New Business Initiatives Manager

At Disney, we‘re storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. We do this through utilizing and developing cutting-edge technology and pushing the envelope to bring stories to life through our movies, products, interactive games, parks and resorts, and media networks. Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers unparalleled creative content to audiences around the world.
“We create happiness.” That’s our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. And it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you’ll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen!
Hotel Strategic Planning & Integration is a team of thought leaders and strategic consultants who are dedicated to helping WDW achieve its goals and evaluate new business initiatives. This role will lead and support the development of mid- to long-term hotel strategies focused on the future vacation experience, leveraging deep insights and expertise of the internal and external business. Responsible for evaluating and enhancing overarching experience strategies and their related tactics, striving to improve the end-to-end vacation experience for all Guests. A heavy focus for this role is performance improvements for the existing hotels across the WDP&R segment.
Responsibilities

• Support the evolution of the WDP&R hotel strategy which includes the identification, planning and communication of the hotel strategy for both WDW and across the segment.
• Provide decision-making support to business unit executives to help develop their long-term investment strategies and successfully integrate new business innovations.
• Identify and prioritize macro needs and opportunities for hotels to maintain competitive advantage and drive long-term consumer relevancy.
• Conduct a variety of business assessments, synthesize large amounts of qualitative and quantitative data, integrate with key business partners, develop strategic recommendations, and drive execution of recommendations through the business model and viability stage.
• Lead and support integration of strategic planning between partners across the segment including Operations, Commercial Strategy, Global Development, WDI, Revenue Management, Finance, Marketing and other key partners. Ensure plans are robustly developed and can be transitioned to implementation teams in a manner that enables successful implementation and sustainment.
• Proactively looking for future solutions to competitive and business problems that don’t face us yet.
• Communicate to executives on a regular basis regarding significant product/experience enhancements.
• Lead the after-action review process for all key projects.

Basic Qualifications

• 6+ years strategy development and/or strategic analysis experience.
• Strong communication and influencing skills – must be comfortable providing a point of view to a variety of audiences and influencing senior WDP&R leadership by developing sound recommendations targeted at clear business strategies.
• Strong conceptual thinking skills – must be able to understand broad concepts, research information, articulate linkages/gaps, and establish strategies that enable a vision.
• Ability to demonstrate understanding of an operating environment to ensure recommendations are sound and viable.
• High level of expertise in the hotel business (or related businesses) and their key drivers.
• Strong financial acumen, experience working with and interpreting data with analytics, and in-depth experience working with Operations, Marketing and Consumer Insight data.
• General expertise in key business areas including revenue management, marketing, finance, product development, etc.
• Ability to work in a team environment with a positive demeanor.
• Natural curiosity and desire for deeper understanding through research and analysis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with consulting
• Experience with data and insights in a hospitality, tourism or lodging industry
• Experience with Walt Disney Parks & Resorts in an analytical and/or strategic capacity

Required Education

• Bachelor’s Degree

Preferred Education

• MBA or related Master’s Degree

Additional Information©Disney is an equal opportunity employer. Drawing Creativity from Diversity.