Associate Studio Strategy - Activision

<h2>Job Title:</h2>Associate Studio Strategy - Activision<p style="text-align:inherit"></p><h2>Requisition ID:</h2>R026081<p style="text-align:inherit"></p><h2>Job Description:</h2><div><div><p><b><span>The Team</span></b><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span>The Studio Strategy and Operations team is a </span><span>critical </span><span>part of the broader Call of Duty </span><span>d</span><span>evelopment </span><span>organization </span><span>(incl</span><span>usive of s</span><span>tudios, production management, publishing ops, studio strategy and operations) and works closely with Activision</span><span>’s </span><span>COO, Head of Development and Head of </span><span>Call of Duty</span><span> Operations</span><span>, among other executive stakeholders.</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span><span>We are versatile, </span><span>flexible</span><span> and strategic hustlers passionate about content and creative talent. We take pride in proactively discovering opportunities to help our teammates do their best work and championing studio initiatives in the dynamic world of gaming.</span></span><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span>The Studio Strategy and Operations team </span><span>is responsible for</span><span> overseeing </span><span>strategic and </span><span>operational aspects (studio</span><span> </span><span>resourcing management, investment</span><span> levels</span><span>, </span><span>future </span><span>title </span><span>planning, </span><span>studio expansion</span><span>, </span><span>etc</span><span>.</span><span>) for all Activision studios (Infinity Ward, Treyarch, Sledge</span><span>h</span><span>ammer</span><span> Games</span><span>, High Moon Studios, Raven</span><span> Software</span><span>, </span><span>Beenox</span><span>, Shanghai Studio</span><span>, </span><span>Digital Legends, </span><span>and others</span><span>). Among other</span><span> functions</span><span>, the Studio Strategy and Operations </span><span>t</span><span>eam also manages </span><span>important </span><span>organizational events such as game </span><span>g</span><span>reen</span><span>l</span><span>ight process</span><span>es</span><span>, operational governance reviews, and </span><span>s</span><span>pecial </span><span>p</span><span>rojects</span><span>. </span><span>The team partners closely with a diverse array of functions across Activision Publishing — from </span><span>game studios to </span><span>central teams</span><span> </span><span>— striking a dynamic balance between involvement in game development and high-level, long-term strategic planning.</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span><span> </span></span><br /><b><span>The Mission</span><span> </span></b><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span>The </span><span>Analyst</span><span>, Studio Strategy and Operations will play a pivotal role in working with Activision’s world-class game studios and will report to the </span><span>Manager</span><span>, Studio Strategy and Operations.</span><span> </span><span>The</span><span> </span><span>role will focus on studios’ resource planning, operational excellence, rhythm of business coordination, business reviews, and other key projects.</span><span> </span><span>A great candidate will have the ability to </span><span>build</span><span>, </span><span>analyze</span><span>, and </span><span>maintain</span><span> </span><span>large datasets to inform </span><span>planning </span><span>decisions, </span><span>support strategic initiative</span><span>s</span><span>, and </span><span>drive </span><span>operational efficienc</span><span>ies</span><span>.</span><span> F</span><span>urthermore, thi</span><span>s role requires</span><span> a candidate who is strong at </span><span>synthesizing unstructured input</span><span>, such as stakeholder </span><span>discussions</span><span> and</span><span> meetings, </span><span>into clear, usable data</span><span> (i.e., </span><span>estimating the cost of building a new </span><span>Call of Duty </span><span>map by having </span><span>multiple </span><span>discussions with</span><span> game developers</span><span> and producers</span><span>).</span></span><span> </span></p><p></p></div><div><p><span><span>This position </span><span>also </span><span>requires extensive cross-group coordination at all levels, excellent communication skills (</span><span>quantitative, </span><span>written and verbal), and the ability to build internal/external relationships</span><span> across the global franchise</span><span>, </span><span>a</span><span>s </span><span>this team is positioned at the intersection </span><span>of development studios </span><span>(i.e., </span><span>s</span><span>tudio </span><span>h</span><span>eads, </span><span>e</span><span>xecutive </span><span>p</span><span>roducers</span><span>, </span><span>s</span><span>tudio </span><span>o</span><span>perations</span><span>, etc.</span><span>)</span><span>, </span><span>corporate stakeholders</span><span> (i.e., </span><span>c</span><span>orporate </span><span>f</span><span>inance</span><span>, </span><span>e</span><span>xternal </span><span>b</span><span>usiness </span><span>d</span><span>evelopment</span><span>,</span><span> </span><span>h</span><span>uman </span><span>r</span><span>esources, </span><span>etc.</span><span>)</span><span>, and </span><span>e</span><span>xecutive </span><span>l</span><span>eadership.</span><span> </span><span>We are looking for self-starters who can work in a rapidly changing gaming industry, tolerate ambiguity, and </span><span>demonstrate</span><span> problem-solving leadership with limited oversight.</span></span><span><span> </span></span><br /> </p><p>This role is based in our Santa Monica office and follows an onsite work schedule of four days per week. Work arrangements may evolve to meet business needs. <span><span> </span></span></p><p><br /><span><span>Priorities may change in a fast-paced environment such as ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following key responsibilities:</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p></p><p><i><span>Studio Resourcing</span></i><span><span> </span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>R</span><span>esource planning for Activision</span><span>’s </span><span>Call of Duty </span><span>studios</span><span>,</span><span> includ</span><span>ing </span><span>the </span><span>long-term planning for future Call of Duty title</span><span>s</span><span> across internal</span><span> </span><span>and external development teams</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Operat</span><span>ing </span><span>as the </span><span>studio-matter expert and </span><span>key </span><span>point of contact for </span><span>select