Sr Manager, Production Innovation

This is a Full Time Job


The Walt Disney Studios is comprised of large team of creative professionals who produce and acquire live-action and animated motion pictures, direct-to-video content, musical recordings and live stage plays that tell memorable, life-changing stories. Few media and entertainment companies can rival the brands we have the honor of bringing to the world.

As part of the Studio Technology team you'll be joining a group of seasoned, dedicated technologists solving a range of creative problems in innovative ways within an exciting and dynamic industry. We are looking for a Sr. Manager: Production Innovation to join our StudioLAB team: someone who wants to shape the next generation of production technology and directly help drive innovation across our creative cinematic pipelines.

Responsibilities:

Key responsibilities include identifying and pursuing cinematic Production and pipeline innovations, managing some of the group's innovation initiatives, and overseeing and facilitating successful day-to-day production operations of the innovation projects shipping out of the process.

You will be working specifically with Microsoft cloud (Azure) environments and other technologies, and interfacing on a daily basis with VPs in both Innovation and Production Technology for many kinds of live action films and other content in The Walt Disney Studios.

Innovation
• Manage evaluation of industry research on production technologies with the potential to impact and/or disrupt the future of cinematic media and entertainment.
• Develop ideas for new ways of working and pursue resulting opportunities in TWDS live action production: specifically, all forms of production technology and process that can reliably be moved to the cloud and similar cutting edge technology solutions.
• Develop or help develop business planning for new production innovation ideas, solutions, ventures or partnerships; be able to considerably help with, if not lead, Total Cost of Ownership planning for new proposals.
• Lead the development and presentation of materials capturing production innovation concepts for senior TWDC execs. Work with senior corporate and business unit executives to promote production innovation initiatives, ensuring stakeholder buy-in and product take-up.
• Lead, build and pilot solutions through to fully successful ''graduation'' to operational production on live shows.
• Be excellent at keeping everyone: peers, team, leaders and colleagues in other departments and units, appraised of strategy and progress.

Basic Qualifications:

• 8 years of experience in production, consulting, software/product development, or media technology
• 8 plus years of leadership in management of Avid Editorial Systems and other key software solutions in the live action pipeline
• Excellent knowledge of setup and operational process of cloud architecture (with a focus on Microsoft's Azure, though Azure-specific education and training can be provided for a candidate with strong experience elsewhere in AWS or Google Cloud)
• Experience with aspects of implementation, troubleshooting, storage, virtualization, automation, back-up, DR, etc.
• Familiarity with Dell EMC products (Isilon) and HPE (ProLiant ML350)
• Innovative/creative problem solver and an enthusiastic and energetic driver of change. Self-starter with ability to work in a fast-paced, highly matrixed, highly entrepreneurial environment
• Strong strategic and analytical skills, financial modeling skills, cost of ownership planning
• Must have strong communication skills. This is truly key.
• Must be able to interact successfully with all levels of management and executive leadership.
• Charismatic, dynamic, honest leader and effective, kindly manager, who leads by example and with a can-do, growth mindset. Must be an excellent and inclusive team player that possesses solid interpersonal and organizational skills. Must be aware of own biases
• Personal/professional integrity and proven discretion in handling confidential information.
• Ability to work effectively within a rapidly changing organization by influencing others without direct authority for them.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 10-12 years of relevant Studio experience is ideal
• Demonstrated diplomatic courage and strong influencing capabilities with executive interactions. Demonstrated strong communication skills (written and verbal) and experience in delivering executive presentations.
• Proven ability to effectively lead teams and partners through change.
• Ability to positively confront issues and resolve conflict with sound judgment and a kind and constructive demeanor.
• Excellent project and program management skills that lead to efficient, effective, and successful execution of project plans.
• Experience with virtual production systems, LED greenscreening, nCam, realtime content production, game engines, and other cutting edge production solutions.
• Some travel to Redmond, the Bay Area and NYC will be occasionally necessary.

Preferred Education

• B.S. in Business, Computer Science or equivalent.

About The Walt Disney Studios:

For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, Disneynature, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!. Ours is a culture of innovation, inspiration and collaboration that brings together visionary artists, gifted technologists and savvy business minds to conjure up magical entertainment experiences for a global audience.

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 with the following business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. 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 The Walt Disney Studios, which is part of a business segment we call The Walt Disney Studios.

Walt Disney Pictures 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 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.

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