Senior Manager, Decision Science

The Decision Science Transformation team focuses on creating innovative mathematical models to inform business decision-making through data. The team is interested in all fields related to data science, with emphasis on statistics, operations research, econometrics, and machine learning.

The Decision Science Transformation team resides within the Disney Decision Science + Integration (DDSI) organization, which provides internal consulting services for clients across The Walt Disney Company. The DDSI team sits at the intersection of business strategy, advanced analytics, and technology integration to help our partners explore opportunities for analytics, shape business decisions, and drive value. Our work includes conceptualizing new solutions, solution design and development, implementation and integration with business processes, and ongoing business support.

The Senior Manager, Decision Science Transformation will lead a highly skilled team of experts across technical domains to conceptualize, design, and develop new data and decision science capabilities. This role will also involve creating and implementing an analytics-training strategy for the Company as part of broader efforts in the analytics community of practice.

What You’ll Do:

• Manage direct reports, which may include managers as well as professional staff specializing in different technical disciplines. May also manage the work of further professional staff in a matrixed organization.
• Lead a portfolio of complex projects and initiatives, including responsibility for scope negotiation and work estimation, resource allocation, development and teaching of necessary skills, adaptation of plans to meet operational challenges, and representation of the team with senior leaders and partners (e.g., product teams, client teams, and vendors).
• Lead a team of researchers in conducting R&D on emerging science, technology, and tools to drive innovation and enhance decision-making capabilities.
• Oversee the creation and enhancement of analytics platform projects, including the development of advanced science models like natural language processing, causal inference, simulation, and data engineering capabilities.
• Develop and implement a training strategy for the Company on analytical topics like data visualization, probability and uncertainty, optimization, coding for automation, and machine learning by collaborating with internal partners in a community of practice.
• Lead a team of technical employees to develop analytical training for employees across a wide range of business functions. Specifically, this role will be responsible for all aspects of training including the development, delivery, certification exams, and course assessments.

Basic Qualifications & Skills:

• 10 or more years of related/relevant experience in decision science, data science, or a related field with a Bachelor’s degree or 8 or more years of related/relevant experience in decision science, data science, or a related field with a Master’ degree.
• Proven ability to manage and lead teams, including direct reports and matrixed professional staff.
• Ability to understand and support multiple large business domains, with demonstrated experience leading complex projects and initiatives, including scope negotiation, work estimation, and resource allocation.
• Experience managing client relationships and expectations.
• Competence in multiple analytical domains from statistics, optimization, machine learning, and/or econometrics. Distinction in breadth of knowledge enabling responsibility for large, complex, or varied output.
• Proficiency in mathematical computing with at least one programming language (e.g., Python, R, Java), and the ability to independently learn new technical methods and tools.
• Experience in conducting R&D on emerging science, technology, and tools to drive innovation.
• Proven track record in developing and enhancing analytics platforms, including advanced science models like natural language processing, causal inference, forecasting, optimization, and simulation.
• Passion for educating others in technical domains, with experience in creating and delivering training courses on analytical topics.
• Excellent collaboration skills with the ability to work with internal partners through a community of practice to expand analytical training and other offerings to new departments and domains.
• Strong communication skills, both written and spoken, with the ability to represent the team with senior leaders and partners.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

How to Stand Out:

• Proven knowledge of revenue management context, including demand forecasting, resource allocation, and pricing.
• Knowledge of decision theory and related areas such as decision analysis, multiple criteria decision making, and risk analysis, including expert elicitation methods.
• Familiarity with software development tools such as GitLab/GitHub, Docker, and cloud computing tools such as AWS.
• Experience developing and teaching course content in multiple analytical disciplines to business professionals and executives.
• Experience developing holistic training curricula for business professionals.
• Experience leading a team of content developers to develop training materials on technical topics.
• Experience using technology to enhance the learning experience of course participants.

Required Education:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in a technical discipline (Statistics, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Mathematics, Machine Learning, Econometrics, or related field) or equivalent experience.

About The Walt Disney Company (Corporate):

At Disney Corporate you can see how the businesses behind the Company’s powerful brands come together to create the most innovative, far-reaching and admired entertainment company in the world. As a member of a corporate team, you’ll work with world-class leaders driving the strategies that keep The Walt Disney Company at the leading edge of entertainment. See and be seen by other innovative thinkers as you enable the greatest storytellers in the world to create memories for millions of families around the globe.

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 that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. 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 Disney Worldwide Services, Inc. , which is part of a business we call The Walt Disney Company (Corporate) .

Disney Worldwide Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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