Director, Research and Development

In this role, you will lead at the forefront of technology and innovation and influence our technology strategy. If you are a visionary leader, with their finger on the pulse of the technology industry, passionate about inspiring others and driving innovation, we invite you to apply and help shape the future of our Enterprise Technology team.

Job Summary

As the Director of Research and Development you will lead a skilled team of architects and engineers within the Enterprise Technology Architectures & Standards team. This role is crucial for enhancing our long range planning by Identify emerging technologies and trends early in their lifecycle, assessing them, and determining their strategic fit. Your leadership will ensure that we have a strong innovation culture within Enterprise Technology and that emerging technologies are well understood by technology and business leaders.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Strategic Planning:

  • Build & direct the innovation team, ensuring strategic alignment with business and technology goals. Develop a roadmap for the establishment and ongoing maturation of innovation processes, ensuring that they continue to deliver to the needs of Enterprise Technology.

• Emerging Technology Identification and Evaluation

  • Publish and maintain an ongoing series of Emerging Technology Radars that identify emerging technologies and trends related to our products and services, determine alignment with our strategic goals, and potential benefits.

  • Further evaluate the feasibility and value of the most relevant emerging technologies through experiments, prototyping, and proof of value.

• Foster Cross-Functional Innovation Culture

  • Cultivate a culture of innovation and ongoing technical self-development within Enterprise Technology by running cross-functional Hackathons, Design Thinking sessions, Demo Days, and knowledge sharing from external though leaders.

  • Establish relationships with vendors and external bodies around technical innovation / open source / etc.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration:

  • Work closely with other Enterprise Technology engineering leaders and product managers to understand their strategies and identify opportunities for alignment of emerging technologies within their roadmaps

  • Collaborate with other innovation teams within Corporate and other Disney segments to replicate best practices and leverage relationships

• Stakeholder Communication and Awareness

  • Maintain regular communication with senior management and other stakeholders, providing updates on ongoing effectiveness and performance of the innovation department.

  • Continuously educate and make senior leadership with Enterprise Technology and the other Corporate Functions aware of emerging technologies and industry trends and their applicability.

Skills/Experience

• Proven Technical Leadership: At least 12+ years of experience in software, systems, or data engineering or architecture, with significant experience leading technical teams.

• Strategic and Analytical Thinking: Ability to devise strategic plans for technology integration that align with business goals. Proficient in problem-solving and analytical thinking to overcome challenges.

• Adaptability and Vision: Capability to adapt to changing technology landscapes and foresee how to leverage technology in new ways to benefit the company.

• Communication and Motivation: Able to communicate to all levels of the organization, both technologists and business folks, provide thought leadership and inspire others to embrace a vision of the future.

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

#DISNEYTECH