Events and Programs Manager

Posted: 19 days

Business & Analysis

Contract

$30K-35K for 6 months, 30-40 hrs/wk

Our mission at Global Game Jam (GGJ) is to empower individuals worldwide to learn, experiment, and create together through the medium of games.

We are looking for a manager for our Events and Programs to lead the organization in carrying out this mission. This role oversees all GGJ programs, with our main event being the Global Game Jam in January each year. The Events and Programs Manager has primary responsibility for ensuring the quality of internal event programming, and making sure those events run smoothly, with high quality.

This is for a contract position extending through March 2025 with possibility of extension into a full-time staff role. This remote role involves occasional nights and weekends, and potential travel up to 3-4 weeks per year for conferences and trade shows. US-based residency and permission to work in the US is helpful but not required.

What you’ll do…

Produce and manage events run by Global Game Jam, Inc., most notably the annual GGJ event in January and any partner jams that GGJ co-produces throughout the year
Organize GGJ webinar and streaming content in collaboration with other GGJ Staff, partners, and sponsors.
Manage and support the large network of volunteers at different levels throughout the organization.
Perform ongoing outreach to potential organizations, communities, and volunteers who might be interested in participating in a GGJ event.
Assist and interface with 3rd party vendors who provide services to GGJ, including but not limited to technology, sponsors and contractors, as well as sponsorship fulfillment during and after our events.
Oversee GGJ’s scholarship program for events, such as GDC.
Manage event post-mortem evaluations and feedback collection to determine actionable recommendations for the improvement of GGJ events.
Deliver regular high level reports to GGJ Staff and Board Members.
Collaborate closely with GGJ Staff and Board on community outreach, messaging, and organizational needs.
Monitor community adherence to organization rules, regulations and procedures (e.g., GGJ Code of Conduct and Inclusivity Policy).
Represent and promote the image of GGJ in a professional and ethical manner

What we’re looking for…

Transparent, high integrity leadership
Prior experience planning and executing successful large-scale events and programs
Highly organized and process oriented
Ability to highlight problems and roadblocks early and in a collaborative, open manner
Collaborative people-management skills, including effective delegation, nurturing of staff and volunteers, and transparent communication
Effective and proactive communication with different stakeholders: staff members, board members, participants, volunteers, partners, donors, media, and the general public
Familiarity with game and tech industries is very beneficial
Experience working in a multicultural environment across multiple time zones is very helpful

Why you’ll love working here…,

Global reach and recognition as a leader in a widely-recognized, well-respected games industry and education non-profit
Mission-driven work supporting the future of the game development industry
Strong, diverse, and committed community of volunteers and participants from around the world
Potential for paid travel to game industry events
Flexible working hours and schedule autonomy

Compensation & Benefits:
USD ~$30K-35K for 6 months, 30-40 hrs/wk, health care stipend

How to apply:
Send your materials and cover letter to jobs@globalgamejam.org by September. 30th, 2024.
Anticipated start date Nov. 1st, 2024

About the Global Game Jam, Inc.

The Global Game Jam (GGJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to foster public engagement in game development, experimentation, innovation, and creativity. Our yearly Global Game Jam event brings together tens of thousands of participants in over 100 countries to learn, collaborate, and connect with one another—all for the love of making games. In 2023, we had over 800 locations in 102 countries and spanning all 7 continents, each run by volunteer site organizers from our community. GGJ creates pathways into the game industry for thousands of people looking to start their careers. Global Game Jam’s Next program provides programming and venues focused on youth and the next generation of game-makers.

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About Global Game Jam

The Global Game Jam® (GGJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered in the state of California and our mission is to empower all individuals worldwide to learn, experiment, and create together through the medium of games in a safe and welcoming environment.

The GGJ is the world's largest game creation event taking place around the globe boasting tens of thousands of participants (jammers) at hundreds of physical and virtual sites in over one hundred countries around the world. In January/February 2023, we had a great comeback year which saw 40,000 people at 800 locations in 108 countries create 7,600 games in 48 hours around the theme of Roots! GGJ Consistently maintains a 90% satisfaction rate year over year among our participants.

A game jam is similar to a hackathon where people come together for a short period of time to create games around a central theme revealed at the start of the jam. The structure of The GGJ is usually that everyone gathers on Friday late afternoon, watches a short video keynote with advice from leading game developers, and then a secret theme is announced. All jammers worldwide are then challenged to make games based on that same theme, with games to be completed by Sunday afternoon.

The GGJ stirs a global creative buzz in games, while at the same time exploring the process of development, be it programming, iterative design, narrative exploration or artistic expression. It is all condensed into a shortened development cycle. The GGJ encourages people with all kinds of backgrounds to participate and contribute to this global spread of game development and creativity. Jammers are invited to explore new technology tools, trying on new roles in development and testing their skills to do something that requires them to design, develop create, test and make a new game. The GGJ is rooted in the idea that in today’s heavily connected world, we can come together, be creative, share experiences and express ourselves in a multitude of ways using the universal language of video games.

The GGJ is the starting point for countless game developers who have turned a moment of bravery to join their first GGJ event into a successful and sustainable career in game development. Our vast network of volunteer organizers are vetted and committed to our mission of empowerment and inclusivity, helping us build a safe and welcoming event and community for everyone.

The GGJ helps to foster new friendships, increase confidence in aspiring game developers and creates opportunities within local communities. The GGJ is dedicated to collaboration and camaraderie and is not a competition.

Events and Programs Manager

About Global Game Jam

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