Business Operations & Audience Expansion Manager

Departmental Summary:

ESPN’s Digital Content & Audience Expansion organization is committed to getting the best sports content to all sports fans, ANYTIME and ANYWHERE. Producing for our 25 global owned digital platforms, as well as, partnering with popular third-party platforms we ensure that sports fans get the content they crave, when and how they want it delivered. From event highlights, studio analysis, in-depth editorial, and compelling podcasts, ESPN’s Digital Content & Audience Expansion team will make all fans feel like they are in the middle of the action during the most exciting and meaningful moments in sports.

Position Summary:

This role is responsible for contributing to audience & revenue growth and leading operational efforts across digital content experiences with a focus on ESPN’s O&O platforms. This person will identify and evaluate opportunities to determine the ROI for ESPN and constantly assess priorities to make sure they map to changes in our fast-paced industry. This position will report into the Sr. Director, Business Operations & Audience Expansion.

This position is based in Bristol, CT but may be open to Los Angeles, CA.

Responsibilities:

• Partner with internal departments to help drive revenue growth for ESPN Digital Content & Audience Expansion.
• Target new audiences and demographics for audience expansion.
• Collaborate with ESPN Research to operationalize analytics and fan insights that inform the ongoing digital growth strategy and drive commercial opportunities.
• Create and communicate digestible insight summaries for ESPN Digital Content & Audience Expansion leaders to understand performance and fan behavior. Insights should include the key audience opportunities & content performance based on strengths of our offerings.
• Develop and regularly update a tracker that maps resource investment, audience data, revenue and other business considerations in order to ensure that efforts are maximizing value to ESPN.
• Distill Inventory and Revenue analytics into digestible and actionable insights for ESPN Digital Content & Audience Expansion and Product.
• Work with Digital Forecasting and Revenue Analytics to conduct ROI analysis around content/product decisions based on revenue impact and key performance indicators.
• Operationalize a monthly business review for ESPN Digital reviewing performance across owned and operated/content distribution points and addressable revenue.
• Identify and action future revenue and growth opportunities beyond distribution and traditional ad sales revenue in close collaboration with Business Development, Corporate Strategy, and Disney Ad Sales.
• Identify and evaluate content distribution opportunities onto third party platforms working in partnership with Disney Platform Distribution.
• Work closely with stakeholders to develop appropriate actions from revenue forecasts to maximize annual performance.
• Track competitive platforms to understand potential revenue and growth opportunities for ESPN Digital Content & Audience Expansion.
• Work with internal departments to conduct page by page evaluations to optimize revenue.
• Prepare and present opportunities and participate in communicating findings to management.
• Manage prioritization relationship with Sports Product.
• Manage the coordination of shared services to unify business objectives across teams.
• Identify and conduct vendor evaluations that are focused on ESPN Digital Content & Audience Expansion growth.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 years experience working in media.
• Highly collaborative.
• Ability to strategize and think creatively; strong problem-solving skills required.
• Organizational, prioritization and time management skills with the ability to juggle multiple, high-priority projects, with a keen attention to detail.
• Must excel in a fast-paced, results-oriented work environment.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to communicate ideas and concepts into decks and one-sheets, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Keynote and Google Workspace.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in managing a project team, demonstrating people development and leadership skills. 
• Experience with growing digital revenue and understanding of financial inputs.
• Experience working with multiple digital media analytics platforms (e.g. Adobe, Conviva, Google Analytics, etc.).
• Experience in Digital Media (to include experience in Entertainment or News), likely in an Audience Development, Strategy, Ad Sales or Distribution function.
• Knowledge and understanding of digital media initiatives, platforms, products and services.
• Knowledge of the differences in audiences and how to capitalize on those differences.

Required Education:

• High School Diploma

Preferred Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or similar field

#ESPNMedia

The hiring range for this position in Los Angeles, CA is $92,742 - $124,410 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.