Manager, Operating Participants
Apply Now Apply Later Job ID 10132361 Location Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States Business Disney Experiences Date posted Sep. 30, 2025Job Summary:
Manager, Operating Participants
Location: Lake Buena Vista, FL (WDW)
Overview:
The Operating Participants organization develops and implements strategies related to the procurement and subsequent management of unique and relevant third party “Operating Participant (“OP”)” relationships within Disney Theme Parks, Resorts, Retail, Dining and Entertainment (RD&E) environments as well as any other businesses operated by an OP which supports or enhances the overall Guest Experience at the Walt Disney World® Resort.
Responsibilities:
- Manage a varied portfolio of existing, large scale Operating Participant Tenants in alignment with organizational priorities and business needs
- Responsible for understanding Tenant obligations and ensuring lease compliance and adherence to Disney Standards for Operating Participant hotels, retail, restaurant, recreation, cart & kiosk, and service provider operations
- Partners with internal and external stakeholders to negotiate lease amendments and other related agreements
- Leverage strong networking and relationship-building skills with internal and external partners to build consensus and drive work
- Drive business performance and recommendations for the assigned portfolio in alignment to segment and organizational goals, priorities and metrics
- Partner with internal and external stakeholders to develop new and enhanced Operating Participant business opportunities
- Interact with internal and external executives in areas related to operational performance, lease negotiations and enforcement, financial discussions, etc.
- Support the Operating Participant Business Development team in large-scale tenant related projects
- Work independently to drive strategy focused on four main areas:
- Drive business performance of your portfolio
- Streamline effective processes
- Prioritize work to achieve key priorities and goals
- Ensure OP Tenants deliver on product and service excellence
Basic Qualifications:
- Minimum 5+ years of commercial lease management and negotiation experience with national operators
- Operational management experience and expertise in retail, food & beverage, hotel and/or real estate management and development experience
- Subject Matter Expert of lease agreements and other legal agreements and terms
- Subject Matter Expert on lease enforcement efforts
- Strong negotiation skills, specifically negotiation of lease agreement deal terms, both for new leases and renewal of existing leases
- 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 flexible environment with competing priorities – should have strong multi-tasking abilities
- Solid financial acumen; ability to manage/forecast business trends; understanding of financial statements (P&L, Cash Flow)
- Experience working with contractual agreements; ability to manage legal contracts/agreements
- Ability to influence Tenants and internal stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to work well in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
Required Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business or related field
Preferred Education:
- Master’s Degree in Business or related field
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.