Business Operations & Audience Expansion Director

The Walt Disney Company; New York (NY); On-site; USD 127,000 - 178,000; Full time

Job summary

The Walt Disney Company, esp. ESPN Global Sports, is hiring a Director to drive audience growth and operational excellence across global platforms.

You will identify ROI opportunities, lead cross-functional initiatives, and translate analyses into strategic actions for multiple business units and platforms. You will partner with internal teams to optimize revenue, manage budgets, and coordinate distribution across streaming and traditional channels.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years in media or related field.
• Ability to work across multiple time zones and collaborate with regional teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Organizational, prioritization and time management skills with ability to juggle multiple high-priority projects.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Keynote and Google Workspace.
• Discretion with confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Partner with internal departments to drive revenue growth for ESPN Global Sports.
• Conduct sports rights analysis and deal modeling to support acquisitions.
• Collaborate with Programming & Scheduling to improve global planning efficiencies.
• Translate financial and growth insights into storytelling decks for management.
• Manage strategic initiatives for the VP, Global Sports Cross Platform Development.
• Oversee the Global Insights budget and related operations.
• Coordinate distribution across streaming and linear touchpoints for Sports Films/Originals.
• Operationalize analytics and fan insights to guide growth and opportunities.
• Create digestible insight summaries for ESPN Global Sports leadership.
• Identify and pursue future revenue opportunities beyond distribution and ad sales.
• Assess content distribution opportunities with Disney Platform Distribution.
• Work with stakeholders to action revenue forecasts for performance.
• Monitor competitive platforms for revenue and growth opportunities.
• Coordinate shared services to unify business objectives.
• Evaluate vendors focused on ESPN Global Sports growth.

Skills

Media experience

Global collaboration

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or similar

Tools

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Keynote

Google Workspace

Job description

Job Posting Title

Business Operations & Audience Expansion Director

Req ID

10159227

Job Description

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; strongproblem-solvingskills required.
• Organizational, prioritization and time management skills with the ability tojugglemultiple high-priority projects, with keen attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills.
• Mustexcel in a fast-paced, result-orientedwork 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

#ESPNMedia

Salary and Benefits

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

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