Sr. Manager, Product & Engineering (Legal Technology)

The Walt Disney Company•Burbank, CA

About The Position

At Disney, we’re storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) is a world-class entertainment and technological leader. Walt’s passion was to continuously envision new ways to move audiences around the world—a passion that remains our touchstone in an enterprise that stretches from theme parks, resorts and a cruise line to sports, news, movies and a variety of other businesses. Uniting each endeavor is a commitment to creating and delivering unforgettable experiences — and we’re constantly looking for new ways to enhance these exciting experiences. The Enterprise Technology mission is to deliver technology solutions that align to business strategies while enabling enterprise efficiency and promoting cross-company collaborative innovation. Our group drives competitive advantage by enhancing our consumer experiences, enabling business growth, and advancing operational excellence. Team Description The Senior Manager, Product & Engineering (Legal Technology) is a responsible for leading a cross-functional team to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of products to our internal business stakeholders. This role encompasses all aspects of product management, program delivery, project management, software engineering, and technical operations. The Senior Manager will ensure that we are building and maintaining products that are aligned with our businesses’ strategic priorities and the technology roadmap for the enterprise. This role will play a pivotal part in driving innovation, ensuring operational excellence, and fostering a collaborative environment to achieve our organizational goals. We’re looking for a seasoned technology leader with a strong foundation in product management, agile delivery, and stakeholder engagement. This role requires exceptional soft skills, including negotiation, persuasion, and a consultative approach to problem-solving. The ideal candidate can think strategically about the future of our products while remaining pragmatic and iterative in execution.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in product management, solution architecture, software engineering, or technology operations —managing multiple complex products in a large, multi-national corporation with multiple business units
3+ years of direct people management experience, with progressive leadership responsibilities
Deep understanding of legal operations, legal document management, legal workflow automation, eDiscovery, contract lifecycle management (CLM), legal hold, compliance, risk management, and IP management tools
Knowledge of data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), litigation readiness, and compliance reporting workflows
Previous experience to partnering with in-house counsel, compliance teams, privacy officers, and external legal partners
Proven track record of leading high-impact product and technology initiatives, ensuring alignment with business goals and technology strategy
Strong strategic thinking and execution skills, with the ability to balance long-term vision with pragmatic decision-making
Experience managing cross-functional stakeholders, engaging with senior leadership, and driving business-aligned outcomes
Experience leading matrixed teams, including product managers, technical architects, software engineers, operations, program managers, business analysts, and vendor partners
Deep understanding of software engineering and architecture principles, with experience delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance solutions
Knowledge of TOGAF and enterprise architecture frameworks, with experience designing and implementing solutions aligned with TOGAF principles
Proficiency in cloud technologies, SaaS platforms, DevOps, and CI/CD practices, with a strong focus on automation and operational excellence
Hands-on experience with agile software development methodologies, ensuring high-quality software delivery at scale
Ability to bridge technical and business domains, translating complex engineering concepts into clear business strategies
Previous experience with complex e-mail, document, and record management services; with a preference for experience with NetDocuments
Working knowledge of JavaScript, Java, REST, XML, HTML, and CSS
Strong understanding of ITIL v3 (or later) and ITSM best practices to drive operational excellence and service management
Proven experience in Agile product management and iterative development methodologies, such as Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, or Lean
Ability to define and manage product roadmaps, backlogs, and release planning, ensuring alignment with business objectives
Experience leading and managing large, matrixed teams across product, engineering, and program functions
Strong problem-solving and risk management skills, ensuring proactive identification and mitigation of project risks
Data-driven mindset, using key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics to track product and project performance and drive continuous improvement
Experience working in an outsourced IT environment, managing vendor relationships and fostering a high-performing, collaborative ecosystem
Experience managing departmental and project budgets, ensuring financial accountability and resource optimization
Strong background in vendor and partner management, ensuring successful collaboration and outsourced IT delivery
Knowledge of contract negotiations, service-level agreements (SLAs), and governance models in a multi-vendor environment
Exceptional ability to build strong relationships across business, technology, and executive leadership teams
Strong communication, executive presentation, and storytelling skills, translating technical concepts into business language
Ability to manage complex stakeholder landscapes, balancing competing priorities and driving alignment across cross-functional teams
Experience working within matrixed organizational structures, ensuring effective collaboration and influence
Demonstrated success creating a culture of trust, transparency, and belonging where teams feel safe to explore ideas, take risks, and grow
Proven ability to mentor and develop individuals through mentoring, coaching, and regular feedback – with a focus on skills development and career progression
Strong commitment to inclusive leadership practices that amplify diverse perspectives and foster open, honest collaboration
Track record of cultivating high-performing, self-directed teams by clarifying expectations, encouraging experimentation, and celebrating learning over perfection
Deep belief in leadership as a service to the team, paired with the ability to lead with curiosity, humility, and humor to keep teams energized, grounded, and connected
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience

