Program Manager (Engage)

*This opportunity is open across Europe.

At Keywords, we are using our passion for games, technology and media to create a global services platform for video games and beyond. Our aim is to become the “go to” provider of technical services.

We enable leading content creators and publishers to leverage our expertise and capacity across the lifecycle of interactive content. In so doing we empower our clients to remain lean and agile, and to focus on creating the most engaging experiences.

Keywords is trusted and relied upon by many of the world’s leading video game companies to work alongside them during concept, development and live operations by leveraging the breadth and depth of our industry leading service lines every step of the way. www.keywordsstudios.com

Keywords Studios has an exciting opportunity for a Program Manager to be a part of the Engage Division, across marketing services and player engagement service lines. This position, with a strong focus on digital technology and AI, supports the transformation program on behalf of the division, providing the leadership team with support to drive this critical, multifaceted initiative forward.
As Program Manager, you will establish an effective governance framework aligned with the Group Transformation Board to bring clarity, structure, and focus to the Engage division’s Transformation initiatives. Your mission is to ensure our key programs align with strategic priorities, are delivered efficiently, and meet or exceed quality, timeline, and outcome expectations. You'll oversee the successful implementation of program management standards, methodologies, and best practices across the Division, monitoring progress, managing risks, and ensuring project alignment with business objectives.
The Program Manager will be a central driver of change, directly managing a portfolio of both large and small projects while ensuring rigorous maintenance and tracking of all project activities and action plans. A key focus is proactively gathering detailed business and technical requirements from cross-functional stakeholders, shaping these into actionable projects and managing these e2e to drive technological transformation.

Duties and responsibilities

Project and Program Execution

• Directly manage and oversee a portfolio of transformation initiatives, encompassing both large-scale strategic programs and smaller, tactical projects.
• Establish and maintain robust program management governance framework, templates and processes.
• Establish project plans and track deliverables, ensuring successful project completion.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies and industry best practices.

Business Requirements & Stakeholder Alignment

• Proactively engage with key stakeholders across Marketing Services, Player Engagement, Group Transformation and IT to elicit, analyze, document, and manage detailed business and technical requirements, translating them into concrete project plans.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align efforts and objectives.
• Act as the point of contact for program-related inquiries within the division.

Program Monitoring, Tracking, and Reporting

• Monitor program progress, timelines, budget and deliverables across multiple concurrent programs/projects.
• Provide comprehensive oversight of all Engage transformation initiatives, delivering regular project status reports to senior management, highlighting risks and program health.
• Track and report on KPIs and success measures.
• Proactively identify program risks (including quality and delays) and develop mitigation strategies.
• Support program leads in developing risk management plans, including tracking path-to-green actions.

Strategic & AI Initiatives

• Establish and manage critical AI-focused projects, ensuring new technologies are integrated into workflows, deployed effectively and securely across the division.
• Support AI adoption and literacy drivers division-wide while adhering to KWS AI best practices, governance, and ethical guidelines.

Continuous Improvement

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by reviewing lessons learned and applying them to future initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for increasing delivery efficiency and enhancing the team's capacity to deliver.

Qualifications & Proven Capability

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Strategy, or a related field (MBA preferred).
• Proven experience in program/project management or PMO roles (typically 5-8 years).
• Proven track record leading complex transformation programs in marketing services, player support, technology and/or IT environments.
• Proven experience in successfully driving gen AI-focused projects.
• Excellent organizational and multitasking skills.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.
• Understanding of change management and ability to drive adoption.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience with project management software (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Trello, Asana).
• Strong understanding of project management methodologies (e.g., Agile certifications, Lean Transformation principles, PMP, PRINCE2).
• Experience in cross-functional leadership and working in a matrixed or global organization.

Core Skills

• Strong interpersonal and presentation skills along with the ability to communicate effectively with others at all levels of the organization.
• Experience managing multiple projects by being flexible, organized and able to prioritise own workload.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-activity environment, on a wide variety of matters and able to handle the requirement to quickly shift from one situation or task to another.
• Solution-focused problem solver who is commercially astute and pragmatic.
• Strong research, analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Proven ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-moving environments, bringing structure and clarity to complex, undefined problems.
• Accountability and dependability, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to understand business requirements quickly and implement actions to meet business objectives.
• Fluency in English (additional languages are an advantage but not required).

Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavor to create a workplace, which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.

Note to Recruitment Agencies

Please be advised that Keywords Studios does not consider unsolicited resumes, or any form of contact initiated by unauthorized third parties, including recruitment or placement agencies, unless a pre-existing, valid agreement is in place. Any fees incurred by unauthorized third parties will not be compensated by Keywords Studios. 

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