Mgr Technical Program Management

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology

Technology is at the heart of Disney’s past, present, and future. Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology is a global organization of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, data scientists, and more – all working to build and advance the technological backbone for Disney’s media business globally.

The team marries technology with creativity to build world-class products, enhance storytelling, and drive velocity, innovation, and scalability for our businesses. We are Storytellers and Innovators. Creators and Builders. Entertainers and Engineers. We work with every part of The Walt Disney Company’s media portfolio to advance the technological foundation and consumer media touch points serving millions of people around the world. 

Here are a few reasons why we think you’d love working here:

Building the future of Disney’s media: Our Technologists are designing and building the products and platforms that will power our media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come.

Reach, Scale & Impact: More than ever, Disney’s technology and products serve as a signature doorway for fans' connections with the company’s brands and stories. Disney+. Hulu. ESPN. ABC. ABC News…and many more. These products and brands – and the unmatched stories, storytellers, and events they carry – matter to millions of people globally. 

Innovation: We develop and implement groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms, and solve complex and distinctive technical problems.

Job Summary:

The Business Operations team helps guide and articulate technology strategy and research, and is responsible for driving the day-to-day operation of the Product & Technology organization, including: project and portfolio management and tracking; organization-level capital, space, and resource management and allocation; process management; technical incident management; and our administrative and workplace experience support team.

This position would involve managing a team of Technical Program Managers that support our Data Platforms team, responsible for enabling governed & secure data-driven decision making and customer experiences across Disney’s Sports & Entertainment business. Ideal candidates must be highly proactive, detail-oriented, and work on multiple assignments that may span the department autonomously.  They must be capable of clearly communicating schedules, risks, status, and processes to various business and technical audiences. They must partner with technical program and project managers and technical leads outside their area to coordinate schedules and deliverables.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:

Lead a Dynamic Team of Innovators in Technical Program Management:

• Take charge of a talented team of professionals and contractors, driving innovative technical data platforms programs from start to finish—on time, on budget, and always top quality.
• Work closely with fellow program managers to coordinate across multiple tech teams and brands, ensuring seamless project execution and synergy.
• Be both a visionary leader and hands-on problem solver, diving deep into business and technical aspects while shaping overall strategy.
• Understand the architecture and workflows between complex systems across our Data products and services, bridging the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Own and manage program budgets at the Initiative level, ensuring resources are aligned with strategic goals.
• Lead capacity planning and roadmap creation, ensuring your team is set up for success.
• Communicate with confidence across the organization, from day-to-day operations to presenting updates to C-level executives.
• Foster collaboration across teams, improving cross-functional processes while managing key relationships with peers, customers, and vendors.
• Strengthen the partnership with our engineering, product, and operation teams and increase impact and collaboration.
• Exemplify leadership through teamwork, creative problem-solving, and a passion for excellence—always inspiring others to push boundaries and think big.
• Focus on hiring outstanding employees, growing your team as our business impact grows, and developing strong networks of talented people to pull from.
• You are also a program management powerhouse and may be asked to lead key Initiatives by:
  • Developing timelines and managing external dependencies
  • Ensuring transparency in progress, risks, and issue resolution.
  • Share updates through engaging presentations, emails, and direct conversations, keeping everyone aligned on goals.
  • Make sure everyone knows their role, driving accountability and teamwork toward program success.
  • Track key metrics and keep stakeholders informed, making sure your programs run like clockwork.

Required Education, Experience/Skills/Training:

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of 8+ years of experience managing large-scale, strategic programs in a well-established global technology organization.
• 3+ years of technical program management experience (having direct reports).
• Proven track record of delivering large-scale, complex data engineering projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Extensive experience of Agile principles and practices.
• Strong technical background with a focus on data engineering and familiarity with quickly understanding complex systems 

Preferred Qualifications

• Technical background in data engineering or related domains.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities that rely on data to make effective decisions.

Required Education  

• Bachelor’s degree and/or relevant experience

The hiring range for this position in Los Angeles, CA is $152,200 to $204,100 per year, and in Seattle, WA is $159,500 to $213,900 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.