Director, Operating Participants - Business Development

Job ID 10145837 Location Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States Business Disney Experiences Date posted Mar. 20, 2026

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Job Summary:

About the Role and Team:

The Operating Participant team is a highly visible real estate leasing and management organization charged with assessing long-term retail, dining, and entertainment growth strategies, expansion opportunities, and reinvestment decisions that drive new and existing partnerships across Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts.

The Director, Business Development is responsible for developing long‑range tenanting strategy, identifying and capitalizing on emerging industry, consumer, and financial trends, and structuring complex, value‑added partnership agreements across domestic portfolios. They will serve as a strategic thought partner to senior executives to shape the evolution of retail, restaurant, and mixed-use experiences across our properties. This role requires exceptional judgment, executive presence, and the ability to balance creative vision with rigorous commercial and financial evaluation.

What You Will Do:

Provide strategic direction, direct leadership and personal mentoring for a team of highly talented individuals, including senior managers and operating participant managers
Lead the development and execution of multi‑year operating participant strategies, aligning tenant mix, partnership models, and capital deployment with broader Disney Experiences segment objectives
Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership, providing insight into market dynamics, portfolio performance, growth opportunities, and risk considerations
Anticipate and translate macro‑economic, consumer behavior, and experiential retail trends into actionable partnership strategies and leasing approaches
Guide strategic decision‑making related to redevelopment, selective reinvestment, expansion, and acquisition opportunities across operating participant assets
Maintain deep expertise in retail, food & beverage, entertainment, and mixed‑use trends, including emerging concepts, evolving guest expectations, and new experiential formats.
Leverage internal and external data to evaluate portfolio performance, tenant health, and long‑term relevance of existing and prospective partners
Commission and interpret market, submarket, and competitive analyses to inform tenant strategy, pricing, and positioning decisions
Lead financial underwriting and valuation for new deals, redevelopments, and renewals, including revenue projections, ROI analysis, sensitivity modeling, and risk assessment
Structure and negotiate complex partnership agreements, including rent models, percentage rent structures, capital contributions, incentives, term structures, and performance provisions.
Partner closely with Finance, Legal, Construction, and Account Management to ensure financial, operational, and contractual alignment throughout deal lifecycle.
Collaborate across project conception, design, permitting, construction, and opening to ensure commercial intent is preserved through execution
Work in close partnership with Operating Participant Account Management on short‑ and long‑term planning for new and existing agreements, including performance optimization and reinvestment strategies

Basic Qualifications:

10+ years of progressive experience in business development, real estate, strategy, or consulting, with a strong preference for high‑profile retail, restaurant, entertainment, and/or mixed‑use environments
Demonstrated ability to set and lead long‑range business strategies, translating market, consumer, and financial insights into actionable partnership and portfolio decisions.
Proven expertise in financial underwriting, valuation, and deal structuring, including ROI analysis, sensitivity modeling, risk assessment, and negotiation of complex commercial terms
Extensive experience structuring and negotiating major partnership agreements, with comfort navigating complex legal, financial, and operational considerations
Executive presence with a demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders, align cross‑functional partners, and drive decisions in a matrixed organization.
Strong industry perspective and intellectual curiosity; recognized as a student of retail, food & beverage, and experiential trends, with a point of view on where the industry is headed
Proven track record of leading, mentoring, and developing high‑performing teams, fostering collaboration, inclusion, and accountability
Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly communicate complex strategies and financial concepts to diverse audiences
Domestic travel required

Education:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

License:

Current Broker or Real Estate License Preferred

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About Disney Experiences:

Disney Experiences brings the magic of Disney stories and franchises to life through theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, unique vacation experiences, products and more around the world. Disney shines in the travel industry with six resort destinations in the United States, Europe and Asia; a top-rated cruise line; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award-winning guided family adventure business. Plus, Disney's global consumer products operations include the world's leading licensing business; the world's largest children's publishing brands; one of the world's largest licensors of games across all platforms; and Disney store locations around the world and on the web.

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 Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc., which is part of a business we call Disney Experiences.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., 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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Explore this Location Lake Buena Vista, FL

Lake Buena Vista is home to the Disney Springs retail, dining and entertainment complex, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course and several resort hotels are located with the City limits.