External Development Manager

Storytelling is, and will always be, the heart of what we do at Skydance.
Our vision is to build a thriving entertainment ecosystem where stories and worlds are imagined, brought to life and experienced. We create for every age and audience, anchored by the strength of our content and experiences and the depth of our connection with fans. We are creator-first, audience-focused, tech-forward, globally scaled.
Here, you’ll work with talented teams that move fast, think boldly and collaborate with purpose to deliver results. We aim high, champion the best ideas and win together, earning the trust of our employees, creators, partners and audiences every day.
If you’re energized by the opportunity to help build the next-generation global media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology, we’d be thrilled to welcome you aboard. LET’S GO!
Rocksteady Studios is an award-winning, critically acclaimed video game developer. Founded in 2004, we are home to the widely celebrated Batman: Arkham series of games. Our philosophy for game development is all about treating people well to create quality entertainment that stands the test of time. We’re a one-project studio that built our success by combining genre-defining gameplay and character-driven cinematic narrative with AAA production values. Born in the heart of London, our multicultural team takes inspiration from the culture and history of our home in one of the most diverse cities in the world.
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EXTERNAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Contract - 18 months
Join Rocksteady Studios as an External Development Manager and play a vital role in delivering our next AAA title. In this role you will take ownership of a multidisciplinary external development portfolio and play a key role in delivering our next AAA title. You will lead relationships with external partners, drive delivery pipelines, and ensure that outsourced content meets our quality, schedule, and budget expectations. You will collaborate closely with art, design, production, engineering and QA teams, acting as the primary point of accountability for our partners output and long‑term performance to deliver high-quality content through effective coordination.
Key Responsibilities
Own and manage a portfolio of external development partners, acting as the primary point of contact and ensuring delivery of high‑quality content across multiple disciplines.
Lead coordination between internal teams and external partners, ensuring clarity of requirements, timely feedback, and alignment with project goals.
Assist with documentation and contract preparation, liaising with legal and finance teams.
Own and refine the onboarding process for our external partners so that we’re providing a high quality and seamless onboarding experience, working closely with our IT team.
Assist with cost tracking for your portfolio, providing accurate reporting to the Lead External Development Manager.
Maintain regular communication with our Production and external teams to track progress of our external partners deliverables and flag issues proactively.
Facilitate communication between our development team and external vendors, ensuring clarity and timely responses and helping flag and resolve issues where needed.
Pro-actively identify and help resolve risks to both the project and outsource pipeline and ensure that all security measures are in place.
Maintain delivery pipelines, including asset tracking and review workflows.
Technical Requirements
Familiarity with project management tools (Jira, Shotgrid/Flow preferred).
A solid understanding of waterfall and Agile methodologies is advantageous.
Knowledge of asset creation workflows and tools is advantageous.
Proficient in the Office Suite and similar applications.
Skill Requirements
Experience working as a External Development Manager, Producer or Project Manager in game development, VFX or similar fast paced environment.
Very strong communication and organisational skills.
Detail-oriented with a proactive approach.
Experience with project budgeting and cost tracking.
Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple priorities while driving towards a deadline.
Proven ability to work as part of a team.
Able to think strategically and balance short term needs vs long term studio goals.
Passion for games and a collaborative mindset.
Benefits
TBD
Hybrid Working - This role is advertised as a Hybrid work model, that combines remote and in-office work, following our current company policy and to be agreed with your Line Manager. Subject to any applicable laws, Skydance / your Line Manager reserves the right to change this working agreement where this is essential to business needs and upon reasonable notice to you.
About Skydance
Skydance is a next-generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. Skydance's portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount, Warner Bros., HBO and HBO Max, Paramount+, Pluto TV, CBS, CNN, CBS Sports, TNT Sports, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, MTV, Food Network, BET, HGTV, and Comedy Central.
Some Important Details
We embrace the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit. In line with the laws of the country or region in which the role is based, this includes consideration without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religion or belief, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or protected veteran status, union status or any other category protected by applicable law.
If you’re a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.