Director, Development (Disney Branded Television)

Disney Junior is seeking a highly creative, strategic, and collaborative Director of Development to join our team. This individual will help shape the next generation of animated storytelling for preschool audiences, overseeing projects from initial concept through pilot delivery. The ideal candidate brings a deep passion for animation and children’s content, strong industry relationships, and a track record of developing compelling, character-driven series.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support all phases of animated series development, from concept through pilot production.

• Provide thoughtful, constructive feedback on pitches, scripts, animatics, storyboards, casting, music, and mixes.

• Collaborate closely with key departments including Casting, Music, Production, Legal, and Finance to ensure creative and operational alignment.

• Source and cultivate fresh creative talent from across the animation landscape, with a focus on emerging voices and underrepresented storytellers.

• Champion Disney Junior’s creative vision and uphold brand values, network standards, and production guidelines across all development efforts.

• Make strategic trade-off decisions to align with content objectives, timelines, and resources.

• Influence creative direction while balancing artistic goals with business priorities.

• Foster cross-functional collaboration, acting as a liaison between internal leadership, producers, and third-party partners.

• Build trusted relationships across the industry with artists, agents, writers, executives, and studios.

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in animation development and/or current series production.

• Deep passion for storytelling, preschool content, and animated entertainment.

• Strong working knowledge of animation production, story structure, and visual storytelling.

• Established network of industry contacts across creative and production communities.

• Demonstrated success in identifying and developing original content and talent.

• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with multiple priorities.

• Highly collaborative, solution-oriented, and skilled at navigating a variety of personalities and creative styles.

• Willingness to travel as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background or education in early childhood development.

• Interest in or knowledge of children’s media, pop culture, gaming, and publishing.

• Prior experience managing or mentoring creative teams.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in media, film, animation, or a related field — or equivalent work experience.

The hiring range for this position in Burbank, CA is $124,900 to $167,500 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.