Director, Programming, Direct-to-Consumer, JP & KR

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Wherever you are in the amazing world of Disney, you are contributing to the stories of our iconic brands, recognised by audiences everywhere for entertainment, information and inspiration. Innovation, imagination and inclusion are at the core of Disney, defining the experience that we deliver as well as providing the foundation of our success. The scope of our business, combined with global growth and collaboration result in an inclusive employee experience characterised by continuous learning, development and achievement.

About Our Team

Our Programming team sits at the center of how audiences experience Disney+. We partner closely with Content and Product to translate creative and business priorities into effective platform execution, driving discovery and engagement across the service. From curation and localization to launch and lifecycle optimization, the team maximizes each title’s performance by combining the magic of storytelling with audience insight and data-driven decision-making.

Position Overview

The Director, Programming, Direct-to-Consumer, JP & KR, is a pivotal member of the APAC DTC leadership team, a central force of Disney+ audience experience, reporting to the Vice President, Programming, Direct-to-Consumer, APAC. The Executive in this position advances the DTC Japan and Korea business by leading strategies and teams that translate content investment into sustained subscriber engagement, working in close partnership with global and regional Content, Programming, and Product teams, to maximize each title’s performance by leveraging storytelling, audience insight, and data-driven decision-making. The director is accountable for setting a comprehensive regional programming strategy, setting clear priorities, and advocating for the capabilities required for success.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the execution of the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) programming strategy across Japan and Korea, supporting the organization’s vision, goals, and long-term growth for Disney+.
• Shape and implement a unified programming strategy aligned with global DTC objectives, anticipating audience trends and driving subscriber acquisition, engagement, and retention.
• Serve as the primary strategic partner to global and regional Content teams, influencing content strategy and slate planning through audience and performance insights.
• Oversee the end-to-end content discovery experience, including curation, artwork, trailers, and on-platform previews, in partnership with Product and Marketing.
• Manage and enhance content metadata and tagging standards across Japan and Korea, ensuring accurate, consistent, and enriched data, to improve discovery, personalization, and search performance.
• Partner closely with global Programming, Content Curation, and Product teams to provide regular, data-driven feedback for continuous improvement of discovery and user experience in Japan and Korea.
• Partner with content localization strategy, prioritizing investments in dubbing and subtitling based on engagement and ROI.
• Collaborate closely with local, regional, and global stakeholders to ensure programming strategies are aligned, integrated, and effectively executed.
• Collaborate with ESPN and relevant stakeholders to integrate sports and live programming into Disney+.
• Champion process improvements and a solutions-oriented mindset to drive operational excellence and rapid problem solving.
• Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing regional programming team, fostering a culture of inclusion, empowerment, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, regulatory standards, and uphold the highest ethical and industry practices.

Basic Qualifications Required

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in programming, content strategy, or related leadership roles within media, entertainment, or DTC streaming environments.
• Proven highly strategic programming leader in streaming businesses, with a record of achievement in Japan and Korea and a strong external network in media and entertainment.
• Significant senior leadership experience, managing leaders of leaders, with a participative approach that fosters collaboration and innovation.
• Extensive experience leading diverse, multi-functional teams in a large, matrixed organization.
• Ability to recognize, create, and communicate priorities, strategies, market opportunities, and challenges to drive growth and performance improvement.
• Skilled in balancing strategic and operational responsibilities.
• Ability to effectively lead and manage in a dynamic and challenging environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with a proven ability to engage effectively with business partners and diverse stakeholders. Excellent people skills, with an ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team.
• Adaptable and able to multi-task; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving work environment while driving toward clarity and solutions.
• Must demonstrate and maintain integrity, credibility, proactive leadership, accountability, adaptability, and a forward thinking, strategic, and agile mindset.

Preferred Qualifications

• MNC experience and experience working in a highly matrixed organization.
• Deep Japan and Korea experience, especially in partnering with senior business leaders in Japan and Korea market.
• Track record of consistently hitting or over-delivering on targets.
• Fluent in English; Japanese or Korean a plus.

The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. We are committed to building a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

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