Director, Production & Planning

About the role

Walt Disney Animation Studios is seeking a Director of Production & Planning to partner with the VP of Production & Planning in shaping the strategic roadmap for feature films, specials, and shorts. This senior leader will leverage historical project data to inform current and future planning, identify efficiency opportunities, and guide resource allocation across the studio.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain and evolve production plan templates for all project types, updating them for scenario analysis and studio impact assessments.
• Create initial production plans and resource schedules for projects without an assigned Associate Producer, integrating development timelines and translating plans into budgets with Finance.
• Develop and consolidate production scenarios to optimize studio resources, reduce risks, and provide slate‑planning options aligned with creative and financial goals.
• Analyze past project data to generate dashboards, reports, and presentations that highlight complexity, efficiency, and budget insights for decision‑making.
• Partner with Production leadership to standardize milestones and dashboards, ensuring consistent data tracking across shows.
• Collaborate with Production Finance to quantify financial impacts driven by planning assumptions.
• Lead a team responsible for the Autodesk Flow Production Tracking tool, workforce planning tools, and the creation of meaningful dashboards for analysis.

Required profile

• Extensive experience in production planning or operations within the animation/film industry.
• Strong analytical mindset with a proven ability to translate data into strategic recommendations.
• Excellent collaboration skills, capable of influencing senior leadership across Studio, Departmental, and Production functions.
• Demonstrated leadership of cross‑functional teams delivering analytical tools and reporting solutions.

Required skills

• Proficiency with Autodesk Flow Production Tracking.
• Advanced data analysis and dashboard creation capabilities.
• Experience building and maintaining production planning and workforce planning tools.