Manager, Special Projects - Publisher Developer Relations

Nintendo of America

About Nintendo of America: From the launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System™ more than 30 years ago, Nintendo’s mission has been to create smiles through unique entertainment experiences. Here at Nintendo of America Inc., we deliver on this mission by partnering closely with Nintendo Co., Ltd., to bring Nintendo’s iconic and cherished franchises including Mario™, Donkey Kong™, The Legend of Zelda™, Metroid™, Animal Crossing™, Pikmin™ and Splatoon™ across the Americas through our video games, hardware systems, and collaborations with partners on a range of other entertainment initiatives like feature films and theme parks.

We are an equal opportunity employer offering a welcoming and inclusive environment in service to one another, our products, and the diverse consumers and communities we call home. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at https://www.nintendo.com/. 

The PDR (Publisher & Developer Relations) Marketing team drives awareness and sales of third‑party games on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, advocating for partner titles across Nintendo’s most visible global channels. This role leads end‑to‑end third‑party activations across marquee marketing vehicles including Nintendo Directs, Indie World Showcases, trade shows, preview events, and original content. 

We are seeking a seasoned people manager who can lead with clarity and composure through change, pressure, and complexity while setting clear direction, holding teams accountable, and developing talent in a fast‑moving, highly collaborative global environment.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

• Drives alignment while ideating, advocating for, and executing projects.
• Plan and execute third‑party marketing activations across key channels, including Nintendo Directs, Indie World Showcases, trade shows, preview events, and original video content
• Act as the primary day‑to‑day point of contact, coordinating with global Nintendo stakeholders, regional marketing teams, internal channel owners, agencies, and external partners
• Ensure marketing activations are fully prepared by aligning on objectives, target audiences, creative direction, production schedules, review milestones, and publishing plans
• Manage the overall project pipeline, anticipating risks and adjusting plans as needed to meet key marketing moments and commitments
• Identify resourcing or process challenges early, and partner with stakeholders to re‑prioritize work and balance tradeoffs while protecting critical deliverables and team well‑being
• Provide clear, regular updates to leadership on plans, progress, risks, and mitigation strategies
• Set clear expectations for deliverables, timelines, and quality standards, and promote consistent follow‑through and accountability
• Establish and maintain clarity around roles, responsibilities, decision ownership, and escalation paths
• Lead, coach, and develop team members by creating growth plans aligned with individual strengths, interests, and career goals
• Deliver ongoing, actionable feedback through regular one‑on‑one meetings and performance check‑ins
• Foster a calm, resilient team culture that performs effectively under pressure and adapts to changing priorities
• Represent PDR Marketing with professionalism and confidence in internal and external forums
• Collaborates across internal and external teams to derive cohesive marketing plans.
• Evaluates results on an ongoing basis, adjusting and innovating to continuously improve ROI.
• Supervises daily work and ongoing development of assigned staff, championing team health and morale while leading by example with compassion, sincerity, humility, integrity, empathy, creativity, and a commitment to excellence.
• Builds and maintains strong external relationships, working closely with development and publishing partners to align on complimentary strategies and deliver best-in-class work.
• Builds and maintains strong internal relationships, driving success through regular interaction with stakeholders both locally and at global offices.
• Build, improve and maintain workflows to keep transparency for cross functional as well as team members on track for delivery.
• Spearheads the development and implementation of tools and processes that optimize team’s ability to deliver on goals effectively and efficiently.
• Supervises an end-to-end publishing and distribution pipeline that includes production, operations, marketing, and end-of-lifecycle rights management.
• Manages allocated budget, including creation and execution of funding agreements, Action Memos, and invoices.
• Maintains a considered and expansive understanding of industry trends and best practices.
• Evaluates games in various stages of development for quality, market potential, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Coordinates and conducts internal product demonstrations.
• Works with highly confidential information in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment that requires scheduling flexibility during peak seasons.
• Up to 30% travel, both national and international.
• Reports regularly to leadership on project status and key KPIs.
• Other duties as assigned.

SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum six to eight (6-8) years of related experience.
• Minimum two to four (2-4) years of experience as a people manager and team leader.
• Robust background in data analytics, forecast tracking, and ongoing ROI assessment.
• Extensive experience in deadline-driven, end-to-end project management, with a focus on campaign strategy and publishing.
• Experience managing and maintaining project budgets.
• Experience working with contracts, including publishing & distribution agreement terms, obligations, investments, limitations, and terminations.
• In-depth knowledge of marketing tools, channels, and best practices.
• In-depth knowledge of video games and the gaming industry.
• Bilingual in Japanese (strongly preferred)
• Experience with gaming, either professionally or through demonstrated personal engagement (strongly preferred)
• Excellent gameplay skills, with ability to eloquently engage audiences while playing.
• Software proficiencies: Advanced PC skills; emphasis on MS Office, Tableau, Smartsheet, Confluence.
• A valid passport may be required for international travel.
• Undergraduate degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, a related field, or the equivalent combination of education, training, and related business experience or equivalent.