Studio Management Director
Job description
About the role
The role leads Lion Studios' global studio management function. It serves as a bridge across studio managers, cross-functional leads, and finance and legal teams. The position focuses on scaling a remote team while strengthening external partnerships and execution. You will define the operational rhythm that allows distributed teams to move in the same direction. You own the design of how work flows between studios, functions, and regions. You will translate publishing objectives into clear structures and processes for managers. You ensure that the right capabilities exist at the right time to support portfolio growth.
Key facts
What you'll do
Guide studio managers so they can sign premium studios and deepen relationships with developers, aligning with publishing objectives.
Shape the team structure as the business grows, designing roles and calibrating positions across regions to meet demand.
Enable the business development side, helping studio managers win and retain top studios by responding to partner needs.
Set regional and global business development approaches so that each market contributes to a coherent portfolio strategy.
Manage contracts with the TDS Legal team so that terms remain consistent with industry norms and partner requirements.
Clarify the portfolio's P&L for leadership, explaining cost structures and attribution while partnering with TDS Finance on improvements.
Audit publishing processes and KPIs periodically, updating benchmarks and workflows to reflect evolving company needs.
Champion data-driven decisions by collecting and interpreting performance signals from games and teams.
Drive alignment between studio capacity, publishing plans, and market opportunities.
Own the end-to-end lifecycle of key partnerships, from onboarding to renewal and expansion.
Translate complex operational realities into clear narratives for executives and stakeholders.
Build playbooks and documentation that standardize how work is reviewed and improved over time.
Create feedback loops between studios, finance, legal, and strategy to surface risks early.
Represent Lion Studios in external discussions, ensuring our partnerships reflect our standards and ambitions.
Requirements
Bring 7+ years of experience in studio management, business development, or product/project management in mobile gaming, including 3+ years managing teams.
Show a record of building and managing external studios or developer relationships, ideally signing and retaining premium partners.
Handle publishing contracts with confidence and precision.
Oversee game pipelines from concept to launch across multiple titles, ensuring timely progression.
Communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Work comfortably with P&L, KPIs, and pipeline data, and the tools that support them.
Manage across regions, markets, and time zones effectively.
Act in a fast-paced setting while staying organized and analytical in decision-making.
Hold a Bachelor's degree as evidence of foundational knowledge and discipline.
Demonstrate ownership of outcomes even when processes are ambiguous or evolving.
Show resilience when navigating conflicting priorities and competing demands.
Maintain integrity and discretion when handling sensitive commercial information.
Commit to continuous improvement by questioning assumptions and testing approaches.
Engage constructively with diverse perspectives and cultures across global teams.
Nice to have
Grasp current trends and metrics in mobile gaming at a strategic level.
Partner with finance and legal teams in a publishing context to align contracts and compliance.
Understand portfolio or game-level P&L, including cost structures and attribution methods.
Bring startup or high-growth experience in a games environment.
Practical notes
This role is remote, based in Berlin.
Typical interview steps
Leadership hiring usually includes a strategy case, a people scenario, and a values conversation. Candidates may be asked to turn around a struggling team or plan for growth. Past results are examined closely, especially how decisions were made. Interviewers dig into specific decisions you made and their consequences. Preparing two or three decision stories with numbers and lessons is the best use of time.
Good to know
Roles of this type focus on coordinating teams and partners across regions.
Success depends on comfort with data tools and publishing workflows.
Communication skills are central when working with diverse functions.
High-growth environments often require adaptability and quick learning.
Remote work relies on strong self-direction and clear documentation.
Career growth
Leadership careers move from manager to senior manager, director, and executive roles. Each step adds more scope and more responsibility for outcomes. The best leaders keep learning how to delegate, communicate, and decide. Leadership careers reward a record of building and developing people. The higher you go, the more your communication shapes the whole organization.