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Head of Studios Operations

Our EASE group consists of the following game development studios: Criterion Games in Guildford, DICE in Stockholm, and EA Gothenburg in Gothenburg. These game development studios have delivered critically acclaimed blockbuster games such as Battlefield™, Need for Speed™, and Star Wars: Battlefront™.

As EAs Head of Operations for EASE (DICE, Criterion, EA Gothenburg), reporting into the SVP, GM of Europe, you will cre ate partnerships with the Studios’ leadership, improve operational and organization excellence and form connections/relationships with leaders across EA and work with internal groups such as Marketing, Publishing and Technology.

You will ensure that each of these organizations work with multiple team members to guide the long term growth of EA while delivering products within its financial plan. You will have a central role in evaluating how the latest technology can ensure business opportunities and encourage innovation. We are looking for someone who has the capability to express all the needs of DICE; Criterion and EA Gothenburg. This includes translating each division needs into actionable outcomes and influence dispersed teams to get there. You will have a mix of business, technical, innovation and leadership experience from the game / entertainment industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Be the right-hand partner to the SVP, Group General Manager in support for all game development responsibilities, while managing an organization to maximize effectiveness for all product development processes within a return on investment framework.
• Improve organizational capability to ensure that we have practical systems in place to allow and support quality and creative game development, with efficient and repeatable processes.
• Influence responsibility for the video game and streaming services production side of EASE business, including oversight for range of development processes including internal development, central resources and working with external developers.
• Re-engineer and refine resource allocation of product development and launch processes and services (i.e. planning, resource allocation, product assessment, portfolio planning).
• Bring a systems mindset to process design (including Game Development Framework, data/metrics tracking and project auditing)
• Create a performance “dashboard,” to allow useful tracking and reporting information, Goals for essential elements of the business—game development progress; budgets; live operations
• Improve transformation strategic programs, including development and socialization of best practices (yielding efficiency, predictability, and garnering best ideas to accelerate transformation goals).
• Beyond experience delivering quality product on time and one budget; partner with the SVP, Group General Manager and People Experience leader to embed values of passion with purpose, creative innovation, quality and one community culture (based on inclusive, transparency and trust) into how we work and how we hold our people accountable; be the standard bearer for these values.
• Lead 3-year strategic planning process which consists of a production plan by studio, location strategy and high-level resource plan to bridge all of the development worlds.
• Introduce approaches/best practices which bring efficiencies to routine processes, maximizing financial and human capital resources for organization, without sacrificing unique creative inputs.
• You will be a talent champion for, and provide direction to, the EASE/DICE/Criterion Development Director craft and Operations leaders
• Maximize platform opportunities, take advantage of new delivery systems, develop/extend gamefranchises.
• Assess ongoing facilities/space requirements for each studio. Determine and recommend strategies for long and short-term needs of organization.
• Lead special projects demonstrating expertise in strategic and complex negotiations and integrations, for activities including acquisitions, reorganizations and licensing related strategic opportunities.
• Partner with central functions in Marketing, Publishing and technology to monitor service level agreements for DICE and Criterion
• Manage to the studio’s operating and capital budgets, resource budget, quality, and predictability targets.

Qualifications:

• Experience with operational excellence—delivering quality product within agreed upon time frames and budgets.
• Experience project planning resource allocation where a creative “DNA” product is developed.
• You have a passion for games and entertainment with experience in the industry, understanding game development cycles, complexities of production and business’ nuances. Understanding of new “free-to-play” video game models helpful.
• In-depth experience in HD/Console and digital development best practices with a passion and expertise towards creating amazing player experiences.
• Credibility building skills with many different departments of the business
• Experience delivering product on time and on budget. A manager of technical software product, who wears a “business hat” and has a P&L mindset. Experience handling g&a functions—contracts, negotiations, budget management desirable.
• Technically experienced, and has knowledge the dynamics of relevant technology.
• Experience leading in a global organization(s) with multi-location development.