studios</span><span> and helping </span><span>build resource plans, </span><span>monitor</span><span> budgets</span><span>,</span><span> </span><span>and solve </span><span>challenging</span><span> </span><span>problems</span><span> for our studio stakeholder</span><span>s</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Maintain </span><span>monthly process to</span><span> collect, </span><span>actualize</span><span> and forecast </span><span>studio resource planning and build ad-hoc analys</span><span>e</span><span>s</span><span> to support development initiatives</span><span>; articulate budget variances to senior leaders</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Support the development and delivery of </span><span>accurate</span><span> and </span><span>timely</span><span> business updates to senior leadership</span><span> and studio leads</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Partner </span><span>with </span><span>Studio </span><span>Finance</span><span> team</span><span> to </span><span>assist</span><span> in quarterly</span><span>, annual, and long-range planning processes</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Develop</span><span> </span><span>an analytical culture using historical and current operational data to drive predictive analytics for the studios</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><p></p><p><i><span>Strategic Initiatives</span></i><span> </span></p></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Taking on individual projects as required by the business</span><span> (past example</span><span>: </span><span>reviewing and analyzing in-game player </span><span>engagement </span><span>data to </span><span>identify</span><span> trends</span><span> </span><span>and </span><span>optimize</span><span> investment </span><span>levels </span><span>into select </span><span>game </span><span>modes)</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Being an agent of change who drives execution of cross-team projects to </span><span>optimize</span><span> organizational performance</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Supporting in developing, implementing, and </span><span>monitoring</span><span> strategies to achieve the organization’s long-term goals and </span><span>objectives</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Identify</span><span> key areas of over- and under-investment in ke</span><span>y </span><span>disciplines</span><span> of the business</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div></div><div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Ensuring processes are implemented across the studios</span><span>’</span><span> organization. May be </span><span>required</span><span> to </span><span>participate</span><span> as a team member on </span><span>highly complex</span><span> projects which are of the utmost highest priority for the organization</span></span><span><span> </span></span><br /><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><p></p><p><b><span>Player Profile</span></b><span> </span></p></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Bachelor's degree in business, economics,</span><span> finance,</span><span> or a related field</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Professional experience </span><span>in Management Consulting, Investment Banking, Corporate Finance</span><span>/Strategy</span><span>, or transferable Business Operations role</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Exceptional </span><span>proficiency</span><span> in Excel and PowerPoint, with a keen eye for detail and a proven ability to </span><span>navigate</span><span>, analyze, and accurately synthesize</span><span> </span><span>quantitative data</span><span> with minimal oversight</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Ability to build trust-based </span><span>stakeholder </span><span>relationships and effectively collaborate across </span><span>numerous</span><span> parties</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Comfort with ambiguity; strong judgment and ability to make well-informed decisions – displaying both high IQ and EQ</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Demonstrated success in developing new processes and/or improving existing ones</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Interest and passion for interactive entertainment and technology</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Integrity, excellent judgment, and discretion</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Resides</span><span> in or willing to </span><span>relocate</span><span> to Los Angeles, C</span><span>alifornia</span><span> (Santa Monica)</span></span><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span> </span></span><br /><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><p><b><span>Our World</span></b><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span> </span></span><br /><span><span>At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. </span><span>We’re</span><span> driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to </span><span>enjoy,</span><span> together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.</span></span><span> </span></p><p></p></div><div><p><span><span>We’re</span><span> not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; </span><span>we’re</span><span> forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization. </span></span><span> </span></p><p></p></div><div><p><span><span>We’re</span><span> in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up. </span></span><span> </span></p><p></p></div><div><p><span><span>Ready to Activate Your Future?</span></span><span> </span></p></div></div><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p><b>Rewards</b></p><p>We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!  Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:</p><ul><li>Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;</li><li>401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;</li><li>Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;</li><li>Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;</li><li>If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.</li></ul><p></p><p>Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company.  You can learn more by visiting <a href="https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/" target="_blank"><span><span>https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/</span></span></a>.</p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p>In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $71,300.00 - $131,906.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

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Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...