Senior External Development Manager - Xbox Game Studios

Overview
Do you have a passion for gaming and the future of entertainment? Do you have experience working with companies that provide game development services for iconic franchises? Do you want to work on multiple products that entertain millions of people across the globe every day? The Xbox Game Studios Services Team is seeking a motivated Senior External Development Manager to help source the best External Development studios to collaborate with Xbox Game Studios and our publishing partners.
We are looking for an experienced Senior External Development Manager to identify, forge and maintain relationships with existing and potential External Development suppliers around the world for Xbox Game Studios, guiding them through due diligence, procurement, security compliance and Master Agreements, while supporting our mission of providing shared solutions that enable first-party studios to focus on creating and delivering the best games.
We are looking for candidates with communication and problem-solving skills, combined with passion and experience discovering talent, working with a wide array of companies from large multi-national companies to medium-sized or small talented boutique studios across different locations and cultures.
Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Responsibilities

• Discover and evaluate potential External Development suppliers and onboard them into the Microsoft supplier ecosystem.
• Build and manage external and internal relationships. You will be an advocate, a realist, and a diplomat.
• Collaborate with a range of internal teams including Procurement, Legal and Security to solve problems.
• Orchestrate building and implementing an External Development program that can scale up to support Xbox Games Studios' mission and priorities.
• Regularly check in with internal studios and suppliers to understand their challenges and get ahead of potential obstacles.
• Analyze the shifting patterns in the gaming industry with focus on the external supplier landscape to support and propose strategic decisions and initiatives designed to advance External Development at Xbox Game Studios.

Other

• Embody our Culture and Values

Qualifications
Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance or related field AND 6+ years work experience in program management, process management, process improvement
  • OR equivalent experience.

• 6+ years of experience in the gaming industry, with first hand experience in shipping games and working with AAA project pipelines, with proven skills managing art and content creation services and working for hire contracts and engagements with External Development studios.
• 6+ years of demonstrable experience working with an established network of game content suppliers while managing those relationships.
• 6+ years of experience building relationships with individuals at all levels, in multiple geographies across business functions, both internally and externally.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Negotiation experience and demonstrated business maturity.
• Problem solver that can identify both short term mitigation and propose options for longer term resolution.
• Team player with the ability to influence stakeholders positively and constructively.
• Ability to work independently, handling multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, and negotiate and collaborate effectively.
• Oral and written communication, collaboration, and project management skills.
• Attention to detail and analytical problem-solving skills.

Business Program Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $112,200 - $194,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $142,200 - $213,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.
Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.
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