Product Director, Pan-Euro Advertising

Job Description

Overview

Discovery is committed to the development of a next generation pan-European advertising sales proposition.

We envisage a world in which an advertiser who wishes to buy a single campaign across multiple territories across TV and digital can do so in a simple and accountable way.
Our goal is to connect as many territories as possible beginning with our five largest and to create a sales proposition that is screen agnostic and with data and automation playing a role. The product will need to evolve through defined stages of development, but needs to work across the life-cycle of an international ad buy: planning, execution, reporting, invoicing etc. To achieve this and longer term business objectives this role will also act as EMEA ad sales business systems owner.

We are searching for an innovative, highly capable, results focused Product Director to join our team to deliver this key pan-Euro proposition alongside other future-facing ad developments relating to our International sell.

This role reports to VP - Advanced Advertising and will develop close relationships and build virtual teams with pan euro business stakeholders, local markets, wider product and commercial functions to define and deliver this major initiative crucial to Discovery's ambitions. It is expected that the technical architecture and engineering related to this role will take place within GTO-IT (Technology and Operations).

Responsibilities
• Oversee a product approach to the discovery, definition and delivery of a pan-Euro advertising sales product. Work with the business stakeholders to agree requirements for the definition of the pan-Euro advertising sales product.
• Provide business direction on how the product will connect TV and digital inventories, data and audience across key territories facilitating a one-stop-shop, multi-territory sell.
• Own the product and roadmap for this priority project overseeing a multi-territory technical roadmap and international development ensuring on-time delivery and maximum technology convergence between territories.
• Oversee future EMEA ad sales systems requirements and expected consolidation - ensuring maximum systems synergy and reducing duplication, complexity. Act as de facto systems business owner.
• Conduct alongside GTO-IT, technical product analysis of vendors/internal technology and current/future implementations before overseeing development roadmaps to fruition.
• Identify key stakeholders beyond sales and build a matrix team to deliver an agreed roadmap.
• Act as ongoing Product Owner for pan-Euro products assigned to you, defining ongoing strategy and constant evolution against internal and external requirements.
• Partner with IT to prioritise and effectively manage development time to maximize return on investment. Prioritise and effectively manage development time to maximize return on investment.
• Ensure complex business needs are documented and reflected in product roadmaps and in the resulting products.
• Continually assess trends, competitive landscape and business requirements to inform a development roadmap.
• Work successfully within a milestone-driven environment, utilising standardised product development processes.
• Contribute to on-time, on-budget delivery of products.

Qualifications
• Proven experience in product development & technology.
• Proven experience in managing executive and business stakeholders in an advertising (Linear & Digital) environment or similar.
• Track record of developing market leading products, preferably in the TV or video advertising space and partnering with IT organizations, or 3rd party vendors.
• A highly commercial approach to product development with a strong appetite for building B2B product.
• Excellent written and oral communication. Able to write and present to non-technically savvy audiences. You will be a role-model for describing all aspects of your product to any stakeholder from junior colleagues to executive leadership.
• Balance of technical depth, product knowledge, business understanding, organizational and communication skills to ensure that the right decisions are made when and wherever you are involved. You have a long track record proving this.
• Active participation in your team's planning process demonstrating the capacity to think strategically above and beyond the tactical responsibilities of quick feature delivery.
• Excellent decision making and judgment.
• Experience of stakeholder management.
• Ability to work in a complex matrixed organisation

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gmwp76-3-146-37-35-42 in your application.