Principal Software Product Manager, AI

Principal Software Product Manager, AI

Walt Disney Imagineering is the creative force that imagines, designs, and brings to life all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions, and cruise ships worldwide. Working across a spectrum of disciplines that range from creative and conceptual to scientific and technical, Imagineers blend an innovative mixture of storytelling, art, science, and technology to create immersive experiences, memorable destinations, and innovative entertainment for families around the globe.

Nearly every project at Walt Disney Imagineering includes a first-of-its-kind. Innovation is in our DNA, and Imagineers constantly push the boundaries of technology and invent new goals as well as the solutions to achieve them. As Imagineers, one of our greatest rewards is knowing that the experiences and environments we create inspire others. The diversity of expertise at Imagineering makes us uniquely capable of influencing positive change in our communities and around the world. And knowing that we have helped make a difference is incredibly fulfilling and inspiring for all of us.

AI tools will augment how Imagineering creates, designs, and delivers attractions and experiences around the world. We're looking for a creative product leader driven to bridge our unique design practices with modern AI technologies. This Principal Product Manager will drive and deliver AI products, functions, and workflows for our internally used Imagineering product portfolio, bringing AI to life within WDI. This individual will be responsible for shepherding AI software technologies (both buy and build) across various states of maturity, working alongside product peers, technical program managers, software engineers, research scientists, stakeholders, and leadership. In this role, you will communicate a clear vision and create equally strong partnerships to make these technologies relevant and successful within our creative-first business.

You will report to the Product Executive – WDI Apps.

This is a Full-Time role.

What You Will Do:

• Drive product direction and implementation for first-of-their-kind AI products within Walt Disney Imagineering.
• Advocate as the voice of the Imagineer, placing grounded problem-solving before solutioning, exemplifying WDI's core design and delivery principles.
• Draft product requirements, user research, user stories, mockups, visualizations, product memos, presentations, roadmaps, and other pertinent strategy materials.
• Liaise, network, and partner with other product managers across the Walt Disney Company to identify opportunities for integration, lessons learned, and shared engagements.
• Present to and collaborate with senior leadership on vision, strategy, and direction for AI within Imagineering.
• Partner with peer leaders across software engineering, product design, technical program management, project technology integration, finance, and legal.
• Drive the annual investment and funding strategy for product functions and features within the AI portfolio.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• 10+ years of strong software product management acumen and leadership experience
• Expertise with 0-1 software development. You can craft clarity, starting from the blank page.
• Excellent communication skills: written, verbal, and presentational. You can communicate across mediums.
• Passion for solving problems within creative/entertainment cultures. You love the output of what we do: design and deliver immersive, world-class experiences.
• Desire to work on internal technologies used by Imagineers (not consumer-facing). You care deeply about the craft of Imagineering.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• Recent experience with current AI software technologies, user patterns, and architecture.
• Experience with microservice ecosystems and component-based web apps.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, media management, or an engineering or science discipline required, or equivalent experience.
• Master's degree preferred.

The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA is $188,400 to $252,600 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.