Nice To Haves

Preference for Master of Business Administration (MBA) or other advanced degree in a related discipline
TOGAF 9 certification, TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Practitioner, or TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Leader
Other advanced, platform, or agile courses/certifications

Responsibilities

Oversee the engineering, delivery, and support of a diverse portfolio of products, ensuring strategic alignment with business functions for our Legal & Global Affairs groups (including Antipiracy, eDiscovery, Legal Operations, Global Ethics & Compliance Management, Office of the Corporate Secretary, and Privacy)
Lead complex, cross-functional teams to deliver technology solutions that drive business value and measurable outcomes
Develop and execute product, project, and program roadmaps, ensuring alignment with business planning cycles and enterprise strategies
Provide a holistic view of business capabilities, value streams, and end-to-end delivery, ensuring solutions align with organizational structure, business strategies, and stakeholder needs
Develop and execute product roadmaps that balance innovation with operational excellence and enterprise scalability
Build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders at all levels—from end-users to senior executives—to ensure strategic alignment and user-centric product development.
Drive cross-functional collaboration across business, product, and engineering teams to achieve shared goals and innovation
Drive the intake, demand management, and product roadmaps, ensuring alignment with user needs, business goals, and technical capabilities
Own and lead the full lifecycle of large software development projects, ensuring successful execution across multiple teams and components
Track and report on product and project performance, leveraging data-driven insights to drive continuous improvement
Champion DevOps, CI/CD, and automation strategies to improve software delivery efficiency and reliability
Ensure technical alignment with enterprise architecture standards (including TOGAF principles) and engineering best practices
Oversee adherence to industry standards, regulations, and compliance requirements, ensuring all products and processes meet necessary governance criteria
Serve as an escalation point for resolving complex issues, technical challenges, and critical business inquiries
Advocate for customer-centric and user-driven development, ensuring business needs align with real-world usability and adoption
Oversee technical operations, ensuring reliability, security, and maintainability of systems and platforms
Drive agile adoption and best practices, ensuring teams follow iterative development, backlog prioritization, value-driven delivery, and continuous feedback loops
Establish clear success metrics and KPIs for product and project performance, ensuring data-driven decision-making
Proactively identify potential risks in the product development lifecycle and implement mitigation strategies to ensure successful project delivery
Work closely with product managers, product owners, software engineers, and domain architects to ensure alignment between business requirements, technical feasibility, and agile delivery principles
Oversee project and cost center budgets, providing accurate monthly forecasts and optimizing resource allocation
Manage relationships with third-party vendors and partners, ensuring successful delivery execution and sustained product operations
Manage, mentor, and develop a team of direct reports, providing career guidance, training, and structured development plans
Identify and develop high-potential talent across the organization, fostering a culture of learning, growth, and performance excellence
Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous learning, ensuring teams are engaged and motivated
Act as a mentor and coach, helping emerging leaders develop into future roles within the organization