Principal Product Manager

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.

Product Management is responsible for driving the overall user experience, feature strategies and concepts, and engagement paradigms for Disney Entertainment & ESPN's global portfolio of consumer-facing streaming and digital products – including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, ABC, ABC News, Nat Geo, Marvel, and Star Wars.

Job Summary:

The DEEPT News & Entertainment Product Team is looking for a dynamic Principal Product Manager specializing in matrixed strategic initiatives, experimentation, and data-driven decision making. This critical role sits at the intersection of technology, content, and user experience, focusing on world-class digital experiences for Disney’s news and entertainment brands. The ideal candidate is collaborative, passionate about UX, self-directed, curious about industry trends, and has demonstrated an ability to build and support market-leading digital products.  

The News & Entertainment product team is responsible for building the next generation of news and entertainment experiences for all digital platforms. As a key member of this team, you will collaborate with colleagues across engineering, design, and data science, as well as editorial and business stakeholders to launch new features and coordinate ongoing support for existing experiences. You will drive product strategies with a data-first mindset, leveraging A/B testing, user analytics, and advanced data practices to elevate our product offerings and inform decision-making. You will be supported in personal and professional growth through ongoing learning, mentorship, and leadership opportunities, and be a part of a culture that values diversity, experimentation, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:

• Lead cross-functional strategic initiatives and collaborate with product managers, engineering, design, and editorial teams to define strategic goals, propose innovative ideas, align on product vision, and set measurable success metrics.
• Define, monitor and communicate KPIs and product metrics. Identify growth opportunities, measure business impact, and influence cross-team priorities through clear, data-informed storytelling.
• Cultivate direct user relationships by delivering personalized, timely, and contextually relevant messaging to maximize engagement and loyalty
• Build the long-term strategy for unifying CRM and automated messaging capabilities, including data models, integrations and automating workflows, across multiple products.
• Leverage AI tools to introduce new features and improve messaging capabilities, tooling, and enhance connected user experiences.
• Advance data maturity by establishing best practices for experiment data collection, governance, and analytics, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of data used for product insights.
• Craft and present strategic narratives tailored for executive audiences to influence decision-making, drive alignment on business priorities, and deliver meaningful improvements at scale.
• Provide leadership and coaching to product teams, championing product strategy, raising organizational capabilities, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Required Education, Experience/Skills/Training:

Basic Qualifications

• 10 years or more experience in product management – specifically in digital media, news, entertainment, or streaming domains.
• Strong technical aptitude and experience with CRM and messaging platforms, automation tools, and experimentation tools.
• Strong understanding of data integration, data maturity concepts, and frameworks.
• Hands-on experience with AI and machine learning applications, particularly in building and deploying automated workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in a matrixed organization, driving consensus and delivering results.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with a passion for making data-driven decisions and the ability to break down complexity and deliver pragmatic solutions.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills, capable of influencing at all levels and translating technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Passion for news, entertainment, or media and creating transformative user experiences at scale.

Required Education  

• A bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, statistics, business, media or a related field from a four-year accredited college or university

The hiring range for this position in New York, NY is $197,400 to $264,700 per year and in Glendale, CA is $188,400 to $252,600 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.