Development Director

Description & Requirements
Electronic Arts creates next-level entertainment experiences that inspire players and fans around the world. Here, everyone is part of the story. Part of a community that connects across the globe. A place where creativity thrives, new perspectives are invited, and ideas matter. A team where everyone makes play happen.

EA SPORTS is one of the most iconic brands in entertainment - connecting hundreds of millions around the world to the sports they love through a portfolio of industry-leading video games.

At the heart of EA SPORTS is the FC franchise. EA SPORTS FC is the world's #1 best-selling video game with over 200M engaged players across multiple platforms, including console, PC, and mobile. Innovation, passion, and teamwork are at the heart of everything we do. With studios in Vancouver, Bucharest, and Cologne, we're looking for the brightest talent, so we can continue to create experiences that connect with millions of hearts and minds the world over.

The Role
Reporting to the Lead Development Director of the Data Collection & Licensing (DCL) Team, the Product Team is searching for a Development Director. This is a Hybrid position with 3 days per week located in EA Cologne, Germany.

The DCL team is a unique group of authenticity experts within EA SPORTS FC Live, guided by a genuine experience with football. Our deep connection to the sport fuels our commitment to authenticity, forming the foundation of our work. As a passionate and creative group of producers, we are responsible for all licensed content in the game and EA SPORTS FC's live connection to the world of football.

As a Development Director for this team, you will be both a Project Manager and People Manager and will play an important role in our leadership team.

You will manage project and resource planning, balance scope with capacity, track progress, implement and improve processes, mitigate risks, and manage the careers of your direct reports. You exemplify operational excellence, driving best-in-class processes to deliver an outstanding player experience across every platform our product lives on. You know how to nurture a healthy team and can inspire and motivate team members to make a difference. You know how to build collaborative, high functioning relationships with development teams and central services partners.

Responsibilities

• Build and evolve teams; identify resourcing needs, provide challenges and development opportunities to ensure that all employees reach their potential.
• Responsible for the operational aspects of the team, including project planning, risk management, scope and capacity tracking, and efficiency processes across our entire product portfolio.
• Create project schedules and align with the development and central teams from one project phase to the next while ensuring quality, collaboration, and communication. Partner management is a critical component of the role.
• Meet deadlines and communicate status and risks to the project team and project partners.
• Define and track goals to assess project success and team efficiency.
• Mitigate risks for areas of ownership, be the point of escalation for conflict management, risk identification and develop mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with the team leadership to define the team's strategy and lead the team in completing milestones and important deliverables.

Experience

• 5+ years experience of project management methodologies, such as Agile and Waterfall acquired from software development projects.
• 5+ years of people management and leadership experience.
• 3+ years leading department-level planning.
• Experience driving change, scaling teams, and evolving workflows.

Bonus

• Jira tracking experience.
• Experience with AI technologies.
• Scrum Master or Agile Coach experience.
• Experience with distributed development across multiple locations.
• Experience working with non-technical teams in a technology environment.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience and certifications.
• Game development experience.

About Electronic Arts
We're proud to have an extensive portfolio of games and experiences, locations around the world, and opportunities across EA. We value adaptability, resilience, creativity, and curiosity. From leadership that brings out your potential, to creating space for learning and experimenting, we empower you to do great work and pursue opportunities for growth.

We adopt a holistic approach to our benefits programs, emphasizing physical, emotional, financial, career, and community wellness to support a balanced life. Our packages are tailored to meet local needs and may include healthcare coverage, mental well-being support, retirement savings, paid time off, family leaves, complimentary games, and more. We nurture environments where our teams can always bring their best to what they do.

Electronic Arts is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, religion, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will also consider employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. EA also makes workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law.