Program Manager, B&OP at Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine, California

Job Description:

Team Name:
Quality Assurance

Job Title:
Program Manager, B&OP

Requisition ID:
R023941

Job Description:

At Blizzard Entertainment, we pour our hearts and souls into everything we create. Best known for iconic video game universes, including Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft, we've been creating genre-defining games for millions of players around the world for more than 30 years. We're on a quest: bring our dreams to life and craft the most epic entertainment experiences...ever. Hard work, iteration, and polish go into the Blizzard "secret recipe," but the most important ingredients come from talented people who share our vision.

The concept of "Blizzard polish," that is, the infinite care and loving detail put into every aspect of our games, is something we take seriously and pride ourselves on delivering to our players. It's a responsibility shared across the company - and its undisputed heart and soul is Blizzard QA. Blizzard QA is a close-knit team; we care about iteration, problem-solving, and succeeding as a group. We genuinely love what we do for a living and expect the same from everyone who joins us!

A Program Manager is a seasoned professional with deep expertise in project and program management. They support a wide array of programs, services, and initiatives in one or more products and systems, ensuring software quality, automation, and process improvement. Collaborate closely with development teams, product managers, and key stakeholders to review needs and define scope, ROI, roadmaps, metrics, and timelines. They establish standards for cross-functional teams, manage schedules and resources, and drive the strategic vision for quality assurance. They address program-impacting issues, manage team members' performance for excellence, and promote software development best practices. Additionally, they will develop training materials, lead workshops, and meetings, and play a crucial role in delivering epic gaming experiences for customers and key internal partners.

Responsibilities

• Manage quality assurance programs, services and initiatives across multiple products, platforms, ensuring execution and reporting and the quality of all deliverables, workflows, and relationships.


• Manage and support projects and initiatives with regional teams, cross-functional partners, and QA teams, overseeing project schedules, scope, budget, progress, risks, issues, key performance indicators, and findings.


• Facilitate continuous improvement efforts and implementation of best practices.


• Define reporting metrics and create data-based visuals to provide insights to business and technology teams. Facilitate team and department meetings to provide updates, share information, train, influence change, and reach effective decisions.


• Collaborate with development leads and provide high-value, quality-related services to the products and areas assigned.


• Provide support and leadership to the assigned team, ensuring their performance is managed effectively and fostering a productive, positive, collaborative work culture.


• Champion efforts that build synergy, trust, collaboration, and inclusivity within the organization. Own and manage relationships with key partners, resources, colleagues, and leaders ensuring transparency around critical decisions and trade-offs.


• Ensure requirements and risks are consistently addressed throughout the software development life cycle (SDLC).


• Create, monitor, and control metrics impacting product and team quality, analyzing product quality and usability, associated system limitations, and reporting on risk.


• Review Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) regularly and collaborate with leadership on shifting work or resources to promote test quality, software development best practices, and enhanced customer experience.


• Provide resources and assistance and oversee adherence to the master test plans for products. Contribute to the long-term QA vision and facilitate communication with stakeholders.


• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years' experience in QA, Engineering, Product/Program Management or a similar role is required.


• Experience performing as a scrum master, product owner, or program manager in the team following Scrum or Kanban methodology.


• Experience leading teams or projects where there is a direct or indirect leadership role.


• High School diploma or equivalent required. Bachelor's Degree in a related field preferred.


• Ability to follow defined project management processes, organize software development teams, establish a welcoming working environment (office and remote).


• Knowledge of Confluence, JIRA, Microsoft Office apps (including Project and Visio).


• Experience in coaching scrum teams and stakeholders on new ways of working, including known methodologies and new trends in software development and project management.


• Ability to solve unexpected problems, prioritize work for a cross-functional team, identify and mitigate risks in a fast-paced environment.


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to tailor presented information for the appropriate audience.

• Thorough understanding of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), specifically QA processes in agile and waterfall development environments.


• Experience with software development and testing methodologies and tools.


• IT or software testing certifications.


• Coding knowledge: XML/HTML, JavaScript, Python, Java, C/C++/C#, SQL


• Certifications: PMP, Scrum Master and/or Product Owner, ISTQB.


• Familiarity with Blizzard Entertainment line of products and services.


• High level of gaming knowledge and/or skill.


• Passion for Blizzard's line of products and services.

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences.
Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry's most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!

Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered!

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.

Rewards

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:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;


• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;


• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;


• 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;


• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

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 https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $29.81 - $55.14 Hourly. 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.