Suits Optional ... ...Brains Required!! Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. and the world's largest publisher of adventure games, including Magic: The Gathering ® Trading Card Game and Dungeons & Dragons ® Roleplaying Games, has an exciting opportunity for a Director of Technology to join our team. Why us? Because we offer competitive salaries, a great benefits package, and the excitement of working in a creative organization!
POSITION PURPOSE:
Responsible for planning, managing, and coaching the Online Gaming Development team in engineering online games and the Wizards web presence, including online editorial, community, and digital object sale item spaces. Reviews software requirements and establishes processes and work assignments. Works with other digital games directors to conduct system progress reviews following testing and adjusts scope and schedule accordingly. Plans and coordinates with other professional staff on the implications for installation, integration, user operation, and technical requirements.
Responsible for identifying and bringing new, leading edge techniques and methodologies for design and evolution of platforms, databases and development processes that significantly advance software functionality and products.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Supervises:
Responsible for the engineering and support of all new Wizards online presence (including Web Developers, Game Programmers, Prototypers and 3-D artists.)
Other Key Relationships:
Works closely with R&D and Marketing within Wizards to ensure digital products are aligned with existing analog revenue streams. Also partners with Hasbro Technical Services and business groups to negotiate feature sets, establish requirements, and create accurate timelines.
JOB DUTIES
Essential Functions / Major Responsibilities:
·Recruit, train and develop staff of the Digital Gaming Organization.
·Responsible for Product Engineering of all online games ensuring close partnership with R&D when delivering online versions of existing TCGs and RPGs
·Ensure that timely and correct information is available so project plans can be implemented
·Utilize experience to minimize project development costs.
·Evaluate and identify opportunities to use new technology to reduce costs and enhance productivity for Hasbro in the Online Gaming area.
·Conducts system progress reviews following testing and adjusts scope and schedule accordingly.
·Develops software requirements and specifications and establishes processes and work assignments.
·Implements and tracks all online game development timelines
·Participates in feature set negotiation with Digital Games R&D and Digital Games Production
·Implements and evangelizes standard software coding methodology
·Provides input on purchasing of software tools and hardware
·Provides input on the selection of software consulting firms and software vendors
·Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals
·Responsible for twice yearly employee appraisals
·Responsible for weekly and monthly communiqué to immediate supervisor
·Understanding of good business practices and audit ability standards including requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley regulations.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Training:
Required: BS Degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering or equivalent combination of related experience and education.
Prior Related Experience:
Required: 5-10+ years technical management experience in a similar role
Required: 5+ years programming experience on either computer games or web infrastructure (both preferred)
Required: 3+ years experience working with multi-threaded library on Win32 platform.
Required: Commitment to industry standard code practices and literate programming style
Required: 3+ years of Object Oriented design experience
Preferred: 3+ years working with C, or C++
Preferred: 3+ years experience building and integrating e-commerce systems
Preferred: 3+ years experience working with online games and massively multiplayer online games.
Preferred: 3+ years working with GNU tools such as automake and autoconf or 3+ years working with Microsoft Tools such as Visual Studio.NET.
Preferred: 3+ years working with source control system such as CVS or Perforce
Preferred: 3+ years development experience working in a Linux environment
Preferred: 3+ years working with industry standard scheduling and tracking tools, such as MS Project or Imendio Planner
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of people.
Highly motivated self-starter with attention to detail
Gamer, with a deep knowledge of the game industry and game market (12th level half-elf ranger/arcane archer a plus)
Ability to analyze technical system requirements, and plan solutions using both internal resources and external vendors.
