Senior External Development Manager

Zynga is a global leader in interactive entertainment with a mission to connect the world through games and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). With massive global reach in more than 175 countries and regions, the combined diverse portfolio of popular game franchises has been downloaded more than 6 billion times on mobile, including Star Wars™: Hunters, CSR Racing™, Dragon City, Empires & Puzzles™, FarmVille™, Golf Rival™, Hair Challenge™, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells™, High Heels!™, Merge Dragons!™, Merge Magic!™, Monster Legends, Toon Blast™, Top Eleven, Toy Blast™, Two Dots, Words With Friends™, and Zynga Poker™.Founded in 2007, Zynga is headquartered in California with locations in North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.zynga.com or follow Zynga on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or the Zynga blog

Position Overview

Are you a passionate game developer with a pioneering mindset? Do you thrive in dynamic, fast-paced environments and love the thrill of creating something new? If so, Zynga, one of the largest and most innovative mobile game development studios, invites you to join our cutting-edge Mid-Core Game Division for an unannounced new game.

At Zynga’s Mid-Core Division, we craft a diverse array of captivating mobile games enjoyed by millions around the globe. Now, we're forging new ground with an exciting 3D action game and seeking talented, self-starting developers to help us bring this vision to life. This is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity to join a team of highly skilled, diverse professionals who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of mobile gaming.

In the role of Senior External Development Manager, you'll leverage your wide range of skills to create engaging, high-quality gaming experiences. You'll collaborate with innovative Directors, Animators, and Engineers in a supportive environment that values creativity, initiative, and diverse perspectives. If you're ready to take on new challenges and be a part of something groundbreaking, we want to hear from you. Join us and help shape the future of mid-core mobile gaming.

Main Responsibilities 

• Establish, maintain and manage relationships with external vendors.
• Establish testing procedures, quality and business metrics for vetting new outsource contracts.
• Work closely with our Art Lead, Art Producer, Game Art Directors, and Concept Artists to deliver high quality assets from outsource providers that follow documented style guidelines.
• Provide necessary reference material, style guides, and define technical specifications to successfully commission outsourced art.
• Track and review incoming 2D and 3D assets for quality, to ensure it meets all visual and technical requirements.
• Organize internal feedback and sign-off procedures and act as the primary point of contact for communication with Outsource Vendors.
• Develop, maintain, document and continually improve outsourcing procedures and pipelines. Consistently look for ways to work faster, mitigate risk, and get more done with less time and effort.
• Coordinate internally on legal / contractual issues.
• Meet and exceed all internal project deadlines, budgets and milestones.

Desired Skills and Experience 

• Excellent written and visual communication skills – The ExDev manager is in charge of giving feedback notes from the Art Director and other key stakeholders to the External Studio. Feedback is generally given visually with written support, and must take into account time zones, culture, customs, religion and language barriers that may impact the working relationship.
• Strong Art Fundamentals and an excellent eye for character design, color theory, lighting, shape, and form.
• Expert level experience in Adobe Photoshop. Maya/3DS Max/Blender and Unity game en