Director, Production & Development (National Geographic)

Job Position(s): Director, Production & Development (National Geographic)

Disney is hiring a Director, Production & Development (National Geographic) based in New York, NY. This role sits at the center of National Geographic’s unscripted content operation, overseeing development and production from initial concept through delivery and broadcast across both linear and streaming platforms. It suits a seasoned unscripted executive who has shepherded premium nonfiction series from greenlight to air and knows how to hold creative and budget lines at the same time.

About the Role

The Director, Production & Development (National Geographic) works within the channel’s content team, managing a slate of unscripted series and specials that span natural history, science, exploration, and documentary formats. Day to day, this means moving between development calls with production companies, budget reviews with production management, and cross-departmental alignment with marketing, ad sales, digital, and the National Geographic Society. The role sits inside a large corporate structure but operates with the pace and accountability of a working production executive.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee unscripted series and one-off productions across the full production lifecycle, from concept development through delivery and broadcast on National Geographic linear and streaming platforms.
• Develop baseline ideas into financially viable television products in partnership with global content teams, applying strong editorial judgment across genres.
• Provide ongoing creative and editorial guidance to external production companies, ensuring programs meet the storytelling standards and brand expectations of National Geographic.
• Manage production budgets and schedules, reviewing deliverables and holding producing partners accountable to contractual obligations and broadcast deadlines.
• Coordinate with marketing, ad sales, communications, and digital teams to supply materials and strategy for cross-platform content initiatives.
• Analyze ratings data and competitive research to inform programming decisions and shape the development slate for both episodic television and long-form documentary.

What You Bring

• A minimum of 10 years working across unscripted TV production, with experience spanning multiple genres and formats.
• Prior experience leading development and production at a network, studio, or production company, with executive producer or series producer credits a strong asset.
• Field production experience or a thorough working knowledge of the full production process from development through post-production workflow.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, plus strong command of scheduling and communication tools.
• Demonstrated ability to read and manage production budgets and interpret audience research in a multi-platform environment.

Why This Role

National Geographic sits inside one of the few media companies still investing heavily in premium unscripted content at scale, with a brand that carries weight both in linear television and across streaming. The Director, Production & Development (National Geographic) role offers direct access to a global content infrastructure, including the National Geographic Society, print, digital, and live events, which most unscripted executives never get to work across simultaneously. For someone who wants to shape a recognizable brand slate rather than service one project at a time, this is a substantive senior position.

Apply now for the Director, Production & Development (National Geographic) role at Disney and bring your unscripted development experience to one of the most recognized brands in factual television.