Director, Research - Disney+ job at The Walt Disney Studios

Job Description

Job Summary:

It’s the magic of immersing yourself in a motion picture masterpiece, or a new track from your favorite band, or the spectacle of a live Broadway show. It’s hard to define and even harder to create, but that’s what we do at The Walt Disney Studios. Ours is a culture of innovation, collaboration and creativity. We raise the bar, then step over it, blazing trails through the production and distribution of world class entertainment around the globe. If you want to help tell compelling, enduring stories through movies, music or stage plays, then we want to hear from you.

Featuring exclusive original movies, series, short-form and live events and a vibrant catalog that spans classic Disney Animation to the most recent movie releases available to stream on demand, Disney+ will be a global, premium entertainment destination that connects viewers to the great stories of The Walt Disney Company. We’re looking for talented team-player specialists with an entrepreneurial spirit, who thrive upon the incomparable legacy of our company yet embrace unconventional thinking, and who are passionate about contributing to The Walt Disney Company’s direct-to-consumer experience through strategic hard-work and determination.

We are currently seeking a Director, Research that will be embedded within the Disney+ Marketing & Content group. Reporting to the Vice President, Research Business Partner, you will work closely with the Disney+ marketing and content team, directing quantitative and qualitative research initiatives, analyzing and synthesizing data, and ultimately serving as a key strategic consumer and industry advisor to leadership. This is a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of an exciting new high-priority initiative for The Walt Disney Company.

Responsibilities:

Develop a holistic research plan in alignment with the business objectives of Disney+ Marketing and Content Executives
Help build and manage a budget to support the research plan
Deliver strategically actionable insights that drive key decision making
Represent the voice of the consumer, providing thought leadership accordingly
Establish strong day to day working relationships within Disney+ and the Walt Disney Studio
Build and maintain a broad network of peers across the Walt Disney Company insights and analytics organization to harness the vast amount of consumer intelligence and expertise available
Direct quantitative and qualitative research projects from inception to completion, including study design, development of appropriate methodologies, vendor selection, project management, analysis, and report / presentation delivery
Execute consumer research projects to guide marketing efforts (platform/brand and content) as well as inform development, refinement and marketing of new and current Disney+ originals (series and movies)
Conduct and deliver category research to keep the Disney+ marketing and content team current on marketplace trends
Acquire and manage syndicated research products as required to meet the needs of internal stakeholders
Synthesize primary and secondary research to inform marketing and content decision making
Prioritize a multitude of simultaneously occurring research projects
Respond to time sensitive data requests from internal clients
Perform strategic analysis as requested by senior management
Be at the forefront of SVOD industry trends amidst a rapidly changing landscape
Build and maintain relationships with research counterparts from other divisions of The Walt Disney Company as well as external vendors
Stay abreast of current trends and new techniques in the field of market research

Basic Qualifications:

Must have a minimum of 10 years of quantitative and qualitative market research experience
Must have an extensive quantitative and qualitative research background, either supplier-side, client-side, or some combination thereof
Must have entertainment market research experience, with an emphasis on SVOD, TV, and/or in-home content consumption
Must be willing to travel domestically and internationally as needed
Must have exceptional research project management skills
Must have strong multitasking capabilities and the ability to work effectively in an environment of tight deadlines and constant change
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarize ideas and issues to executive management
Strong attention to detail without losing sight of broader objectives
Ability to represent the Vice President, Research Business Partner in key stakeholder meetings
Flexible personality, quick learner and a strong, proactive work ethic
Must be able to work autonomously as well as part of a team, including in a supervisory role
Excellent organizational skills and the ability to meet deadlines
Computer literate with proficiencies in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Keynote

Preferred Qualifications:

International Market Research experience preferred
Experience with TV/SVOD pilot testing and creative ad testing preferred
Confident, self-motivated, and detail oriented
Analytical thinker who enjoys problem-solving
Strong business acumen
Intellectual curiosity and a passion for innovation
Organizational savvy, with the ability to “read a room”
Compelling storyteller
Willing to challenge traditional thinking
Superior social, collaboration, and communication skills
Strong builder of relationships and trust
Passionate consumer of content – SVOD, TV, movies
Familiarity with the brands and franchises of The Walt Disney Company

Required Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Psychology or related field

Preferred Education

MBA or advanced degree in Market Research or Statistics a plus

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 Disney DTC LLC, which is part of a business segment we call The Walt Disney Studios.

Disney DTC LLC 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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