GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Manager, Porting & QA oversees all operational functions related to game porting, platform submission (release management), storefront setup, localization QA, and localization text integration for the company’s multi-platform titles.
In addition to leading and developing the Porting & QA team, the Manager will have a strong working knowledge of the team’s day-to-day operations including platform submissions, storefront setup, and localization text integration using memoQ (the company’s CAT tool) and will be able to provide direct support when needed.
The ideal candidate is a highly organized leader with practical experience in multi-platform game submission and storefront management, a solid understanding of QA and localization workflows, strong technical aptitude, and Japanese-language communication skills. This role requires a proactive mindset, excellent operational judgment, and the ability to guide teams through complex submission, QA, and release processes.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Porting & Submission Management
- Oversee submission workflows across Steam, EGS, GOG, Microsoft, Nintendo, and PlayStation.
- Ensure all platform‑specific requirements (age ratings, compliance documents, metadata) are met.
- Guide the team in coordinating with porting vendors on build deliveries, technical requirements, and certification timelines.
- Manage build intake and version tracking, verifying that the correct builds, patches, and DLC are delivered, tested, and submitted on schedule.
- Review and approve submission plans, resubmission strategies, and platform communications.
- Storefront Setup & Metadata Management
- Oversee storefront setup across all platforms, ensuring accuracy in metadata, pricing, assets, and Japanese-language content.
- Ensure internal documentation for storefront requirements is maintained and updated.
- Ensure product pages, DLC and bundle setups, pre-orders, regional pricing, and release dates are correctly configured in each platform’s back-end tools.
- Approve final storefront configurations prior to submission.
- Localization Engineering & Text Integration
- Oversee the import of game text from source files (e.g., Excel, CSV, XML, JSON) into memoQ, including file filter, segmentation, and tag-handling setup, and provide direct support as needed.
- Ensure translated text is correctly exported from memoQ and reintegrated into game-ready files for delivery to developers and porting vendors.
- Ensure text files are validated for character limits, encoding, control codes/tags, placeholders, and line-break rules to prevent in-game display issues.
- Work with the Localization team, developers, and vendors to define text-handling specifications and resolve file-format or integration issues.
- Localization QA & Compliance Oversight
- Supervise LQA and compliance testing processes to ensure localized content accuracy and platform certification readiness.
- Ensure QA standards, test plans, and reporting structures are consistently applied.
- Plan QA schedules and resources, and manage internal testers.
- Oversee bug tracking to ensure issues are properly logged, prioritized, and verified through resolution.
- Support the QA Lead in implementing process improvements, testing methodologies, and video capture standards.
- Licensor & External Partner Communication
- Support and guide team members in communication with Japanese licensors, platform holders, and external vendors.
- Ensure timely approvals, clear updates, and proper documentation of all external communications.
- Maintain strong relationships with platform partners and identify promotional opportunities
- Post-Launch Operations & Promotional Support
- Oversee patch submissions, hotfix coordination, and live‑title monitoring.
- Stay vigilant for new 1st‑party digital sales programs, promotional opportunities, and platform‑specific support initiatives across Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox, ensuring timely communication to internal teams.
- Ensure promotional campaigns, bundles, and platform sales programs are executed accurately and on schedule.
- Process Improvement & Operational Strategy
- Identify inefficiencies and implement workflow improvements across porting, submission, QA, and localization text-integration operations.
- Introduce new tools, documentation standards, and methodologies to enhance team performance.
- Maintain and refine master operational documentation for submissions, QA, and release processes.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Game Production, Business, Japanese Language, Communications, Computer Science, or a related field; or 10+ years of experience in game publishing, digital operations, or release management in a multi-platform environment.
- 5+ years of leadership or team‑management experience.
- Proven experience with platform submissions and storefront setups using first-party and PC platform tools (e.g., Steamworks, Epic Dev Portal, Partner Center, Nintendo Developer Portal, PlayStation Partners).
- Knowledge of submission processes including age ratings, certification/lotcheck, and metadata handling.
- Experience managing QA/LQA processes, including test planning, bug tracking, and certification readiness.
- Experience working directly with first-party platform holders (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo) or PC storefront partners.
- Technical aptitude and familiarity with game text and data files (e.g., Excel, CSV, XML, JSON) and character encodings.
- Highly organized with excellent multitasking and communication skills.
- Comfortable using project management and tracking tools (e.g., JIRA, Confluence, Monday) and spreadsheets for version tracking and scheduling.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects with tight deadlines.
- Passion for video games and familiarity with Japanese titles.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Business-level fluency in both English and Japanese, with the ability to communicate professionally in writing and conversation.
- Experience with memoQ or other CAT tools (e.g., Trados, Phrase), particularly importing/exporting game text, configuring file filters, and handling tags and placeholders.
- Basic scripting or automation skills (e.g., Python, regular expressions, Excel VBA) for text extraction, conversion, and validation.
- Familiarity with build delivery pipelines and version control systems (e.g., Perforce, Git).
- Understanding of localization workflows or cross-region product configurations.
- Knowledge of ESRB, PEGI, USK, and other international age rating processes.
- Experience with bug tracking and test management tools (e.g., JIRA, TestRail).
Other Requirements:
- Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
Key Attributes:
Candidate should demonstrate these skills
- Passion
- Strong passion to introduce our game titles to the market
- A love for Japanese games!
- Communication Skills
- Solid verbal and written English communication
- Exceptional communication and presentation
- Good negotiation skills
- Planning and organizing
- Good time management / Ability to meet schedules and deadlines
- Team work oriented
- Team working skills with respect
- A person of integrity
- Steady and prudent
- Multi-tasking
- Able to juggle multiple tasks with competing deadlines
- Ability to prioritize tasks as needed based on task urgency and importance
- Required nature
- Critical thinking and problem-solving
- Good sense for numbers / mathematics
- Stress tolerance
- Detail Oriented
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- Work is typically performed either in an office environment with a moderate noise level or at your home.
- While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to frequently sit and occasionally must stand, walk, use hands and fingers, and may lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
- Specific vision abilities include the ability to read and analyze data in hard copy and on a computer screen, measure, or identify using eyesight and adjust vision focus.
- Abilities to communicate verbally and in writing to individuals and groups.
Compensation & Benefits:
- Benefits: Health, Dental & Vision coverage, 401k plan
Health care: effective first of the month following 30 days waiting period.
401K: Require 3 months of service to be eligible.
- Paid holidays; 88 hours of vacation in the first year; 56 hours sick leave per year
- Discretionally Year-end bonus (TBD) may be available