Lead Program Manager (PH) Position Available In Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut

Lead Program Manager (PH) Job

ID 10122574

Location Bristol, Connecticut, United States
Business Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology
Date posted May 30, 2025

Job Summary:

Technology is at the heart of Disney’s past, present, and future. Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology is a global organization of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, data scientists, and more – all working to build and advance the technological backbone for Disney’s media business globally.
The team marries technology with creativity to build world-class products, enhance storytelling, and drive velocity, innovation, and scalability for our businesses. We are Storytellers and Innovators. Creators and Builders. Entertainers and Engineers. We work with every part of The Walt Disney Company’s media portfolio to advance the technological foundation and consumer media touch points serving millions of people around the world.
Here are a few reasons why we think you’d love working here:
1. Building the future of Disney’s media: Our Technologists are designing and building the products and platforms that will power our media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come.
2. 

Reach, Scale & Impact:

 More than ever, Disney’s technology and products serve as a signature doorway for fans’ connections with the company’s brands and stories. Disney+. Hulu.

ESPN. ABC. ABC

News…and many more. These products and brands – and the unmatched stories, storytellers, and events they carry – matter to millions of people globally.
3. 

Innovation:

 We develop and implement groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms, and solve complex and distinctive technical problems.
Business Operations
The Business Operations team helps guide and articulate technology strategy and research, and is responsible for driving the day-to-day operation of the Product & Technology organization, including: project and portfolio management and tracking; organization-level capital, space, and resource management and allocation; process management; technical incident management; and our administrative and workplace experience support team.

Job Summary:

As part of the Business Operations organization, the Lead Program Manager is responsible for leading complex cross-functional initiatives that align with strategic business and technology goals. This role will support scalable, coordinated, and insight-driven planning across the technology organization by optimizing the systems, data, and processes that power workforce, tooling, and execution planning. The ideal candidate brings a strong mix of technical insight, leadership acumen, and program execution skills to drive efficiency, communication, and impact across the organization.
Responsibilities and Duties of the

Role:

Operations & Execution
Act as a leader within Technology Planning Operations (TPO), coordinating and optimizing operational processes.
Document and communicate systems architecture and workflows across domains.
Implement and monitor improvements to systems, tooling, and operational planning frameworks.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner with leaders across Product, Engineering, Finance, HR and Operations to align execution with strategic goals.
Coordinate with external vendors and stakeholders to integrate and support technology planning systems.
Communication & Influence
Communicate complex insights clearly to technical and executive audiences.
Negotiate solutions among stakeholders with competing priorities and drive alignment at all levels.
Process Improvement & Innovation
Drive process improvement and automation initiatives to enhance operational efficiency.
Apply critical thinking and innovation to identify bottlenecks and streamline business operations.
Data Governance & Strategic Reporting
Ensure accuracy, consistency, and reliability of data across reporting systems, working with cross-functional teams to uphold governance and standards.
Collaborate on the development of dashboards and analytics, providing data-driven insights to leadership.
Support long-term operational planning through strategic reporting enhancements.

Required Education and Experience/Skills/Training:

Minimum 

Qualifications:

Established in Program or Product Management with 7+ years of experience
Proven track record with Agile project management in a hands-on role as a Program Manager, Project Manager, or Scrum Master teams
Experience collaborating with product, design and other stakeholders to understand requirements, prioritize initiatives, and engage with engineering teams to drive projects forward
Ability to identify, analyze, prioritize, mitigate, and communicate risks to internal and external partners
Proactive approach, able to initiate conversations and guide other program leads in process development, consistently evaluating and improving processes at every iteration
Developed essential soft skills, including meeting leadership, communication, teamwork, collaboration, flexibility, problem-solving, critical thinking, and conflict resolution
BA/BS or equivalent experience required

Preferred Qualifications:

PMP Certification or similar preferred
Expertise in delivery management tools (Jira, Confluence, Airtable, etc.)
Experience with headcount and/or resource management
Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills with the ability to influence and persuade senior leadership and stakeholders.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, with the ability to synthesize complex data and provide actionable insights and recommendations.
Ability to leverage AI for automating tasks, improving workflow efficiency, and enhancing decision-making processes.
Relentless curiosity, flexibility and willingness to challenge the status quo.
High level of integrity, accountability and dedication.

About Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology:

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 that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. 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 Streaming Technology LLC, which is part of a business we call Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology. Disney Streaming Technology LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.