Description
Suits Optional...
...Brains Required!!
Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and the world's largest publisher of adventure games, including Magic: The Gathering® Trading Card Game and Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Games has an exciting opportunity for a Sr. Producer to join our team. Only local candidates need apply--there is no relocation assistance for this position.
POSITION PURPOSE
Lead, supervise, and support internal and external resources including partners, vendors, and licensee relationships in order to publish digital game application titles for one of the Wizards of the Coast digital organizations.
Function effectively in a dynamic environment, hit the ground running by utilizing industry knowledge and problem-solving talents, set clear technology direction and lead functional teams to deliver application titles on time and on budget.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Staff Size: 1-8 direct or indirect reports
Supervises:
Producers, Project Managers, Development and QA
Other Key Relationships:
VP of Marketing, VP of Technology; Directors of Technology, Brand, R&D; various members of Technology, Production, Project Management, Brand, Marketing, and Web Publishing.
JOB DUTIES
Essential Functions / Major Responsibilities:
- Interfaces and communicates effectively with Development, Brand Management, Technology Services, and R&D, as well as external partners, vendors, and licensees on a regular basis
- Works with internal and external resources to create in-depth web and game design documents and develop realistic production schedules with detailed milestones
- Manages workflow and resource scheduling for the gaming Development, QA, Build Engineering, and Graphic Art teams
- Makes day-to-day decisions on product content and design based on input from key stakeholders
- Gathers input and provides accurate game quality evaluations and detailed recommendations
- Reviews products for spec requirements, quality, and progress
- Reports product development status to upper management and manages release activities
- Remains aware of current market trends within the Web, Mobile, Console, PC, and online gaming spaces (including patterns and customer requirements) in the U.S. and other countries. Uses this knowledge to work on new and innovative products
- Participates with Sr. Technology Manager to enforce best practices in web and software development methodology and to ensure content is properly documented and stored in departmental workflow repository
- Manages Web and Game Development requirements management for online experiences, sites and games and subsequent version releases
People and Resources
- Provides input to producers, leads, and other team members
- Plans budgetary items such as project headcount, hardware, and software
- Provides reasonable estimates of time and materials required to complete project vision and scope goals outlined by Producers and Senior Management
- Identifies and prioritizes the key issues that must be addressed for projects to succeed
- Works with teams to identify, analyze, and resolve project problems
- Conducts progress and deliverable reviews during development and adjusts scope and schedule accordingly
- Manages requirements and specifications
- Leads staff working with cross-functional teams to ensure successful requirements management for the project
- Works closely with other managers and project leads to ensure that the entire project life cycle is a quality process
Process
- Drives the use of standards
- Participates in Business process review and redesign
- Implements and tracks related process improvement efforts
- Identifies and communicates organizational and process solutions to mitigate risks
- Establishes processes and work assignments
- Identifies leading-edge techniques and methodologies for their area of expertise
- Serves as liaison with other teams’ Business and Technical management
- Submits weekly and monthly communiqués to stakeholders
Tools and Technology
- Project Management Software
- Content Management Systems- Drupal experience required
- CRM Tools
- Microsoft Office suite of tools
Financial Management
- Project or program budgets
- P&L forecasting and management for a single major product or several small products totaling up to $15M in annual revenue
- Provides data for Senior Business Manager and Director regarding product P&L
- Works with Finance on viability for new contracts/products and creates P&L forecasting for new ventures
- Controls costs/resources under their responsibility (has product budget responsibility, not authority)
- Supports A&P responsibility and building financial models as well as managing budgets up to $2M
Secondary Functions:
As assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
- As a Producer/Tech Project Manager, successfully shipped at least 3-5 web sites, or deployed a similar number of systems and in-house applications
- As a Producer/Tech Project Manager, successfully shipped at least 3 -5 web based games.
- 2-4 years working as a Producer, or similar, managing an external Development team
- 2-4 years business development or licensor/licensee relations experience
- 2-4 years experience with project budgetary processes, profit, loss, and return on investment required
- 2 -4 years experience with localization implementation and Live Web Operations.
- Experience with an asset control system such as CVS or Perforce required
- Experience with project management software such as Microsoft Project or similar required
Education and Training:
- BA or BS preferred. MBA or Masters is ideal. However, five or more years of game industry or web technology production experience would be an acceptable substitution
- Must have an understanding of Wizards major Brand or Brands and overall product management processes for Brand and product management within the spectrum of the Digital organization’s development processes
Prior Related Experience:
- Highly capable with requirements analysis, software development, databases, hardware, quality assurance, and technology operations
- Experience reconciling iterative software development with a waterfall project methodology, or combination of waterfall and agile (network, infrastructure, or widely cross-functional) is highly desirable
- Localization work throughout the word is highly desirable
- Familiarity with children’s game brands is highly desirable.
- Experience aligning retail and digital marketing, and analog and digital play experiences
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of people.
Time Expected to Reach Full Performance Level in Position:
4 months
Physical Requirements: Office environment, able to work on computer or phone for long periods of time.
We are an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer.
The above is intended to describe the general content of and the requirements for satisfactory performance in this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of the duties, responsibilities, or requirements of the position.