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Program Manager

Responsible for oversighting and managing Keywords/client partnership and internal collaboration to ensure consistent delivery across service lines. Key-player for the creation, maintenance and development of Keywords/client partnership. Responsible for defining and promoting a global strategy of internal cross-services collaboration to improve the quality of Keywords Studios services and enrich our clients’ experience. Become the bridge between Business Development, Production and all services lines, while working as a supervisor, facilitator and mentor for client processes and best practices across the group. Lastly, responsible for coordinating global invoicing of QA projects across different service lines from Dublin Headquarters.

The job entails formulating, organizing and monitoring inter-connected projects comprising one or more service lines. Execution of these projects may take place in any of Keywords production studios, while the job for this role will be performed from Dublin Headquarters with occasional travel to other Keywords’ production facilities.

The Program Manager will decide on suitable strategies and objectives, coordinate cross-project activities, develop and control internal deadlines, budgets and processes with the ultimate goal of increasing the quality of the services provided and enhance client satisfaction. This role will look after the creation of collaboration strategies between different service lines and will ensure the healthy and efficient execution of those.

The Program Manager will lead and guide Project Managers and their teams working alongside on the same projects. He/she will apply change, risk and resource management, resolve projects’ higher scope issues and prepare reports for relevant stakeholders (internal and external).

Key responsibilities and activities

• Define a goal for the program and drive it through the entire life cycle.
• Develop and manage successful relationships with Keywords Studios clients and communication with stakeholders.
• Define collaboration strategies between our service lines and studios to improve the overall quality of the services provided.

• Ensure the execution of the collaboration processes and achievement of expected outcomes.
• Build bridges and work closely with Business development and PM teams to enhance communication and understanding of each other needs and capabilities.
• Work with program sponsors, cross-functional teams, and assigned Project Managers to plan and develop scope, deliverables, required resources, work plan, budget, and timing for new initiatives.
• Remove impediments to ensure successful program deliverables.
• Create processes aiming to ensure those benefits are delivered.
• Work with Service Delivery Managers to distribute and allocate projects to a specific location and PM depending on capacity, workload and expertise. This includes projects for any of the services lines outsourced by the client linked to QA.
• Ensure optimal utilization of resources across multiple locations to expand our support infrastructure and know-how while ensuring quality standards are met.
• Globally coach and train Project Managers and their teams in client processes and best practices.
• Develop a framework to bring together and integrate all different services lines working in a project (primarily LQA, FQA, Localization & Audio) to promote knowledge exchange and sharing of valuable project information, with the ultimate goal of facilitating and ensuring project success.
• Build a solid understanding of the production life cycle of all service lines involved in QA in order to become a real facilitator.
• Responsible for global invoicing of all QA related projects done in any Keywords Studio’s facilities.
• Meet budgetary objectives and suggest adjustments to project constraints based on financial analysis.
• Build KPIs for all services lines involved and produce periodic program reports for management and stakeholders to share current team’s performance.
• Manage risks and issues and put corrective measures in place where/when needed.
• Create documentation for the program activities, plans and results.
• Act as a Project Manager in certain exceptional situations, such as peak business periods, absences or workload fluctuations as required.

Requirements

• 4+ years of Project Management experience.
• Understanding of a project cycle and a games’ development process.
• Understanding of QA Strategy and QA Plan building.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with key external stakeholders and across various organizational levels and functions.
• Strong relationship management and interpersonal skills
• Strong leadership skills and decision making abilities.
• Mentoring, supportive and facilitation skills.
• Ability to adapt to change in a busy and challenging environment.
• Skillful in conflict management and providing constructive feedback.
• Results driven and able to lead a team to success.
• Highly organized with the ability to prioritize tasks.

Desired

• Extensive knowledge of client’s processes and modus operandi.
• Project Management experience in any Service Line with the client
• Ability to prepare, interpret, and effectively utilize management information reports.
• Bachelor degree or Formal Project/Program/Portfolio Management certification.
• Self-motivated, innovative and analytical with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Knowledge of client specific tools.
• Familiarity with defect tracking tools, workflows, test case management tools, agile tools, and project tools, such as JIRA, Confluence and DevTrack.
• Advanced skills with MS Excel.
• Experience working within MS Office in general.