*This opportunity is open across Europe.
At Keywords, we are using our passion for games, technology and media to create a global services platform for video games and beyond. Our aim is to become the “go to” provider of technical services.
We enable leading content creators and publishers to leverage our expertise and capacity across the lifecycle of interactive content. In so doing we empower our clients to remain lean and agile, and to focus on creating the most engaging experiences.
Keywords is trusted and relied upon by many of the world’s leading video game companies to work alongside them during concept, development and live operations by leveraging the breadth and depth of our industry leading service lines every step of the way. www.keywordsstudios.com
Keywords Studios now has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Program Manager to be a part of the Engage Division, across marketing services and player engagement. This position will support the transformation program on behalf of the division, and provide key leadership with support to drive this critical and multifaceted initiative forward.
As PMO, you'll establish an effective governance framework aligned with the Group Transformation Board to bring clarity, structure, and focus to the Engage division’s Transformation initiative. Your mission is to ensure our key programs align with strategic priorities, are delivered efficiently, and meet or exceed quality, timeline, and outcome expectations. You'll oversee the successful implementation of program management standards, methodologies, and best practices across the Division, monitoring progress, managing risks, and ensuring project alignment with business objectives.
Duties and responsibilities
Program Governance and Standardization:
- Establish and maintain a robust program management governance framework, templates and processes
- Ensure alignment with transformation leadership on direction and requirements
- Define consistent processes for project initiation, prioritization, and execution
- Determine appropriate project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid) based on individual project needs
- Ensure compliance with internal policies and industry best practices
Program Monitoring and Reporting:
- Monitor program progress, timelines, and deliverables across multiple programs/projects in parallel
- Provide comprehensive oversight of all Engage transformation initiatives, delivering regular project status reports to senior management, highlighting risks and program health
- Analyze program performance metrics (e.g., schedule, cost, scope) to identify areas for improvement
- Monitor project budgets and expenses to ensure alignment with financial targets, reporting variances
- Track and report on KPIs and success measures
Risk and Issue Management:
- Proactively identify program risks (including quality and delays) and develop mitigation strategies
- Manage and escalate issues to relevant stakeholders for prompt resolution
- Support program leads and project managers in the development of risk management plans, including tracking path-to-green actions
Stakeholder Communication:
- Establish clear and effective communication channels among teams, stakeholders, and leadership to ensure transparency and alignment
- Provide regular, clear updates on project status, including successes, challenges and recommended actions
- Act as the point of contact for PMO-related inquiries within the division
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of efforts and objectives
Continuous Improvement:
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement by reviewing lessons learned and applying them to future initiatives
- Identify opportunities for increasing delivery efficiency and enhancing the team's capacity to deliver
Success Measures
- Clear and effective program management process for the overall Engage transformation initiative
- On-time, quality delivery of transformation programs, successfully meeting delivery milestones and KPIs
- Timely, accurate, and clear reporting across programs
- Robust risk management, with timely escalation of risks before they become issues
- Clear and consistent communication across stakeholders, reducing ambiguity and improving transparency.
- A well-defined prioritization process that ensures the organization focuses on initiatives with the highest strategic value.
Qualifications & Proven Capability
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Strategy, or a related field (MBA preferred).
- Proven experience in program management or PMO roles (typically 5-8 years).
- Proven track record leading complex transformation programs in a marketing and/or tech environment.
- Excellent organizational and multitasking skills.
- Strong communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.
- Ability to analyze complex data and provide actionable insights.
- Understanding of change management and ability to drive adoption
- Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
- Experience with project management software (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Trello, Asana).
- Strong understanding of project management methodologies (e.g., Agile certifications, Lean Transformation principles, PMP, PRINCE2).
- Experience in cross-functional leadership and working in a matrixed or global organization.
Core Skills
- Computer literate, proficient in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail) with experience in tools that enable digital transformation of the function.
- Committed to personal learning and self-improvement, including continuous professional development.
- Strong interpersonal and presentation skills along with the ability to communicate effectively with others at all levels of the organization.
- Capable of multi-tasking and managing multiple projects by being flexible, organized and able to prioritise and manage own workload.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-activity environment, on a wide variety of matters and able to handle the requirement to quickly shift from one situation or task to another.
- Solution-focused problem solver who is commercially astute and pragmatic.
- Strong research, analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Accountability and dependability, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
- Demonstrated ability to understand business requirements quickly and implement actions to meet business objectives.
- Excellent project management and communication skills and strong attention to detail.
- Fluency in English (additional languages are an advantage but not required).
Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavor to create a workplace, which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.
Note to Recruitment Agencies
Please be advised that Keywords Studios does not consider unsolicited resumes, or any form of contact initiated by unauthorized third parties, including recruitment or placement agencies, unless a pre-existing, valid agreement is in place. Any fees incurred by unauthorized third parties will not be compensated by Keywords Studios.
Privacy Notice
By providing your information in this application, you understand that we will collect and process your information in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Notice. For more information, please see our Applicant Privacy Notice at https://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/applicant-privacy-notice.
Role Information: EN
Studio: Keywords Studios
Location: Europe
Area of Work: Marketing, Player Engagement
Service: Engage
Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent
Working Pattern: Remote
