Development Director II

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.

Playdemic is a BAFTA Award-winning developer and publisher of mobile games, focused on creating fun and engaging, free-to-play game services for iOS and Android, including the global smash hit, Golf Clash.

Golf Clash has been entertaining millions of players for over 9 years, and our goal is to continue providing exciting new features and content to our fans for many more years to come. If you want to create games for millions of players to enjoy on the go, then this is the job you've been looking for! We are committed to continually improving our working practices and collective knowledge through training and supporting one another.

We are seeking a Development Director II to lead delivery across all Playdemic projects. This role is accountable for the end-to-end execution of our live service, ensuring we deliver high-quality, predictable, and commercially successful outcomes.

This is a critical leadership role within the studio, partnering closely with Senior Leadership, Product, Creative, and Technical directors to deliver projects with predictability and in a manner that engages and delights the millions of Playdemic’s loyal customers.

Responsibilities

Delivery & Operational Excellence

Own

• end-to-end delivery
• of all features, live ops content, and new product initiatives.
• Establish and evolve a
• predictable, scalable operating model
• for live service development.

Drive

• roadmap execution
• , ensuring alignment to product strategy, commercial goals, and player value.

Define and

• enforce clear production standards, processes, and workflows
• across all disciplines.
• Ensure consistent delivery against
• quality, timeline, and budget commitments
• .

Planning, Forecasting & Capacity

Lead

• long-range planning, capacity modelling, and resource allocation
• across the game team.
• Translate product strategy into
• achievable plans
• , balancing ambition with execution realities.
• Partner with discipline leaders to ensure
• skill coverage, team structure, and scalability
• .
• Identify risks, dependencies, and bottlenecks early, driving
• proactive mitigation strategies
• .
• Continuously optimise team efficiency through
• data-driven planning and KPI frameworks
• .

Cross-Functional Leadership & Alignment

Drive alignment across

Product, Design, Engineering, Art, QA, and Analytics

• .
• Act as a
• central point of integration
• , ensuring teams are working toward shared outcomes.
• Communicate clearly with
• studio leadership and EA partners
• on progress, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead cross-team collaboration to solve complex problems and unlock delivery at scale.
• Foster a culture of
• ownership, accountability, and transparency
• .

External Development & Partnerships

• Drive continuous improvement in how we leverage
• global and distributed development
• .

Oversee

• external development and partner integration
• , ensuring seamless collaboration.
• Define and manage
• partner scopes, SLAs, and delivery expectations
• .

Own

• outsourcing budgets and vendor performance
• , ensuring value and quality.
• Build strong relationships with external teams, creating a
• “one team” operating model
• .

Financial Literacy

• Partner with Finance and Operations to manage
• forecasting, budget tracking, and cost optimisation
• .
• Ensure delivery plans align with
• financial targets and commercial objectives
• .

Drive

• operational efficiency
• , identifying opportunities to maximise ROI.

Process, Tools & Continuous Improvement

• Define and evolve
• best-in-class production processes
• for a live service environment.

Champion

• continuous improvement
• , identifying inefficiencies and scaling what works.
• Ensure teams understand both the
• “what” and the “why”
• behind processes.
• Leverage tools (e.g. Jira, dashboards, analytics) to create a
• single source of truth
• .
• Lead major
• transformation initiatives
• , including AI/ML-enabled workflows where applicable.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Lead, coach, and develop a
• high-performing production organisation
• .
• Build a culture of
• ownership, empowerment, and accountability
• .
• Support career growth, succession planning, and leadership development within the team.
• Create an environment where teams feel
• motivated, supported, and challenged
• .
• Model inclusive leadership and foster
• strong collaboration across disciplines and cultures
• .

Strategic Leadership & Studio Impact

• Partner with studio leadership to shape
• long-term strategy, operating models, and growth plans
• .

Contribute to

• studio-wide planning
• , including org design, capability building, and investment decisions.
• Use data, insights, and experience to drive
• strategic improvements in efficiency, quality, and scale
• .
• Act as a
• thought partner to the Head of Operations and GM
• , with increasing scope over time.

Requirements

Experience

• 10+ years in
• production, program management, or operations
• within game development or similar environments.
• Proven track record leading
• large, cross-functional teams
• delivering complex products.
• Strong experience in
• live service development
• and continuous content delivery.
• Demonstrated success in
• operational planning, capacity forecasting, and execution at scale
• .
• Experience working with
• external partners or distributed development teams
• .

Skills & Capabilities

Exceptional

• leadership, communication, and stakeholder management
• skills.

Strong

• strategic thinking
• , with the ability to connect vision to execution.
• Deep understanding of
• development workflows, pipelines, and team dynamics
• .
• Highly analytical, with experience using
• data and KPIs to inform decisions
• .

Strong

• problem-solving and risk management
• capabilities.
• Financial acumen, including
• budget management and forecasting
• .

Leadership Expectations

• Builds alignment across diverse teams and drives
• outcomes
• .
• Creates clarity in ambiguity and leads teams through
• complex challenges
• .
• Fosters a culture of
• continuous improvement and learning
• .
• Develops talent and creates
• future leaders within the organisation
• .

Operates with a

• studio-first mindset
• , thinking beyond immediate team boundaries.

Nice to Have

Experience in

• mobile free-to-play games
• .

Background in

• product management or analytics-driven development
• .
• Experience contributing to
• studio or franchise-level strategy
• .

Familiarity with

• AI/ML applications in content or production pipelines
• .

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.