Senior Manager, Programmatic Operations

Overall Purpose of the Role

The Disney Advertising portfolio covers world leading brands within The Walt Disney Company’s Media Networks segment and related IP’s. This includes family favorites Disney, Pixar, Marvel, & Lucasfilm as well as general entertainment networks ABC, Star, & FX, the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN, and our iconic factual brand, National Geographic.

The Senior Manager of Programmatic Operations is a critical member of the London-based EMEA Ad Sales organization. The role holder will partner with Sales and Operations leadership to define and execute Disney’s programmatic monetization strategy across all digital inventory in EMEA, from traditional websites and apps to our flagship streaming product, Disney+. The overarching goal is to maximize operational efficiency and revenue across our programmatic activity, while being recognized internally as our go-to subject matter expert.

The work broadly covers two key areas of responsibility: 1) assisting Sales and Operations teams with the execution and troubleshooting of programmatic guarantee and biddable marketplace deals, and 2) managing relationships with ad tech partners and 3rd party demand sources. In both scenarios, this person will work with our global Sales, Operations, Technology, and Revenue & Yield Management teams to align strategy and process. They will be focused on helping achieve revenue targets and building out a scalable, sustainable support structure as the business evolves. There will be a specific emphasis on video advertising, especially in connected TV environments.

The candidate will have an expert understanding of the ad tech ecosystem and the media industry at-large, plus be a savvy relationship manager able to represent Disney Advertising externally to clients and vendors, and internally with other lines of business (Technology, Product, Data, Finance, Legal, Privacy, etc.). They will be equally comfortable working independently, “in the weeds” on nuanced technical challenges, as they would be presenting to leadership or negotiating commercial terms with partners.

The role also requires a deep commitment to protecting our guests and the user experience across TWDC properties, including intimate familiarity with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), consent management platforms, and how the digital media landscape is evolving to meet these challenges. Similarly, the successful candidate will be avidly following the convergence of digital and linear advertising and working to position TWDC at the forefront of the streaming video space.

This position requires someone to work from our Hammersmith offices 4 days a week.

Areas of Responsibility

• Define, implement, and manage TWDC’s programmatic advertising sales and support strategy in EMEA
• Assist Sales and Operations with execution and troubleshooting of guaranteed and biddable campaigns
• Resolve ad delivery, ad quality, and technical issues, liaising with global Ad Platforms support as needed
• Work alongside Revenue & Yield Management to report and analyze inventory usage from programmatic channels and partners, informing wider business strategy
• Manage relationships and grow revenue from existing programmatic partnerships on websites & apps
• Ideate, vet, implement, and manage new opportunities across commercial, legal, and operational phases
• Strategize converged TV measurement products with Sales and Research and ensure programmatic enabled inventory can be tracked by those solutions
• Work with RYM, Finance, and Accounting to ensure accurate revenue tracking for all programmatic channels
• Represent Ad Sales in discussions with Legal and Privacy to ensure compliance across all advertising activity
• Contribute to development of data-driven audience targeting propositions
• Establish and cultivate relationships with key internal stakeholders across lines of business and regions
• Collaborate with global teams and act as a programmatic regional center of excellence for other EMEA offices, providing training and documentation for Sales and Operational personnel
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of TWDC’s ad tech stack and strategy, and follow industry developments at-large

Areas of Accountability

Reports to Director, Business Operations for all surrounding KPI’s and team objectives

Experience and Professional Qualifications Required

• Graduate level or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of overall experience in the advertising sector, either publisher/agency side or in ad tech, focusing on sales, operations, technology, and strategy
• Mastery of working in, and troubleshooting across, ad-servers and programmatic buying/selling platforms (Google Ad Manager experience essential)
• Expert knowledge of ad tech and experience managing relationships with DSP’s, SSP’s, and other vendors
• Deep understanding of the digital media landscape, platforms, technologies, key players, and revenue streams
• Highly competent in managing display and video ad inventory across websites, apps, and CTV environments, including both live and on-demand streaming
• Demonstrated experience in extracting actionable insights and developing business strategies from data
• Experience navigating the General Data Protection Regulation and similar advertising privacy requirements
• Strong network of contacts within ad sales, technology, and operations industries
• History of working with global stakeholders
• Proven success of collaboration, building consensus, and managing/delivering complex projects
• Team management background is a plus
• Comfortable representing company in external meetings and events
• Media or entertainment brand experience is a beneficial, as is familiarity with processes and policies of a multinational corporation

Skills Required

• Highly motivated and driven problem solver
• Great attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to effectively prioritize and balance multiple projects
• Analytical; able to review, assess, and strategize based on the results
• Able to step back and look at scenarios at a macro level, solving the immediate challenge and providing long-term solutions
• Expert on defining/evolving processes and empowering operational teams for success
• Natural relationship manager, understanding how to balance the company’s needs with that of a partner
• Motivated to lead by example and hold others accountable to high standards
• Comfortable working independently or collaboratively with reports, peers, and senior executives
• Revenue-minded, but not at the expense of our people, our guests, or the user experience
• Excellent communicator with good presentation skills, able to speak on behalf of the business
• Ability to navigate the digital advertising industry and maintain relationships with publishers, broadcasters, agencies, advertisers, and tech vendors
• In-depth understanding of digital media and the advertising industry, particularly video and within EMEA
• IT savvy across core business applications and remote working tools (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Slack, Zoom)

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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 with the following business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, Disney Parks, and Experiences and Products. 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 The Walt Disney Company Limited , which is part of a business we call Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution .

The Walt Disney Company Limited is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion or belief, sex, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, disability or pregnancy or maternity. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.

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