ASSOCIATE COSTUME DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (Project Hire/Internal Assignment)

Disney Live Entertainment; Anaheim (CA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 97,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Education opportunities

Bonus/long-term incentives

Job summary

Disney Live Entertainment in Anaheim, CA is seeking an Associate Costume Development Manager to lead costume design and development projects from planning to delivery. This role interfaces with executives to hourly union cast and reports to the Senior Manager - Costume Design & Development.

This position is a Project Hire / Internal Assignment with potential for permanent placement and requires leading scope, timelines, budgets, and design reviews while balancing cost and quality.

Qualifications

• At least one year of experience in garment-based product development and leading project teams.
• Ability to use financial systems to coordinate project budgets and health.
• Experience delivering compelling, accurate presentations.
• Skill in selecting textiles based on end-use requirements and textile properties.
• Knowledge of garment construction and fabrication processes.
• Experience communicating with diverse collaborators, written and verbal.
• Willingness to work weekends, nights, and holidays as needed.
• Valid Passport or willingness to obtain one.
• Willingness to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Lead project planning: scope, content, timeline, and financials.
• Support creative development to define scope and ROM estimates.
• Coordinate project execution: buyers, work orders, priorities, design reviews.
• Balance cost, quality, and timeliness to meet targets.
• Ensure design intent aligns with manufacturing and operations.
• Collaborate on scope as materials and methods evolve.
• Encourage innovation in materials and construction techniques.
• Document prototypes for PLM, GUS, and promotional materials.
• Address quality and functionality issues from initial release.
• Present designs to partners at multiple levels.

Skills

Project coordination

Financial systems

Presentations

Textile selection

Garment construction

Communication

Flexible hours

Passport

Domestic & international travel

Education

High School Diploma

Advanced Degree in Fashion, Costuming, Merchandising, or Project Management

Tools

PLM software

Garment inventory systems

Purchasing software

Job description

About the Role & Team:

Through innovative storytelling and a culture of collaboration, Disney Live Entertainment creates, produces, and delivers remarkable and engaging entertainment experiences. From the intimate to the spectacular, our work can be seen at Disney theme parks, resort hotels, cruise ships, and other locations the world over. This diverse team – representing a wide variety of disciplines and talents from technical directors, writers and lighting designers to choreographers, cosmetologists, and music producers – brings magical worlds to life through technical expertise, performance excellence, incomparable ingenuity, unparalleled spectacle… and a dash of pixie dust.

The Associate Costume Development Manager will lead costume design and development projects from initial planning to final delivery and installation.

This individual will act as the face of the projects to all levels of stakeholders from Executives to Hourly Union Cast.

The Associate Costume Development Manager will report to the Senior Manager - Costume Design & Development.

This role is a Project Hire / Internal Assignment with no guarantee of permanent placement.

What You Will Do:

• Lead project planning including scope, creative content, project timeline, and financials
• Participate in creative development work sessions to facilitate scope definition and initial R.O.M. financial estimate
• Lead and coordinate project execution including project buyer oversight, issuance of work authorizations, task prioritization, coordination of functionality, and design reviews
• Maintain the balance between cost, quality, and timeliness, to ensure the successful completion of each project on target, on time, and on budget
• Assure the creative design intent is balanced with practical manufacturing and operational considerations
• Collaborate with Costume Designer, Project/Fabric Buyer, to refine project scope as materials are selected and construction methods are refined
• Facilitate creative advancement by encouraging innovation with materials, methods, and construction techniques
• Assure functional reviews are conducted of prototype costumes and the feedback is accurately considered for incorporation into the design
• Assure adequate documentation of photo, garment, and design illustrations are prepared for PLM, GUS (Garment Utilization System), and all our costume collateral or promotional materials
• Facilitate resolution of quality and functionality issues that result from the initial release and usage of costume components
• Present designs/projects to various levels of partners

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Minimum of one year experience in product development focusing on the garment industry and facilitating project teams
• Ability to use financial systems to coordinate project and/or budget health
• Experience in delivering compelling, insightful, & accurate presentations
• Skilled in picking the right textile for specific uses based on the textile properties and the end-use
• Knowledge of garment construction
• Experience communicating with a variety of collaborators (written and verbal)
• Schedule availability to work flexible hours including weekends, nights, and holidays
• Valid Passport or willingness to obtain one
• Ability to work around all types of fabrics, fibers, and synthetic furs
• Willingness to travel both domestically and internationally up to 20% of the time

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of purchasing software, garment inventory tracking systems, and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software
• Product Buying experience
• Experience in Theatre, Costume, Merchandise, or the Fashion Industry

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required
• Advanced Degree in Fashion, Costuming, Merchandising, Project Management, or related preferred

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(opens in new window).

The hiring range for this position in Anaheim, CA is $72,000.00 to $96,500.00 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.