Assistant Manager, Franchise Strategy & Location-Based Experiences Disney Parks International

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Summary

The Assistant Manager, Franchise Strategy & Location-Based Experiences supports the development and execution of franchise strategies for Duffy and Friends and project management for Disney Location‑Based Experiences (DLBE) within Disney Parks International (DPI). This role contributes to cross‑site coordination, strategic analysis, and executional support, partnering closely with franchise leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders to deliver cohesive, on‑brand, and commercially effective initiatives in a highly matrixed environment.

This position reports to the Director, Franchise Strategy & Management and Location‑Based Experiences supporting defined workstreams under the guidance of senior leaders.

Responsibilities

Cross‑Portfolio Coordination & Project Execution

• Support the development and execution of select initiatives for Duffy & Friends and DLBE by coordinating inputs across sites, lines of business, and internal partners.
• Act as an integration point for assigned workstreams by supporting alignment across creative, commercial, and operational stakeholders; tracking progress against key milestones; and proactively flagging risks and dependencies.
• Assist in preparing strategic materials, presentations, and updates for leadership reviews, forums, and working sessions, as well as regular reports to senior leadership.
• Support team operations by managing project workflows and asset tracking tools (including Adobe Workfront), maintaining IP specific approval workflows, and ensuring visibility, compliance, and on time coordination across portfolios.
• Partner closely with internal stakeholders (including Franchise Strategy leadership, Licensees, Parks site teams, Consumer Insights, and Creative) and contribute to identifying opportunities to streamline workflows, improve documentation, and enhance cross team communication.
• Contribute to a high trust, collaborative team environment through strong organization, attention to detail, and proactive communication.

Duffy and Friends Franchise

• Support the ongoing evolution of the Duffy and Friends brand by coordinating with cross-functional partners (including Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Live Entertainment, and Parks site teams) to align priorities, inputs, and execution as the franchise grows toward its long-term vision.
• Support development and execution of integrated content and marketing strategies by assisting with creative briefing, agency coordination, asset reviews, and delivery management to enable strong in-market performance and partner relationships.
• Assist in advancing franchise level commercial innovation initiatives by supporting analysis, coordination, and execution of high impact opportunities across sites, including preparation of leadership‑ready recommendations through rotating project workstreams.
• Partner with Corporate Alliance teams to evaluate potential brand partners, review proposals and planned activations for brand alignment, track performance, and synthesize key learnings to inform future franchise opportunities.
• Support activation of a corporate social responsibility campaign by assisting with planning and execution of brand-led activations and a year‑round approach that builds awareness, affinity, and long‑term brand equity.
• Support ongoing budget tracking and administrative needs related to franchise initiatives.

Location Based‑Experiences

DLBE is the team within DPI that partners with various licensees around the globe that develop experiences leveraging popular franchises and IPs from 20th Century Studios and National Geographic.

• Assist with managing day‑to‑day communication across relevant licensees, vendors, and internal partners throughout creative development to support consistent, on‑brand execution.
• Support creative, design, and attraction development review processes by consolidating feedback, tracking approvals, and ensuring required stakeholders are engaged at appropriate stages.
• Assist in monitoring execution and installation milestones to support delivery of experiences that meet Disney quality, safety, and guest experience standards.
• Support project management and lifecycle coordination by maintaining project trackers, deliverable matrices, timelines, and documentation for assigned projects and licensees.
• Support research, analysis, and synthesis related to DLBE business performance, market trends, competitive landscape, and prospective licensee concepts to inform strategy discussions and leadership materials.
• For active locations, assist with product‑related coordination by supporting assortment inputs, tracking performance metrics, and contributing to internal reporting and future planning.

Talent Attributes and Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in strategy, project management, marketing, or franchise related roles within a fast‑paced, matrixed environment (experience in themed entertainment or live experiences a plus).
• Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills, both verbal and written.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate cross-‑functionally and support senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• High attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Creative, data-informed‑ mindset with the ability to translate insights into clear recommendations.
• Word, Excel, Outlook, CoPilot, PowerPoint, Keynote, Photoshop CS, Illustrator CS, Quicktime Player, VLC, and manage FTP site and server
• SmartSheet, Airtable, or other project management software

Preferred Skills:

• Adobe Creative Suite, Firefly, Workfront, Acrobat

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required

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