Sr Release Mgmt Analyst

Disney Entertainment & ESPN Product & Technology 

On any given day at Disney Entertainment & ESPN Product & Technology, we’re reimagining ways to create 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 maximize 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 think you’d love working for Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology 

• Building the future of Disney’s media business: DE&E Technologists are designing and 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 execute groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms and enhance how audiences experience sports, entertainment & news. 

The Product & Data Engineering team is responsible for end-to-end development for Disney’s world-class consumer-facing products, including streaming platforms Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, and digital products & experiences across ESPN, Marvel, Disney Studios, NatGeo, and ABC News. The team drives innovation at scale for millions of consumers around the world across Apple, Android, Smart TVs, game consoles, and the web, with our platforms powering core experiences like personalization, search, messaging and data.

Reporting to the Manager, Release Management within Product & Data Engineering, the Sr Release Manager will expand on and centralize Release Management coordination + communication across ESPN/Disney+/Hulu, add rigor around executive escalations/notifications which requires more integration oversight now that we have cross-platform programs vs. platform-based squads. This person will also lead discipline-wide upskilling sessions to ensure release and deployment seamlessness across all ESPN and Streaming programs and initiatives.

Additional Details: Mid-level individual contributor, individual performance and delivery team success will inform growth opportunities within Product & Data Engineering.

What You Will Do: 

• Elevate procedural excellence and execute Release Management plans and processes for the assigned brand/platform.

  ·       Develop and maintain comprehensive release plans, schedules, processes, and documentation in cooperation with cross-functional teams.

  ·       Work with cross-functional teams to identify software release risks and dependencies and take proactive measures to mitigate them.

  ·       Enhance program and release criteria while driving metrics for quality improvements.

• Develop internal training sessions, manage, and maintain onboarding practices to enrich the skill sets of all new hires. 

• Mentor team members of all disciplines to ensure technical and delivery quality. 

• Partner closely across Engineering teams to build innovative systems and improve deliverable efficiency. 

• ·       Regularly communicate platform release progress and updates to all stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment.

  ·       Act as a key integrator across a variety of initiatives to optimize segment operations and boost the efficiency of Product Design, Program Management, and Software Engineering for the assigned brand/platform.

  ·       Leverage data-informed solutions to assess the health of services, deployments, and releases.

  ·       Establish and maintain clear communication structures, systems, and templates to ensure procedural clarity across departments.

  ·       Conduct both tactical and strategic analyses across various business units.

  ·       Mentor team members from diverse disciplines to uphold Release Management best practices and standardized processes.

What You Will Bring: 

Basic Qualifications  

·       Minimum of 3+ years of Release Management experience.

·       Highly effective oral and written communication skills, ability to develop beneficial relationships and networks to achieve results.

·       Superb organization, detail-orientation, and project management skills, with the ability to effectively prioritize and balance short and long-term work streams.

·       Strong presentation and design skills; experience with Keynote, PowerPoint and internal collaboration sites (e.g. Atlassian suite, Office365, etc.).

·       Ability to flex and pivot quickly based on priority shifts and/or changes in workstreams.

·       Solid understanding of program, project, and release management principles.

·       Curiosity and persistence in problem-solving, leveraging available resources prior to requesting help.

·       Strong situational awareness and the ability to foster positive, collaborative interactions.

Preferred Qualifications

·       Change management experience

·       Airtable experience (strongly preferred)

·       Understanding of Disney existing procedures and corporate culture

Required Education  

·       BA/BS Degree or equivalent job experience