Director, Global Export Controls & Technical Governance

About the Role

The Director, Global Export Controls & Technical Governance serves as the principal corporate authority over the enterprise export control framework, holding ultimate functional accountability for identifying, segmenting, and mitigating national security, dual-use technology, and geopolitical compliance risks across all business units. This executive leader designs and maintains a resilient, scalable compliance architecture benchmarked against adjacent technology sectors to ensure corporate operations maintain strict regulatory defensibility while leveraging automation to support advanced product development, Imagineering, and project delivery worldwide.

The role exercises direct oversight over the centralized export control tower, establishing core compliance guardrails for dual-use technology, restricted party screening, international technical data transfers, and sanctions/embargos. The Director leads a team consisting of automated systems compliance, transactional execution, and advisory tracks, ensuring sourcing, engineering, and decentralized trade teams execute day-to-day workflows with precision. This position is mission-critical for supporting the legal transfer of products and technology across all Disney segments and geographies, protecting the brand's global integrity, and serving as the primary advisor to executive leadership and legal teams.

Reports directly to the Executive Director, Global Trade Services and Customs Operations.

Scope & Impact

The Director possesses high-visibility corporate executive presence, interfacing regularly with senior leadership globally. This role consults across functions, business segments, and international regions to mitigate compliance gaps and establish permanent internal controls and training. Primary internal clients include:

• Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI): Advisory support and risk mitigation for WDI Ride Engineering, R&D, and Creative Technology teams across Burbank/Glendale and Zurich hubs to secure intangible tech transfers, access controls, and Technology Control Plans (TCP) for specialized equipment and controlled assets.
• Studio & Production Technology: Early-stage integration with motion picture, theatrical production, streaming media engineering, and digital asset management to govern physical shipments, software creation, and distribution pipelines.
• Disney Cruise Line & Parks Logistics: Upstream compliance mapping with global supply chain management for legal, compliant, and accelerated cross-border transport of specialized engineering equipment, ride components, and marine provisions.
• Corporate Legal Services: Direct alignment and routine risk-profiling with the Integrity and Compliance team and senior legal leadership.
• Global Footprint & Regions: Strategic oversight spanning the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, establishing standard workflows to reduce compliance friction and facilitate legal trade worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and execute the long-term enterprise export controls strategy and mandatory governance standards, authoring the Trade Component of the Disney Code of Conduct, Corporate Export Policies and Procedures, and core compliance protocols globally in partnership with Integrity and Compliance @Disney.
• Govern the Hub-and-Spoke Matrix Operating Model by establishing standardized operational KPIs, communication cadences, and compliance metrics for decentralized segment Trade Champions.
• Mandate, design, and oversee global systemic screening of suppliers, vendors, and customers across the enterprise to ensure compliance for every business partner on corporate contracts.
• Provide strategic leadership to the multi-functional export control tower, overseeing the Senior Manager, Automation & Systems Governance (Architecture/Environment) and the Manager, Global Export Network & Operational Compliance (Transactional/Advisory).
• Partner with IC@D to interpret complex export control, technology transfer, and sanctions changes, translating geopolitical shifts into executable enterprise standards embedded early in business planning and technology design.
• Lead trade education initiatives by sponsoring awareness, proficiency, and expert training in collaboration with the Integrity and Compliance team across all geographies.
• Maintain enterprise-wide export control audit readiness and oversee the internal trade self-assessment schedule, addressing findings and driving long-term remediation priorities.
• Accountable for compliance automation, reviewing and approving workflows and system (screening) configurations in partnership with the Global Trade Automation & Data Governance team.
• Serve as the senior functional escalation point and chief authority for high-risk export control match resolutions, complex technology transfer authorizations, restricted party hits, and critical cross-border compliance concerns.

Requirements

• 15+ years of progressive corporate experience directing export compliance frameworks, global trade compliance, international technical transfers (tangible/intangible), or corporate regulatory auditing within a large public multinational enterprise.
• Leadership experience managing software lifecycles, technical professionals, and multi-layered compliance networks across a highly matrixed global commercial footprint.
• Comprehensive technical knowledge of U.S. and international export control regimes, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions, and technology transfer protocols.

Qualifications

BA/BS in International Business or Economics preferred. Ideal candidate will be a Certified Export Specialist.

Pay

The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA is $185,000.00–$226,000.00 per year. The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.