysis.

• Analyze usage metrics and user behaviors behind content consumption, conduct frequent and ongoing viewership and market analysis to inform strategy and highlight risks and opportunities to the business.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years analytical experience preferably within the entertainment industry.

• Minimum m 1 year experience leading/supervising a team a team successfully.

• Minimum of 5-year experience in forecasting, scenario planning, modeling.

• Exceptional Excel and PPT skills with an ability to create a narrative and persuade partners.

• Experience with data visualization tools. (Tableau, Looker, Microstrategy)

• Strong analytic skills, high attention to detail and accuracy in a high-paced ambiguous environment either in a team setting or independently.

• Must live within a commutable distance to our office located at 925 4th Ave, Seattle WA. (This role is onsite and requires someone in office 4+ days a week)

• Excellent verbal and written skills with an effortless ability to tailor messages for different audiences; proficient in delivering prepared presentations to executives.

• Passionate about entertainment, TV and technology with a deep knowledge of the evolution of the digital/media industries.

• Strong organizational and time management skills; ability to prioritize, multi-task and work with multiple managers on a variety of projects.

• Reliable; resourceful; pro-active in approach to questions, looks for solutions and information in creative ways.

• Flexible; embrace new assignments with a can-do attitude; will seek out opportunities to contribute without being asked.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge and understanding of online advertising metrics as well as web analytics (Adobe Analytics, an ad serving platform, etc.) is a plus.

• An understanding of online metrics including impressions, page views, episode starts and their relationship to each other is a plus.

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree is required, ideally in a quantitative field.

Preferred Education:

• Master’s degree is a plus.

The hiring range for this position in Seattle, WA is $119,200 to $159,800 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.