Regional Director, Operating Participants – Account Management

Job Overview

The Operating Participants & Real Estate team is responsible for the strategy, tenanting, and oversight of third‑party operators across Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, including retailers, restaurants, hotels, and service providers. The Operating Participants team leverages third‑party brand strength and operational expertise to expand the assortment of complementary offerings at our Resorts, driving length of stay, capturing broader guest demographics on property and generating incremental guest visits from local residents.

The Regional Director, Operating Participants – Account Management, reports to the Director, Operating Participants – Account Management and is based in Orlando, FL. This role is responsible for owning the performance, relationships, and outcomes of an assigned region. The Regional Director sets regional strategy and priorities, leads and develops their team, owns risk and escalation decisions, and drives operational performance. The Regional Director is expected to exercise sound judgment and serve as a trusted relationship owner with Operating Participants (third party tenants) and internal partners.

Responsibilities

REGIONAL STRATEGY & OWNERSHIP

• Set regional strategy, priorities, and operating discipline across all portfolios in‑region

• Own regional financial performance, risk exposure, and escalation decisions

• Balance financial results, guest experience, operational feasibility, and long‑term value creation

• Identify regional trends, risks, and opportunities early and proactively plan or delegate actions

LEASE MANAGEMENT & DEAL STRATEGY

• Partner with stakeholders to develop overall negotiation and deal term strategy for retail, restaurant, hotel and entertainment leases

• Negotiate complex contracts with new or existing Operating Participants, as needed

• Implement business unit goals, initiatives, scope of operations, and current issues

• Ensure compliance with negotiated contracts with third‑party operators, including adherence to first class operating standards.

• Partner with Finance, Legal, Operations, Business Relations, Corporate Alliances and Walt Disney Imagineering to ensure alignment and quality across negotiations and execution

• Support forecasting and budgeting of tenant revenues and new project expenses

• Lead Operating Participant concept pitches for projects and track progress

• Prepare mitigation and contingency plans for active projects

• Proactively identify, assess, and communicate applicable risks to Disney stakeholders

ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

• Act as the primary relationship owner for assigned Operating Participants, balancing tenant advocacy with Disney’s contractual, operational, and brand standards

• Influence outcomes through credibility, trust, and effective executive‑level communication

• Assist with the development and implementation of global qualitative measures and processes

• Provide guidance and support to Disney operational leadership and LOB/functional key stakeholders

 
TEAM LEADERSHIP

• Oversee and maintain departmental operating guidelines, policies, and procedures.

• Model accountability, collaboration, and ownership within the team

• Develop talent and bench strength through coaching, feedback, and development

• Provide clear direction, prioritization, and decision-making, particularly in ambiguous or high-pressure situations

Basic Qualifications

• 7+ years progressive leadership experience in relevant businesses

• 3+ years contracting, negotiating and business development experience

• Experience in the commercial real estate industry working on retail or restaurant projects

• Strong negotiation skills, specifically negotiation of lease agreement deal terms for new leases or renewal of existing lease agreements 

• Proven experience leading multi-account or portfolio-based businesses with material financial impact

• Strong track record in fact-based negotiations or equivalent contract experience

• Proven ability to establish relationships, trust and credibility internally and externally

• Ability to analyze deal terms to create a financial model of the agreement and understand practical implications of executing each of the terms: develop formal negotiation plans with talking points for each negotiation session; work interactively with legal resources and business unit stakeholders throughout the negotiation process and document final agreement with a package of a signed contact, financial model and preliminary execution plan to communicate with business unit stakeholders

• Proven capability to manage and drive strategy, problem solving, and the development of practical business solutions 

• Proven self-starter; motivated

• Proven ability to communicate in a highly organized, persuasive, confident and credible manner when dealing with executive level partners (internally and externally)

• Demonstrated success as an effective leader/partner/collaborator

• Demonstrated skills in developing and maintaining effective business relationships

• Demonstrated skills/experience with successful Project Management

• Ability to work in a matrixed environment with competing priorities – should have strong multi-tasking abilities

• Proven leadership experience and ability to motivate and inspire team members

• Skilled verbal and written communication skills with proven ability to facilitate challenging discussions in a professional manner

• Solid financial acumen; ability to manage/forecast business trends; understanding of financial statements (P&L, Cash Flow)

• Unquestioned ethics, transparency and integrity

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in business related field or equivalent

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The hiring range for this position in Lake Buena Vista, Florida is $145,500.00-$177,700.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.