Director, Creative Talent Pathways, Representation & Inclusion Strategies (PH)

It’s the magic of immersing yourself in a motion picture masterpiece, or a new track from your favorite band, or the spectacle of a live Broadway show. It’s hard to define and even harder to create, but that’s what we do at The Walt Disney Studios. Ours is a culture of innovation, collaboration, and creativity. We raise the bar, then step over it, blazing trails through the production and distribution of world-class entertainment around the globe. If you want to help tell compelling, enduring stories through movies, music, or stage plays, then we want to hear from you.

The Director of Creative Talent Pathways, Representation & Inclusion Strategies (RISE) will lead the Launchpad team to execute another successful season of the Disney Launchpad Shorts Incubator, oversee filmmaker labs for underrepresented directors, producers, and writers in partnership with non-profits, manage our charitable budget, and work closely with the executive RISE team. This successful leader possesses a broad understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry, the film and entertainment business, the filmmaking process, the creative talent pool, and has robust program and people management experience.

This is a seven-month Project Hire position from June 2024 to January 2025 without any guarantee of permanent placement. It is to backfill the current Director who will be on leave.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the Disney Launchpad Sr. Program Manager/Producer and guide their work on the third season of the Disney Launchpad Shorts Incubator, in partnership with Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios physical production, creative executives across the company, RISE executives, HR, labor relations, legal, marketing and communications, senior leadership, and many others. Direct Launchpad Manager work as needed. Learn more about Launchpad here. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Share priorities to Launchpad Sr. Manager from executives who are key stakeholders in Launchpad (from the head of RISE, President of Production Services/RISE/Planning/Franchise Management, and others)

  • Selection Process: Review hundreds of scripts and short films over several months to determine semi-finalists for Launchpad, in collaboration with the Launchpad team of two. Assess scripts and short films for quality, budget scope, and consistency with the Disney brand. In particular, this person will have a strong understanding of the Disney brand and will ensure the shorts are a brand fit.

  • Work with the Launchpad team to share semi-finalists with RISE executives as needed to ensure alignment with finalist selection.

  • Finalist interviews: Work closely with the Launchpad team to organize finalist interviews with key stakeholders (including creative executive mentors, physical production, etc.) to select the Launchpad season three filmmakers.

  • Participate in interviews, aid in matchmaking writers with directors, and select filmmakers for season three.

  • Work with Communications teams on announcements as needed.

  • Work on any program needs regarding contracts or script development if timeline requires it.

  • Aid in alumni job placement work with Disney Launchpad Program Manager.

• As needed, manage and lead other filmmaker labs in partnership with non-profits like Sundance, Film Independent, and Athena Film Festival. Lead Sundance relationship on behalf of RISE to follow up on setting general meetings with creative executives and grantees.

• Manage charitable budget for RISE, working very closely with Corporate Social Responsibility, DEI teams across the company, Studio Communications, and others. Lead work with external organizations/nonprofits. Participate in cross-company meetings as needed.

• Maintain strong external relationships with organizations running underrepresented filmmaker labs and developing talent, schools, and other organizations like NALIP, Gotham Film Institute & Media, Gold House, Women in Animation, Easterseals, AFI, USC, and others.

• Execute RISE strategies and company priorities with strong collaboration with the RISE executive team and other executive leaders.

• Partner with DEI leads at Lucasfilm, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, and others. Ensure alignment and communication across studios.

• Partner and meet with DEI teams across the company to further the work. 

Basic Qualifications:

• Eight to ten years of work experience either as a live-action director or producer, creative executive, or running filmmaker labs/grants for writers, directors, and producers through a major studio, tech media company, production company, or leading filmmaker organization/non-profit in the industry.

• Deeply understands the creative process and how to make a live-action short film or feature film from development through post-production.

• Has an exceptional ability to judge a script and live-action short film for quality, budget scope, and consistency with the Disney brand.

• Minimum people management experience of two years.

• Understands structural and systemic inclusion and equity work and how to drive long-lasting change and business ownership. Has a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion work in front of and behind the camera.

• Ability to influence, work with, and uplift others in a highly matrixed organization.

• Display of mature leadership qualities – compelling communication, consistent judgment, and the ability to draw out the best from others.

• Demonstrates leadership skills with the ability to turn vision into action, motivate others to achieve goals, and follow through on decisions.

Required Education

• BA/BS Degree or Comparable Work Experience

About The Walt Disney Studios

For over 100 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today the Studio brings quality movies, music, and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films, series, and more are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Live Action, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice, and Disney Live!. Ours is a culture of innovation, inspiration, and collaboration that brings together visionary artists, gifted technologists and savvy business minds to conjure up magical entertainment experiences for a global audience.

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: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products, and interactive media. 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 Walt Disney Pictures, which is part of a business segment we call The Walt Disney Studios.

Walt Disney Pictures is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. 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.

The hiring range for this position in California is $180,100 to $241,500 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.