Area Manager, Costume Production, Disney Cruise Line

Wherever you are in the amazing world of Disney, you are contributing to the stories of our iconic brands, recognised by audiences everywhere for entertainment, information and inspiration. Innovation, imagination and inclusion are at the core of Disney, defining the experience that we deliver as well as providing the foundation of our success. The scope of our business, combined with global growth and collaboration result in an inclusive employee experience characterised by continuous learning, development and achievement.

About Disney Cruise Line

Since launching in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has established itself as a leader in the cruise industry, providing a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and children can experience all Disney has to offer. Today, the award-winning Disney Cruise Line continues to expand its blueprint for family cruising with a fleet of six ships — the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, and Disney Treasure — and seven more ships on the way, including the expanded relationship with Oriental Land Company Ltd. to bring Disney cruise vacations to Japan, by 2031. The Disney Cruise Line fleet sails to destinations in The Bahamas, the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, the South Pacific, and Australia and New Zealand. The Disney Adventure, setting sail in 2025, will be the first to home port in Singapore.

About the Role

This Area Manager, Costume Production role will provide guidance and feedback that promotes development and inclusion. The Area Manager must also understand how to balance creative needs with budgetary constraints that all collaborators find agreeable.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a Costumer team that meets or exceeds the expectations of Partners/Guests, ensuring a consistent product as well as a high level of customer service.
• Provide daily leadership, coaching, and mentoring to the team, including ensuring the team receives accurate training and understands how to perform their role.
• Monitor, analyze, and take action on costume inventory quantity, costume show quality, and expenses affecting annual financial targets using programs that include but are not limited to SAP, Maximo, and YuniquePLM.
• Build and maintain strong working collaborations and support business requests in a dynamic environment.
• Ensure division and segment strategies are being followed.
• Look for areas of opportunity to improve efficiency for the organization and strive to make processes consistent within Disney Live Entertainment (DLE) Costuming.
• Lead all aspects of and establish process and Operating Guides.
• Improve Guest service in this Cast-serving-Cast environment by communicating new and innovative ideas to help drive the Costuming organization to new heights.
• Participate in annual budget planning.
• Lead replenishment planning sessions or work in tandem with operational teams for annual costume production and replenishment planning
• Prepare cost estimates and the ability to fulfill project management function
• Partner with Operational Costuming areas for the procurement and disposition of Entertainment Costumes
• Understand fabrics, manufacturing, and cleaning processes as related to Entertainment Costumes
• Establish and maintain partnerships that support the implementation of new product

Schedule Requirements:

• Flexible hours including weekends, nights, and holidays may be required
• Ability to travel between various work locations in a given day
• Ability to travel domestically up to 30% & internationally up to 20% of the time

Requirements:

• 5+ years experience in a leadership role with direct and indirect reports
• 3+ years experience in Costuming, Theater, Garment Manufacturing, Fashion, or other related field
• Experience in garment construction and performing fittings
• Experience mentoring and providing re-direction to salaried and hourly cast
• Experience solving conflict and gaining consensus in a way that all partners feel heard and understood
• Experience building a network of internal and external partners
• Experience communicating (both verbal and written) to all levels of partner
• Experience working with a collective bargaining agreement and unionized cast
• Ability to work around all types of fibers, fabrics, and furs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with various purchasing software Maximo, GUS, & Yunique PLM
• Experience in Textiles or the Apparel industry
• Experience working on a cruise ship for the installation of  new entertainment offerings
• Experience with international shipping processes and global sourcing
• Experience with garment specification or technical specification writing

Educational Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent is required
• Advanced degree in Merchandising, Costuming, Apparel, or related fields is preferred

The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to be a diverse workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. We are committed to building a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.