Business Operations & Audience Expansion Director

1223 ESPN Productions, Inc; Bakersfield (CA); On-site; USD 127,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

ESPN is hiring for Global Sports Business Operations & Audience Expansion Director to drive revenue growth and lead cross-platform operations across ESPN’s global platforms. You will identify ROI opportunities and align priorities with a fast-paced industry, reporting to the VP of Global Sports Cross Platform Development.

You will analyze rights, partner with programming and scheduling, and synthesize insights into compelling decks for senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years working in media.
• Ability to work across multiple time-zones and collaborate with regional teams.
• Strategize and think creatively; strong problem-solving skills.
• Organizational, prioritization and time management with attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills.
• excel in a fast-paced, result-oriented work environment.
• Excellent presentation skills for decks and one-sheets.
• Exercise sound judgment and discretion with sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Partner with internal departments to drive revenue growth for ESPN Global Sports.
• Conduct sports rights analysis and deal modeling to support acquisitions.
• Coordinate with Programming & Scheduling to create efficiencies across global planning.
• Translate financial/growth strategies into storytelling decks for management.
• Manage special projects for the VP, Global Sports Cross Platform Development.
• Oversee Global Insights budget and operations.
• Support distribution of ESPN Global Sports Films/Originals across streaming and linear outlets.
• Operationalize analytics and fan insights to guide growth and opportunities.
• Create digestible insight summaries for ESPN Global Sports leaders.

Skills

Communication skills

Time management

Problem solving

Multitasking

Presentation skills

Collaboration across time-zones

Judgment and discretion

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or similar field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Keynote

Google Workspace

Job description

Job Posting Title: Global Sports Business Operations & Audience Expansion Director

This role is responsible for contributing to audience & revenue growth and leading operational efforts across ESPN’s global platforms. This person will identify and evaluate opportunities to determine the ROI for ESPN and constantly assess priorities to make sure they map to changes in our fast-paced industry. This position will report into the VP, Global Sports Cross Platform Development.

Responsibilities

• Partner with internal departments to help drive revenue growth for ESPN Global Sports.
• Conduct sports rights analysis/deal modeling to support acquisition process.
• Partner with Programming & Scheduling teams to create efficiencies across global planning.
• Synthesize financial or growth strategies into story-telling presentations and participate in communicating findings to management.
• Serve as a key strategic partner, managing special projects and priorities on behalf of VP, Global Sports Cross Platform Development.
• Oversee Business Operations Global Insights budget.
• Help manage operations of Global Sports Films/Originals distribution across streaming and linear touchpoints.
• Operationalize analytics and fan insights that inform the ongoing growth strategy and drive commercial opportunities.
• Create and communicate digestible insight summaries for ESPN Global Sports leaders to understand performance and fan behavior.
• Insights should include the key audience opportunities & content performance based on strengths of our offerings.
• Identify and action future revenue and growth opportunities beyond distribution and traditional ad sales revenue in close collaboration with Business Development, Corporate Strategy, and Disney Ad Sales.
• Identify and evaluate content distribution opportunities onto third party platforms working in partnership with Disney Platform Distribution.
• Work closely with stakeholders to develop appropriate actions from revenue forecasts to maximize annual performance.
• Track competitive platforms to understand potential revenue and growth opportunities for ESPN Global Sports.
• Manage the coordination of shared services to unify business objectives across teams.
• Identify and conduct vendor evaluations that are focused on ESPN Global Sports growth.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years working in media.
• Ability to work across multiple time-zones and collaborate with regional teams.
• Ability to strategize and think creatively; strong problem-solving skills required.
• Organizational, prioritization and time management skills with the ability to juggle multiple high-priority projects, with keen attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills.
• Must excel in a fast-paced, result-oriented work environment.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to communicate ideas and concepts into decks and one-sheets, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Keynote and Google Workspace.
• Exercise sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive, confidential, and pre-decisional information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with growing revenue and understanding of financial inputs.
• Experience working with multiple digital media analytics platforms (e.g. Adobe, Conviva, Google Analytics, etc.).
• Experience in Media (to include experience in Entertainment or News), likely in an Audience Development, Strategy, Ad Sales, Business Operations, Finance, or Distribution function.
• Knowledge of the differences in audiences and how to capitalize on those differences.
• Experience in media across multiple platforms (traditional linear, digital, streaming).

Required Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or similar field

The hiring range for this position in Bristol, CT and Glendale, CA is $126,800 to $170,000 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.

The hiring range for this position in New York, NY is $132,800 to $178,000 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.

Job Posting Segment: ESPN Global Sports & Talent Office

Job Posting Primary Business: Cross Platform Development

Primary Job Posting Category: Business Development - Sports

Employment Type: Full time

Job Posting Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code: Glendale, CA, USA Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code: USA - CT - ESPN Building 04, USA - NY - 7 Hudson Square

Date Posted: 2026-09-16