Franchise Strategy Manager

About The Role & Team:

Are you passionate about driving consumer-facing product strategies and experiences with direct impact on the Walt Disney World business? Are you a partner-focused standout colleague with a natural curiosity to understand the “why” behind business performance? Do you have a passion for thinking strategically and creatively to deliver unparalleled long-term results?

At Walt Disney World we build memories, and on the Product & Franchise Strategy team you will join a team leading the development and execution of commercial product strategies and initiatives encouraging millions of Guests to experience our Parks and Resorts.

As the Franchise Strategy Manager, you will support Walt Disney World’s growth model, delivering commercial and franchise needs assessments, commercially viable product recommendations, and long-term growth options in partnership with Commercial Strategy, Industrial Engineering, Consumer Insight Measurement & Analytics, Global Development, WaIt Disney Imagineering, and Finance.

The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, inquisitive, confident, self-directed, and comfortable working with and communicating to leaders at all levels in the organization. Come join this outstanding team!

If selected for this role, you will report to the Senior Manager-Franchise Strategy.

This is a Full-Time position.

What You Will Do:

It’s our mission to deliver commercial product strategies rooted in consumer and business analytics and insights, improving long-term profitability and Guest experience. Along with managing these franchise and product strategies, you will help nurture an energizing culture of excellence, inspiration, and ownership.

Every day as a Franchise Strategy Manager is outstanding, challenging, and fulfilling! On any one day you might:

• Contribute to a dynamic and forward-thinking team responsible for driving franchise strategies and experiences, prioritizing multifaceted, often cross-property activations with various key partners, including Park Operations, Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney’s Live Entertainment, Food & Beverage / Merchandise LOBs, Marketing Strategy, and Finance

• Build franchise strategies and present to key clients, partners, and executives to gain approval, tailoring communication to each audience

• Manage the execution and implementation of approved franchise initiatives, independently leading partners, and processes to ensure seamless new product creation and delivery

• Develop Site-wide franchise experience roadmaps based on site audience priorities and associated strategic franchise data and consumer insights, as well as The Walt Disney Company priorities and content slate

• Elevate new, incremental business opportunities related to prioritized franchises and company content across lines of business, by analyzing internal and external trends, performing comprehensive market assessments to evaluate competitive positioning, and articulate value drivers

• Collaborate across the entire Commercial Strategy organization, including Product Strategy, Marketing Strategy, Customer Experience, and Pricing, as well as key franchise and content partners across the company ensuring comprehensive, vetted recommendations

• Support the development of franchise input for Walt Disney World Guest experience investments enhancing future audience relevancy and addressing consumer needs supporting Disney differentiation and long-term business goals

• Analyze franchise data and seek out new ways to identify franchise insights supporting strategies and experience recommendations

• Participate in large cross-functional forums as a catalyst for change and champion for Franchise Strategy alignment contributing inputs and providing solution oriented opportunities to further bolster short- and long-term initiatives supporting planned Site growth

• Effectively prioritize projects in a fast-paced environment with the proven track record to clearly define and articulate the objectives and vital steps to move forward sophisticated bodies of work

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• At least three years of proven experience in business development, strategy, consulting, franchise, brand management, finance, marketing, innovation, or digital product management

• An entrepreneurial spirit with business development and product strategy experience

• Strong financial and analytical savvy with the ability to lead sophisticated work within a matrix organization producing long term strategies and delivering profitable initiatives

• Proactively identify business risks and opportunities, creating a plan to substantiate planned revenue growth

• Experience developing cohesive, succinct, and actionable strategies using disparate and sophisticated consumer-led insights from cross-functional sources

• High emotional intelligence with a proven track record to build strong partnerships and deliver results across various teams while integrating diverse perspectives, oftentimes with a need to influence without formal ownership

• A gift for translating complex problems into sophisticated solutions, articulating compelling stories, both verbal and written, with the ability to deliver presentations with poise, confidence, and authentic style to senior executive leaders

• Proven track record to manage a large volume of vital work effectively and efficiently, prioritizing continually to ensure business results are achieved

• Have eye for business working with P&L, capital projects, annual operating plans, and interpreting & communicating data

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous travel and / or hospitality industry experience in a strategic role

• Knowledge of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts products and experiences

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Industrial Engineering, Marketing, or other quantitative field or equivalent

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree or MBA

Additional Information:

Benefits and Perks: Disney offers a rewards package to help you live your best life. This includes health and savings benefits, educational opportunities and special extras that only Disney can provide. Learn more about our benefits and perks at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.

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