Director, Production & Development (National Geographic)

The Walt Disney Company; New York (NY); On-site; USD 176,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

The Walt Disney Company in New York is seeking a Director of Development and Production to oversee unscripted content from concept to broadcast across National Geographic platforms. You will lead creative development, manage budgets, guide editorial standards, and collaborate with external partners to deliver high-quality stories that engage diverse audiences.

This role requires a track record in multi-platform production leadership and the ability to align cross-functional teams in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• 10+ years in unscripted TV development/production leadership.
• Strong communication and collaboration across multi-platform partners.
• Experience guiding editorial standards on budget and schedule.

Responsibilities

• Oversee development and production from concept to broadcast.
• Guide creative, budget-conscious storytelling across National Geographic platforms.
• Manage production partners and ensure schedules and deliverables.
• Coordinate cross-departmental content strategies.
• Ensure editorial standards and highest quality across all outputs.

Skills

Executive leadership

Excellent communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience

Tools

MS Word

Excel

PowerPoint

MS Outlook

Job description

The Director of Development and Production role oversees development, production, delivery, and broadcast of Unscripted linear and streaming content for National Geographic platforms, ensuring creative quality, strong storytelling, effective production partnerships, and sound budget management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Unscripted series and one-off development and productions from concept through delivery and broadcast across National Geographic platforms.
• Develop baseline ideas into premium creative, financially viable television products in partnership with global content teams.
• Collaborate with production companies and provide editorial guidance to support world-class, brand-defining storytelling.
• Manage production partners to ensure programs meet creative expectations and ratings goals.
• Protect programming investments by ensuring budgets are reasonable and deliverables meet expectations.
• Apply strong storytelling agility across the unscripted landscape to broaden and shape concepts.
• Work closely with Production Management to maintain highest editorial standards within budgetary requirements. Provide timely feedback to production companies to maintain production schedule and to make sure all contractual obligations are met. Deliver shows that are on budget and schedule.
• Coordinate with Marketing, Ad Sales, Communications and Digital to provide necessary information and materials for the development and generation of Cross-Platform Content initiatives and strategy. Coordinate with all internal content departments (editorial, social, books, digital etc) to align additional content for individual departments to better monetize the natural history content.

Basic Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience in a range of unscripted TV across multiple genres is a must. Ideal candidate has lead development and production at a company or prior network. Field production experience would also be favorable - or at least a significant working knowledge in the entire production process from start to finish as an executive producer, series producer OR channel experience overseeing premium unscripted program production.
• Excellent communication skills are a must. Director of Development and Production will be expected to function at a high level in a fast-paced 360-degree multi-platform corporate environment which includes close collaboration with external producing partners, internal partners including Channel production management and development, NG digital, NG print, live events and the National Geographic Society, NG's non-profit arm.
• Solid foundational understanding and ability to work within software including Microsoft word suite (MS word, Excel, Power Point) or similar products. MS Outlook email and scheduling and any variety of internet functionality/familiarity is a core tool in this job.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working Knowledge of Production Budgets and Ability to analyze ratings and other research data to better understand our own programming and the competitive landscape.
• Channel Executives manage a varied slate of series and specials which requires a firm understanding of both linear and streaming audience sensibilities. In addition to excellence in creative execution, CE's should have a firm ability to manage budgets and schedules in order to deliver projects on budget and on time.
• Candidate must be a team player and possess a managerial prowess that extends beyond the immediate production team to both external producing partners as well as the internal, corporate hierarchy. Candidates should be comfortable working closely with top industry professionals both in front of, and behind, the cameras in order to deliver on the utmost quality standards of the National Geographic, and Disney, brands.
• NG Channel Executives are ambassadors and protectors of the National Geographic Brand. They will be expected uphold the standards and practices of the yellow border in all manner of professional environments.

Required Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience

The hiring range for this position in New York is $176,400 to $236,600 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.