At Disney, we‘re storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. We do this through utilizing and developing cutting-edge technology and pushing the envelope to bring stories to life through our movies, products, interactive games, parks and resorts, and media networks. Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers unparalleled creative content to audiences around the world.
The Corporate Innovation team at The Walt Disney Company is a highly visible corporate team of professionals who act as in-house consultants/strategists responsible for the identification, analysis, development and execution of corporate innovation initiatives. Specific activities include developing data-driven hypotheses, strategies, and tactics to develop new businesses; identifying, evaluating and negotiating equity investments; managing a portfolio of current investments; incubating or accelerating potential new businesses, assessing emerging market opportunities and fostering innovation within and across TWDC’s businesses. The team’s activities and accomplishments have contributed to the global strategy and success of The Walt Disney Company across its business units: Studio Entertainment, Media Networks, Direct-to-Consumer International, and Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products.
Responsibilities :
Key responsibilities include identifying and pursuing new business opportunities and managing the company’s portfolio and overseeing and participating in day-to-day operations of the Disney Accelerator program.
Innovation:
- Lead evaluation of industry research on technologies and markets with the potential to impact and/or disrupt the future of media and entertainment
- Access and analyze critical technologies that impact the media and entertainment business globally
- Define and analyze critical new business development opportunities for the company
- Develop ideas for new businesses and pursue resulting opportunities
- Develop business plans for new corporate innovation ventures
- Work with senior corporate and business unit executives to promote innovation initiatives
- Develop and manage relationships with leading venture capital firms and entrepreneurs in the tech world
- Lead assessment and due diligence of potential investments
- Develop and present materials capturing Innovation concepts for senior TWDC execs
Disney Accelerator:
- Actively recruit companies through personal network and leads for participation in the Disney Accelerator
- Negotiate structured deals for investment and act as a business development champion for those investments
- Lead due diligence process covering financials, management, product and market opportunity for each investment
- Coordinate execution of legal documentation with Disney legal
- Serve as day-to-day liaison/point between Disney and portfolio companies
- Work closely with TWDC execs to support ongoing business development with startups (e.g., capture and monitor next steps, facilitate conversations, track progress)
- Brief and debrief Disney executives and the Disney Accelerator companies throughout the program (recording, synthesizing and maintaining learnings)
- Manage current business development with Disney Accelerator companies (past and present)
Basic Qualifications :
- 8 -10 years of work experience in corporate, investment banking, consulting, venture capital, or technology
- Expertise with entertainment/media or Internet/digital technology businesses
- Innovative/creative problem solver and a driver of change
- Experience in executing investment transactions
- Strong analytics, financial modeling skills
- Must possess strong strategic and analytical skills comined with solid business and financial acument
- Must have strong communication skills
- Self-starter with ability to work in a fast-paced, highly entrepreneurial environment
- Familiarity with working in or with large organizations
- Must be able to interact with all levels of management
- Charismatic, dynamic leader and effective manager, who leads by example. Must be an excellent team player that possesses solid interpersonal and organizational skills
- Excellent communicator in both oral and written settings
- Ability to demonstrate intelligence, strategic sense and personal strength by articulating a merit-based, convincing point of view
- High energy level; strong work ethic. Self-driven, independent thinker
- Results-oriented, decisive
- Self confident and able to act on constructive feedback
- 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
- Creativity, adaptability, tenacity, a sense of urgency and a hands-on orientation
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ability to define a clear vision and motivate executives to embrace new technologies
- Demonstrated diplomatic courage and strong influencing capabilities with executive interactions
- Demonstrated strong communication skills (written and verbal) and experienced in delivering executive presentations
- Proven ability to influence decisions
- Proven quantitative, analytical and planning skills
- Proven ability to effectively lead teams and partners through change
- Demonstrated success in understanding and presenting complex business issues and identifying creative solutions
- Ability to positively confront issues and resolve conflict with sound judgment
- Ability to lead, integrate and manage work vertically and horizontally across all Disney BU’s
- Excellent project management skills that lead to efficient, effective, and successful execution of project plans
- Position must be available for limited travel domestically
- Familiarity with TWDC lines of business
Required Education :
- B.S. in Business, Computer Science or equivalent
If interested, please apply here.
