Associate Costume Development Manager (Internal Assignment/Project Hire)

Job Position(s): Associate Costume Development Manager (Internal Assignment/Project Hire)

Disney is hiring an Associate Costume Development Manager for its Live Entertainment division, based in Lake Buena Vista, FL. This role sits inside the Costume Design and Development department, where the focus is managing operational costume projects from initial scope through final installation at theme parks, resort hotels, and cruise ships. It suits a product development professional with a garment industry background who is comfortable owning a project budget and presenting work directly to senior executives.

About the Role

The Associate Costume Development Manager reports to the Manager of Costume Design and Development and works across a portfolio of live entertainment projects where theatrical costume development intersects with large-scale manufacturing. Day-to-day work involves coordinating between costume designers, fabric buyers, and pre-production staff to move designs from prototype through to offshore and domestic mass production. This is a project hire with no guarantee of permanent placement, so the right candidate is someone who can hit the ground running on an active production pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead full project planning cycles covering creative scope, timeline, and financial tracking using SAP to maintain budget health across multiple costume development projects.
• Oversee project buyers and issue work authorizations while managing task prioritization across the garment development workflow.
• Facilitate prototype reviews to ensure functional and design feedback is accurately incorporated before costumes move into production.
• Maintain documentation including photography, garment specs, and design illustrations for entry into PLM and GUS (Garment Utilization System) systems.
• Collaborate with pre-production staff to manage the handoff from development into mass production for both domestic and international manufacturers.
• Present costume designs and project status to stakeholders ranging from hourly union cast members to senior executives.

What You Bring

• 3 or more years in product development with a direct focus on the garment industry.
• 1 or more years leading project teams through a full costume or apparel development cycle.
• Working knowledge of SAP for project and budget tracking.
• Demonstrated ability to select textiles based on end-use performance requirements and construction methods.
• A valid passport and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 20 percent of the time.
• Experience presenting costume or apparel development work to senior-level clients or executives.

Why This Role

Disney Live Entertainment produces some of the most technically demanding theatrical costume work in the industry, with projects running across theme park entertainment, live stage, and cruise ship productions simultaneously. The Associate Costume Development Manager role puts you at the center of that pipeline, working directly with designers and manufacturers on garments that perform nightly under real production conditions. For a costume development professional looking to work at scale, this is a rare opportunity to manage a full development cycle inside one of the largest live entertainment operations in the world.

Apply now for the Associate Costume Development Manager position with Disney in Lake Buena Vista, FL.