Senior Manager, Marketing

The Senior Manager, Marketing spearheads strategic planning for each Square Enix (SQEX) title released in the West, and supports execution of marketing initiatives for products, ensuring brand alignment, audience engagement, and campaign effectiveness. Responsibilities include defining strategic levers and game value proposition, developing target audiences, conducting user testing, and delivering strategic guidance to optimize partnerships and drive product success. The individual in this role will demonstrate strong strategic thinking and a deep capability to lead initiatives across functions.

Responsibilities

• Work with Developers to understand each game’s unique value proposition.
• Support the Publishing Strategy Lead, Marketing Lead & Sales and Business Planning teams to validate the Sales Forecast at each production milestone to allow for informed decision-making.
• Identify publishing objectives for the game, articulate strategic business objectives, and allocate Square Enix West budget appropriately based on forecast.
• Under the guidance of the Marketing Director, lead the day-to-day development of the Foundational Publishing Strategy which underpins the strategic plan for each release.
• Identify target audiences and develop the brand pyramid as part of the Foundational Strategy.
• Partner with developers to create core game pillars such as player promise, key features, and reasons to believe.
• Working in conjunction with the team in Japan, identify calendar and campaign beats that will form the Strategy Plan for each title the SMM is responsible for.
• Work with Publishing Strategy Lead, Marketing Lead, Regional Sales Lead and Publishing Sales Planner to deliver a full SKU plan, pre-order content and digital content, aligning with the CS.
• Review creative asset plans with developers and collaborate with the Western Creative teams to develop a core asset toolkit & visual ID/style guide.
• Define demo strategy and key requirements to effectively showcase products and engage target audiences.
• Deliver partnership strategic guidance, including first party engagement, to optimize collaboration opportunities, enhance brand visibility, and optimize reach, engagement, and conversion.
• Confirm localization requirements, including gathering feedback through quality assurance processes, to ensure effective global marketing campaigns.
• Support the screening of games for ethics issues and conduct internal and external user testing (GUR testing) with the support of relevant internal teams.
• Work with Publishing Lead to Manage and lead marketing personnel assigned to the Publishing team. Ensure that personnel have clear goals and development plans. Provide timely regular feedback and recognition for work.
• Be the advocate and knowledge base for assigned games, play, and assess these games through development stages. Research competitors, understand industry trends and present/demonstrate games to partners as required.
• When appropriate, help define in-game telemetry strategy and requirements to maximize SQEX’s ability to capture detailed data that can be used to drive future marketing performance.
• Work closely with the Regional teams, communicating and delivering key project updates to milestones, features, strategies, and business objectives.
• Conduct a handoff within Publishing West to ensure seamless transition and alignment of marketing strategies with broader business objectives. Remain engaged with regional teams to communicate key project updates.

Requirements

Essential

• 6+ years of progressive experience in marketing roles within the gaming or entertainment industry, demonstrating expertise in strategic planning, campaign management, and brand development.
• Extensive experience in budget allocation and management with the ability to effectively allocate resources and track expenditures at both project and regional levels.
• Proven track record of developing and executing strategic marketing and publishing plans, including identifying market opportunities, defining target audiences, and setting clear campaign objectives.
• Strong understanding of brand development principles, encompassing the creation of brand pyramids, establishment of visual identities, and maintenance of brand consistency across all marketing channels.
• Experience in effectively managing partnerships, including Licensor relationships.
• Proficient in data analysis and interpretation, utilizing data, market research findings, and user feedback.
• Proven leadership abilities with experience managing teams and driving results.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously, meeting deadlines, and collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly and influence stakeholders at various levels of the organization.
• Thorough understanding of industry standards and regulations, including ethics issues related to game content, and a commitment to upholding ethical standards and preserving brand integrity.
• Experience of working across multi-disciplinary departments and international markets including Europe, Oceana, North America and Japan.
• Strong team player with the ability to work within an international team across three time zones (US, EU, JP).
• Adaptability and flexibility when required to support the team and business needs.

Desirable

• Good knowledge of and previous experience with project management tools (Jira, etc.).
• Basic understanding of Adobe PS and Premiere.

Benefits

• 100% Medical, Dental, Vision coverage- with the option to add a spouse/domestic partner and children at 2% of the premium.
• Medical FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and Dependent Care FSA (Flexible Spending Account) to help pay for medical expenses, childcare or adult care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Wellness programs- mental health resources, counseling, financial wellbeing, support for future moms, a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program hotline, and much more.
• Generous leave- from the start you can earn up to 25 days of PTO, we observe 13 major holiday and provide job protected leave for life’s unexpected moments.
• 401K auto enrollment and employer-match contribution.
• Be among the first to get copies of every game title, plus receive generous discounts on thousands of games in our library.
• Refer our next new team member and receive a $1000 bonus.

Annual Salary Range: $115,000 - $150,000