Manager Games Partnerships & Activations

Manager Games Partnerships & Activations – Drive Strategic Publisher Collaborations and Event Activations

Join our dynamic Games Partnerships & Activations team as a Manager, where you’ll play a pivotal role in fostering high-impact collaborations between the Esports Foundation and leading game publishers. This is an opportunity to shape the future of gaming experiences at our flagship events—the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC)—by ensuring seamless execution from initial partnership discussions to on-site fan engagement. As the linchpin between publishers and our cross-functional teams, you’ll deliver exceptional results while elevating brand visibility and fan interaction.

In this strategic role, you’ll oversee end-to-end partnership activations, ensuring alignment between publisher commitments and on-ground execution across marketing, in-game engagement, broadcast, and festival experiences. Your expertise will be instrumental in identifying growth opportunities, refining processes, and driving measurable impact—both for publishers and the Esports Foundation.

Key Responsibilities

Your work will span strategic partnership management, operational excellence, and creative execution. Key responsibilities include:

• Publisher Relationship Management: Build and nurture trusted partnerships with assigned publishers, aligning their goals with our events while serving as their primary point of contact. Proactively anticipate needs, drive initiatives, and ensure timely follow-through without unnecessary delays.
• End-to-End Activation Ownership: Translate publisher commitments into actionable deliverables, tracking progress across marketing campaigns, in-game activations, social media, and on-site experiences. Ensure all assets—from trailers to festival installations—are on-brand, on-spec, and on-time.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Act as the bridge between publishers, Corporate Marketing, Fan Marketing, and Festival teams. Route requests efficiently, resolve bottlenecks, and maintain clear ownership of deliverables to avoid gaps in communication.
• Creative and Strategic Oversight: Develop innovative activation concepts that enhance publisher visibility and fan engagement. Provide strategic feedback on publisher-side creative assets, ensuring compliance and alignment with brand objectives.
• Campaign Planning and Execution: Manage publisher announcement calendars, social media rollouts, and trailers, ensuring all key dates are met with precision. Collaborate with internal teams to refine co-marketing strategies and drive cohesive campaigns.
• On-Site Event Leadership: Serve as the on-ground liaison at EWC and ENC, connecting stakeholders, troubleshooting challenges, and ensuring seamless execution of publisher activations. Escalate risks proactively to mitigate disruptions.
• Process Improvement and Insights: Continuously refine workflows by analyzing post-mortems, asset specs, and QA checklists. Leverage market research and performance metrics to inform future campaigns, ensuring data-driven decision-making.
• Opportunity Identification: Scout new partnership and co-marketing avenues, presenting actionable strategies to expand publisher engagement and fan reach.

Why This Role Matters

As a Manager in Games Partnerships & Activations, you’ll be at the forefront of shaping the gaming landscape at our premier esports events. Your ability to balance strategic vision with operational precision will directly impact how publishers and fans experience the Esports Foundation’s initiatives. This is a chance to leave a lasting mark on the industry while growing within a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Qualifications and Experience

We’re seeking a results-driven professional with a passion for gaming and esports, equipped to drive impactful partnerships. Ideal candidates will have:

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years in IP collaborations, marketing, brand partnership management, or account management—preferably within the gaming, esports, or pop-culture IP space.
• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of major game publishers, competitive ecosystems, and esports trends. Credibility to discuss industry developments with confidence.
• Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with both internal and external partners, ensuring clear communication and ownership.
• Marketing and Engagement: Strong grasp of marketing principles, community engagement strategies, and data-driven campaign optimization.
• Operational Excellence: Experience in managing complex activations, coordinating cross-functional teams, and delivering high-impact results under tight deadlines.

If you’re ready to take your career to the next level by driving strategic partnerships and creating unforgettable gaming experiences, we’d love to hear from you.