Manager Product Software Engineering (California)

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:

• 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.
• 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.
• Innovation: We develop and implement groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms, and solve complex and distinctive technical problems.

Content Platforms & Operations is responsible for the development and ongoing advancement of the technical and operational functions driving the worldwide distribution and monetization of Disney’s linear networks and theatrical content. This includes Disney’s media supply chain and storage, network and theatrical distribution operations, media localization, network transmission and origination, and more. The global team also plays a critical role as the primary collaboration point for Product & Technology with Disney’s EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regional business teams.

Job Summary

We are the Content Platforms team with a mission to “reimagine the technical ecosystem that empowers The Walt Disney Company to harness its unparalleled storytelling and distribute it around the world.” Content Platforms is part of the Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology (DEET) segment which is responsible for The Walt Disney Company’s direct-to-consumer businesses globally, including the ESPN+ sports streaming service, programmed in conjunction with ESPN; Disney+, the Disney-branded direct-to-consumer streaming service; global advertising sales and ad technology for all of Disney’s media properties, including ABC, ESPN, Freeform, FX Networks, National Geographic and the Disney Channels; Hotstar, the leading over‑top streaming service in India; and the Company’s majority ownership stake in Hulu.

As the Manager of Software Engineering on our team, you will be responsible for leading several teams of developers working across varying projects in helping build Disney’s media supply chain. As their leader, you will mentor and guide, as well as assist in the tactical execution at the ground level. You are still expected to have a deep understanding of the technology we build, and the tools we use to do so. You will participate in code reviews and help with larger architectural decision making, while also managing the operations of your teams.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for software engineering leadership and direction across Asset Inventory Management (ingest, metadata, storage, discovery, and core asset/inventory lifecycle).
• Responsible for software engineering leadership and direction across Asset Delivery and Platform Services (integrations, external APIs, pipelines, streaming, delivery workflows and infrastructure).
• Help with mid‑level CapEx projects and the estimation, budget planning and associated vendor contracts.
• Be accountable for the performance and results of multiple teams of software engineers in multiple locations globally.
• Make decisions and provide leadership in high pressure and time sensible situations, guided by resource availability and functional objectives.
• Facilitate communication and healthy collaboration between your teams and the product, design, marketing, QA and business teams we work closely with.
• Exhibit expert knowledge to analyze the intricacies of complex technical challenges; stay informed of industry innovations; provide new perspectives on existing solutions.
• Regularly report on status and team health, while identifying your team’s gaps and needs for your leadership.
• Work closely with your project management counterparts to manage team timelines and resourcing.
• Mentor and grow the careers of managers and senior engineers.
• Help with software design and review and approve software architecture and development plans for new and complex products and features.
• Help with the recruitment and hiring for your team.
• Any other duties needed to help achieve Business Objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Passion for leadership and relationship building across cross‑functional teams.
• Hands on experience with Java or Node backend systems.
• Experience in delivering platform services in cloud environments using open‑source technologies.
• Ability to make decisions about technical best practices and your team’s operational process. Be practical and personable with strong communication and writing skills.
  • Good understanding of agile software development methodologies.
  • Experience building multiple concurrent projects of high technical complexity.
  • Minimum 8 years of experience building complex platform applications at scale or other relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience leading teams of software engineers building complex applications at scale.
• Industry experience with Asset Management, CMS, or DAM ecosystems.
• Experience with Media Management or Workflows.
• Experience with media security, application security.
• Fullstack or Front‑End development experience a plus in addition to Backend architecture design.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field or equivalent experience demonstrating an expert level understanding of software development and infrastructure.

#disneytech

The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA & Bristol, CT is $171,600 - $230,100. 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.