Director, Platform Engineering

Get to know The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children's entertainment properties in the world.

Learn more online at Pokemon.com and on Facebook (facebook.com/pokemon), YouTube (youtube.com/pokemon), Twitter (twitter.com/pokemon), and Instagram (instagram.com/pokemon).

 

Get to know the role

• Job Title: Director, Platform Engineering
• Job Summary: This role is a key leader and customer advocate with responsibilities spanning across aspects related to building and maintaining tools, platforms, and services that are shared across TPCi engineering teams. They lead a team of engineers who will simplify and optimize engineering efforts while maintaining a high level of security, scalability, and reliability across the Tech Org. The Platform Engineering team is aligned with a larger service organization that includes Software Quality, Development Operations, Customer Service, Technical Program Management Office, and Data Engineering & Operations. This role will lead, build, and evolve a mission of establishing foundational technology that all product and engineering teams develop upon. This is an opportunity to actively create systems, automation, and establish standards that make the “right thing” the easiest thing to do for a global brand.
• FLSA Classification (US Only): Exempt
• People Manager: Yes

 

The impact you will make: 

Within 3 months

• Develop rapport and the foundation for trust within the Platform Engineering department. 
• Identify a path forward to establish relationships with key stakeholders and partners. 
• Establish the role the Platform Engineering Director plays in the larger service organization's leadership team. 
• Create a gap analysis identifying core strengths of the team and where opportunities for improvement exist. 

 

Within 6 months 

• Based on the foundation of TPCi's culture, create an environment within Platform Engineering that generates high engagement from team members and establishes a place where everyone can bring their best selves to their work.
• Map all stakeholders and partners to create clarity on how Platform Engineering should support product and engineering teams across TPCi.
• Contribute to the overall success of the larger service team's purpose and ability to deliver against TPCi's vision and objectives.
• Establish a plan for bringing best practices, tools, and processes to all partner teams that create a foundation for all teams to build upon.

 

Within 12 months 

• Create a clear roadmap for the technology foundation that allows the Platform Group, Tech Org, and TPCi to continue to meet the needs of our vision and objectives.
• Catalyze change across the organization leading to continuous reflection and improvement of processes, tools, and practices.
• Shape the impact and direction of the larger service team's leadership approach.

 

What you’ll do  

• Lead, manage, and develop teams of software engineers across multiple products.
• Collaborate with software engineering leadership - managers, directors, and principal engineers - to build and deliver on a long-term vision.
• Actively contribute to the direction and leadership across the larger service team that the Platform Engineering Team is part of.
• Recommend solutions which consider costs, business needs, and system impacts.
• Lead committees or projects to help define organization-wide standards, processes, and guidelines.
• Effectively collaborate with other disciplines within the Technology organization and across TPCi.
• Develop staff through coaching, provide timely performance feedback and assessments, and establish performance and development plans.
• Mentor current and future leaders, ensuring a constantly rising bar in technical excellence and professional growth.
• Drive a culture of change, excellence, and innovation which constructively challenges the status quo and leads to prudent experimentation.

 

What you’ll bring  

• Twelve+ (12+) years of relevant professional experience, plus five (5) years of people management experience or a demonstrated equivalent level of expertise.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field or a demonstrated equivalent level of appli