Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is focused on leveraging The Walt Disney Company's incredible stories, brands and characters to create high-quality, innovative product experiences that tell a story and connect a broad consumer audience with the magic of Disney through all channels and mediums.

The Creative Strategy Lead is accountable for the ideation and execution of growth-oriented creative initiatives across DPW’s regional licensee base. S/he will drive franchise-specific efforts across the Book, Magazine and Digital publishing segments with an emphasis on audience expansion and product innovation and locally relevant initiatives. This leader will also manage relationships with our licensees’ key creative stakeholders, as well as with DPW’s Global Product Development team.

S/he will report to the DPW’s VP, Global Creative Strategy and will work collaboratively with her/his DPW Commercialization counterparts to ensure that all creative output is designed to drive the AOP and 5-year financial goals for their respective Regional Cluster.



Responsibilities :
Strategy

• In alignment with the global team, define franchise-specific creative strategies and initiatives designed to deliver high quality, authentic storytelling experiences with a consumer-first focus.
• Work closely with licensees to execute creative strategies through the development of best-in-class publishing assortments for Disney, Marvel, Lucas and Pixar across all publishing categories (books, magazines, partworks and digital)
• Accelerate incremental growth by monitoring market, identifying white space and expanding consumer reach through fresh, creative executions
• Understand shifting consumer needs and continually adapt creative executions in response
• Leverage customer data and consumer research to continually refine and optimize licensees’ publishing assortments to ensure ongoing relevance

Relationship Management

• Cultivate relationships with key creative stakeholders across the regional licensee base to advance business goals and ensure Disney’s premier position with its customers and consumers
• Meet with licensees to review publishing assortments, brainstorm on new initiatives and provide creative direction
• Ensure cross-functional activity, communications and partnerships to evolve “one Disney voice” philosophy
• Manage relationship with DPW Commercialization team to ensure they are fully engaged, informed, and aligned on all creative efforts

New Business Opportunities

• Ideate and execute franchise-specific creative initiatives with the goal of relentlessly innovating DPW’s market position
• With Commercialization team, accelerate incremental growth by identifying new partners and distribution channels
• Constantly monitor competitive landscape to spot emerging trends and quickly capitalize on opportunities

Financial

With guidance from DPW Global…

• Develop cluster-level creative strategies in support of long-term and fiscal year revenue goals
• Define licensee-level creative strategies in support quarterly fiscal forecast goals
• Identify and set KPIs based on creative and financial milestones
• Proactively develop creative initiatives designed to mitigate financial risks

Leadership

• Develop and share creative leadership vision for the Regional Cluster
• Lead, mentor and develop a team that is creative, collaborative, flexible and focused on the consumer
• Regularly communicate goals, vision and day-to-day operations to global team members to ensure ongoing alignment
• Create a workplace environment that encourages creative risk-taking to enable attainment of stretch goals for DPW organization
• Ensure adequate informal and formal training and development of Regional Cluster members with a lens towards emerging skillsets

Basic Qualifications :
Education: Bachelor Degree is qualified. Master Degree preferable.

Experience:

• 10+ years publishing experience primarily within mainland China
• Strong working knowledge of Chinese consumer publishing demands as well as governmental controls
• Knowledge of educational products, a plus
• Knowledge of comics, a plus
• Knowledge of digital publishing, a plus
• Excellent communication and presentation skills (English and Mandarin)
• Creative Sensibilities with ability to build new publishing traditions (e.g. refresh old classics, or establish brand-new ideas that could become classics)
• Leadership Versatility
• Commercial Acumen & Operational Acumen